Iowa Coops to Attend Workshop on Preventing Cyber-Attacks
Posted on Dec 14, 2012 in Grid & Infrastructure, Reliability, Technology | Comments Off on Iowa Coops to Attend Workshop on Preventing Cyber-Attacks
The heads of electric cooperatives in Iowa will meet for a three-day workshop and training session at Iowa State University in Ames. The goal of the workshop is to protect the state’s electric coops from cyber-attacks, which are becoming an increasingly important topic of grid reliability. Organizers say the first line of defense is ensuring that the workforce is adequately...
New Study Finds Credit Quality