FirstEnergy gains $1.2B in proceeds as sale of transmission subsidiary gets finalized July 19, 2024 FirstEnergy Corp. on July 17 received the remaining $1.2 billion in proceeds from the sale of its FirstEnergy Transmission LLC (FET) subsidiary, and said it will use the funds to further improve its balance sheet…
Manchin, Barrasso announce permitting reform deal, breaking lengthy impasse
Manchin, Barrasso announce permitting reform deal, breaking lengthy impasse 07/22/24 Sens. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) have reached an agreement on a bill to speed up the nation’s energy and infrastructure projects after about two years of trying to reach a deal. The bill takes on a suite…
Power plant coal shipments dropped 8 percent in 2023 but will see a slight rebound in 2024
Power plant coal shipments dropped 8 percent in 2023 but will see a slight rebound in 2024 Energize Weekly, July 24, 2024 Coal shipments in the U.S. decreased 8 percent in 2023, continuing a two-decade trend as more coal-fired power plants are retired, although deliveries could see a bump this…
CIB Invests $283.5 Million in New Alberta Transmission Line
CIB Invests $283.5 Million in New Alberta Transmission Line July 11, 2024 The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) is providing Alberta electricity transmission companies, AltaLink and ATCO Electric, with a loan of $208.16 million to construct a transmission line, the Central East Transfer-Out project, in the counties of Red Deer, Lacombe…
Dominion, Virginia move forward in pursuing small modular reactor goals
Dominion, Virginia move forward in pursuing small modular reactor goals July 12, 2024 Virginia’s pursuit of nuclear power technology, though ambitious and not without resistance, continues to prove more than empty rhetoric, as representatives from Dominion Energy and the Youngkin administration gathered Wednesday at a company power station to share…
With electricity demand predicted to double, Dominion Energy looks to add “peaker plants”
With electricity demand predicted to double, Dominion Energy looks to add “peaker plants” July 16, 2024 In 2020, Virginia became the first southern state to lay out a legal mandate for a carbon-free electrical grid. That’s why it was a surprise to many when Dominion Energy announced plans to build…
Seattle City Light to increase rates due to higher demand, rising energy costs
Seattle City Light to increase rates due to higher demand, rising energy costs July 15, 2024 The Seattle City Light Department recently announced a plan to increase rates for customers amid a growing energy demand and heightened labor costs. Customers could see a 5.4% rate increase in 2025 and 2026,…
Federally proposed bill promotes Energy Dept.’s use of AI in energy, national security, science
Federally proposed bill promotes Energy Dept.’s use of AI in energy, national security, science 7/15/2024 A newly introduced bill on Capitol Hill aims to advance America’s leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) by establishing a program at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that would promote the department’s use of the…
U.S. offshore wind development falters in 2023 but is projected catch up in the next 10 years
U.S. offshore wind development falters in 2023 but is projected catch up in the next 10 years Energize Weekly, July 17, 2024 Offshore wind development in the U.S. suffered setbacks in 2023 with projects being cancelled and less than half of the 30-gigawatt (GW) target set by the Biden administration…
Hurricane Beryl Ravages Texas Coast, Leaving Widespread Damage and Power Outages
Hurricane Beryl Ravages Texas Coast, Leaving Widespread Damage and Power Outages July 8, 2024 Tropical Storm Beryl has unleashed heavy rains and powerful winds along the Texas coast, leading to widespread power outages affecting nearly 3 million homes and businesses. Streets are inundated with rapidly rising waters, prompting urgent rescue…
Oglethorpe Power acquires 465 MW natural gas-fired plant
Oglethorpe Power acquires 465 MW natural gas-fired plant 7.8.2024 Oglethorpe Power announced the acquisition of Walton County Power, a 465 MW, three-unit combustion turbine generation facility in Monroe, Georgia. The facility was purchased from Mackinaw Power Holdings, an affiliate of the global investment firm, The Carlyle Group. Walton County Power…
New nuclear power plant eyed in Florida
New nuclear power plant eyed in Florida July 8, 2024 After the issue was tucked into a wide-ranging energy bill approved by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Legislature, state regulators in the coming months will study the feasibility of adding more nuclear power. The Florida Public Service Commission has scheduled…
Arizona voters will vote on going green fast or keeping fossil-fuel choices in the mix
Arizona voters will vote on going green fast or keeping fossil-fuel choices in the mix July 8, 2024 Three seats on the Arizona Corporation Commission are up for grabs in the coming primary and general elections, and the results of these votes will help set the state’s water and power…
New rates approved for Duke Energy Carolinas customers in South Carolina
New rates approved for Duke Energy Carolinas customers in South Carolina Jul 08, 2024 The Public Service Commission of South Carolina (PSCSC) has approved new customer rates based on a settlement agreement with almost all parties in the Duke Energy Carolinas rate review request filed with the commission in January…
FBI warns of increased cyber threats to expanding US renewable energy sector
FBI warns of increased cyber threats to expanding US renewable energy sector JULY 02, 2024 The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) published Monday a Private Industry Notification (PIN) emphasizing how malicious cyber actors may seek to disrupt power-generating operations, steal intellectual property, or ransom information critical for normal functionality to…
Entergy Texas announces resiliency plan to strengthen the Southeast Texas power grid
Entergy Texas announces resiliency plan to strengthen the Southeast Texas power grid 07/01/2024 Extreme weather has become more frequent and severe in Texas. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, there have been 179 extreme weather events in Texas from 1980 to June 2024, including hurricanes and winter storms.…
Arizona utility SRP seeks proposals for emerging storage technologies
Arizona utility SRP seeks proposals for emerging storage technologies Jul 02, 2024 Arizona utility Salt River Project (SRP) has launched a request for proposals (RFP) for non-lithium-ion, long-duration energy storage (LDES) demonstration projects, aiming to back its goal for a sustainable power system. The company said it is targeting both…
NextEra CEO says he’d ‘consider’ restarting Duane Arnold nuclear power plant
NextEra CEO says he’d ‘consider’ restarting Duane Arnold nuclear power plant Jun. 27, 2024 The owner of Iowa’s only nuclear power plant — which started the decommissioning process in 2020 — would consider restarting the plant to meet the demand of data centers and other customers, according to its chief…
Texas to double $5 billion state fund aimed at expanding the power grid
Texas to double $5 billion state fund aimed at expanding the power grid JULY 1, 2024 The state of Texas plans to double a state fund aimed at expanding the power grid as demand for electricity is expected to nearly double over the next six years. The state will look…
How Chevron’s fall could remake the energy sector
How Chevron’s fall could remake the energy sector 07/01/2024 The Supreme Court’s decision Friday to give judges more authority over federal agencies creates new hurdles for the Biden administration as it seeks to promote low-carbon energy and address climate change. Forty years after the justices first decided Chevron v. NRDC,…
Despite bad weather and forced power plant outages the nation’s grid was reliable in 2023
Despite bad weather and forced power plant outages the nation’s grid was reliable in 2023 Energize Weekly, July 3, 2024 Even in the face of extreme weather events and higher rates of forced outages at generating facilities, the U.S.-Canadian electric grid remained “reliable and secure” in 2023, according to the…
NYSERDA reaches MOU for Witmer Road Landfill solar project
NYSERDA reaches MOU for Witmer Road Landfill solar project 6/25/24 The former Witmer Road landfill in the Town of Wheatfield is a step closer to potentially housing a solar farm. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority announced recently it has reached a memorandum of understanding on the…
Con Edison begins five-year plan to install interrupters to improve reliability
Con Edison begins five-year plan to install interrupters to improve reliability June 24, 2024 Over the next five years, Con Edison plans to install 100 new “interrupters” on underground electric delivery equipment in Brooklyn and Queens. An interrupter is a device that swiftly detects and “interrupts” problems within underground electrical…
Major coal CCS project hits delays, cost spikes
Major coal CCS project hits delays, cost spikes 06/25/2024 The lead developer of one of the world’s largest carbon capture proposals is delaying a final decision on construction, citing challenges such as “uncertainty” created by EPA’s final power plant rule. Developers of Project Tundra — which envisions capturing up to…
US up to 15 years behind China in nuclear power, report says
US up to 15 years behind China in nuclear power, report says 6.20.2024 The United States is at least a decade and up to 15 years behind China in nuclear power, specifically rolling out next generation reactors, according to a report from the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a…
N.C.’s ratepayer advocate: Duke Energy ‘failed’ to consider incentives that would cut costs & enable more clean energy
N.C.’s ratepayer advocate: Duke Energy ‘failed’ to consider incentives that would cut costs & enable more clean energy June 25, 2024 Duke Energy’s plan to zero out its carbon pollution all but ignores a federal loan program that could save ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars and enable more clean…
Casar leads 22 House Democrats in call for federal electric grid corridors in Texas
Casar leads 22 House Democrats in call for federal electric grid corridors in Texas 06/24/24 Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) on Monday led 22 members of Congress in requesting that the Department of Energy add Texas to the areas serviced by proposed federal corridors for electrical transmission. In May, the department…
Record temperatures will increase electricity demand, but not natural gas or coal prices
Record temperatures will increase electricity demand, but not natural gas or coal prices Energize Weekly, June 26, 2024 Record temperatures are set to increase electricity demand this summer, but analyses find that a combination of ample gas storage and more renewable generation will help prevent a spike in natural gas…
New NREL Report Highlights Pathways to Unlock Full Potential of Interregional Transmission
New NREL Report Highlights Pathways to Unlock Full Potential of Interregional Transmission June 14, 2024 Interregional transmission lines, which connect multiple planning regions, can offer numerous benefits to electric customers, such as increased grid reliability and reduced costs. However, current market and operating practices were not designed for such an…
Ontario’s new energy minister says natural gas plants must stay ‘to help fuel our economy’
Ontario’s new energy minister says natural gas plants must stay ‘to help fuel our economy’ June 13, 2024 Ontario’s new energy minister says the fast-growing province can’t afford an “ideological” push to wean its electricity system off fossil fuels even as concerns about climate change mount. “I cannot underscore this…
DOE floats $900M to build advanced reactors
DOE floats $900M to build advanced reactors 06/18/2024 The Department of Energy announced plans Monday to inject $900 million into developing small nuclear reactors — a shot in the arm for the industry as the Senate prepares to vote on a bill to boost the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s capacity to…
As heat wave sweeps across Michigan, many will see impact of summer peak electric rates
As heat wave sweeps across Michigan, many will see impact of summer peak electric rates June 17, 2024 As Michiganders grapple with scorching temperatures this week, special electric rates meant to lessen strain on the grid and promote energy savings are in effect for millions of residents. For many customers…
Clean energy mandate for Vt. utilities becomes law after Democrats override veto
Clean energy mandate for Vt. utilities becomes law after Democrats override veto June 17, 2024 The biggest energy policy to come out of Montpelier this year is hitting home in concrete ways for two Vermont mothers who showed up to the Statehouse on Monday. The legislation requires all Vermont utilities…
Big energy projects moving fast, face $150 billion a year in cost overruns, Bain & Co. says
Big energy projects moving fast, face $150 billion a year in cost overruns, Bain & Co. says Energize Weekly, June 19, 2024 The scale and speed of the energy transition risks project delays and setbacks leading to cost overruns of 15 percent to 20 percent, equal to $150 billion a…
U.S. Solar Sector Shows Record-Setting Growth
U.S. Solar Sector Shows Record-Setting Growth Jun 6, 2024 A new report from two leading energy industry groups said a record 11 GW of new solar power module manufacturing capacity entered service during the first three months of this year, representing the largest quarter of solar manufacturing growth in U.S.…
To Beat the Summer Heat and Support the Transition to Clean Energy, Con Edison Puts $2.3 Billion Plan In Action
To Beat the Summer Heat and Support the Transition to Clean Energy, Con Edison Puts $2.3 Billion Plan In Action June 10, 2024 Con Edison is investing $2.3 billion in infrastructure projects across New York City and Westchester County to keep its service safe and reliable and support the clean…
NRG Applies to the Texas Energy Fund to Bring Essential Dispatchable Power to ERCOT
NRG Applies to the Texas Energy Fund to Bring Essential Dispatchable Power to ERCOT Jun 10, 2024 Today, NRG Energy Inc. (NYSE: NRG) submitted the first of three loan applications to the Texas Energy Fund (TEF) to develop the previously announced 1,600 megawatts (MW) (1.6 Gigawatts) of new quick-start natural…
Bill Gates is breaking ground on a nuclear power plant in Wyoming
Bill Gates is breaking ground on a nuclear power plant in Wyoming Jun 10, 2024 Bill Gates and his energy company are starting construction at their Wyoming site for a next-generation nuclear power plant he believes will “revolutionize” how power is generated. Gates was in the tiny community of Kemmerer…
CVEC alerts customers of rate increases due to rising costs and line upgrades
CVEC alerts customers of rate increases due to rising costs and line upgrades Jun 11, 2024 The Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (CVEC) has announced that customers will see a rate increase on their bills starting on June 12. This comes after the CVEC filed a streamlines rate case with the…
City council rejects Power San Diego proposal
City council rejects Power San Diego proposal Jun 10, 2024 The push by a voter initiative to assume control of the power responsibilities of San Diego Gas & Electric collected over 30,000 signatures. This compelled the city council to deliberate on whether San Diego voters would have the opportunity to…
Dominion Energy finishes burying 2,000 miles of power lines ahead of hurricane season
Dominion Energy finishes burying 2,000 miles of power lines ahead of hurricane season Jun 03, 2024 Just ahead of the Atlantic hurricane season, Dominion Energy Virginia has finished burying 2,000 miles of previously-overhead power lines as part of its Strategic Underground Program. Launched in 2014 to reduce storm-related power outages…
Babcock & Wilcox to proceed with coal-to-biomass plant conversion
Babcock & Wilcox to proceed with coal-to-biomass plant conversion JUN 4, 2024 Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) has been granted a limited notice to proceed (LNTP) by NorthStar Clean Energy to begin work on a Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) conversion of a former coal-fired power plant in Filer…
US Energy Secretary calls for more nuclear power while celebrating $35 billion Georgia reactors
US Energy Secretary calls for more nuclear power while celebrating $35 billion Georgia reactors May 31, 2024 U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on Friday called for more nuclear reactors to be built in the United States and worldwide. But the CEO of the Georgia utility that just finished the first…
PUCO allows higher AES Ohio transmission charges
PUCO allows higher AES Ohio transmission charges June 3, 2024 State regulators recently approved a bid by Dayton electric utility AES Ohio to increase its transmission cost recovery rider or charge. In so doing, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (also known as the “PUCO”), overruled an objection from the…
Cybersecurity experts sound alarm over US power grid vulnerabilities
Cybersecurity experts sound alarm over US power grid vulnerabilities June 2, 2024 The White House announced efforts last week to upgrade the country’s aging energy infrastructure in a move to reduce power outages and make improvements to the grid amid soaring demand, but threats from nefarious forces continue to pose…
AI is poised to drive a doubling in data center electricity demand by 2030, studies say
AI is poised to drive a doubling in data center electricity demand by 2030, studies say Energize Weekly, June 5, 2024 Data centers, spurred by increased artificial intelligence applications, could double their demand for electricity in the U.S. reaching 9.1 percent of the nation’s electricity load by 2030, according to…
Wind towers crumpled after Iowa wind farm suffers rare direct hit from powerful twister
Wind towers crumpled after Iowa wind farm suffers rare direct hit from powerful twister May 22, 2024 A wind farm in southwest Iowa suffered a direct hit from a powerful tornado that crumpled five of the massive, power-producing towers, including one that burst into flames. But experts say fortunately such…
California ISO Greenlights Transmission Plan for Offshore Wind Integration
California ISO Greenlights Transmission Plan for Offshore Wind Integration May 24, 2024 The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) has approved the 2023-2024 Transmission Plan that identifies and plans for key upgrades to California’s transmission system to deliver power from offshore wind turbines to the state’s homes and businesses. CAISO unveiled…
Australia’s largest coal-fired power plant Eraring in Lake Macquarie to stay open for two extra years
Australia’s largest coal-fired power plant Eraring in Lake Macquarie to stay open for two extra years 22 May 2024 The Eraring Power Station in Lake Macquarie will remain open for an additional two years beyond its original 2025 closure date in a deal between Origin and the NSW state government.…
Innovative piping rehabilitation solution to be used at US plant
Innovative piping rehabilitation solution to be used at US plant 24 May 2024 Framatome has been awarded a multi-million-dollar contract to carry out its first major mitigation of buried condenser feed pipes using its innovative spray-in-place structural pipe liner solution at a three-unit operating nuclear plant in the USA. The…
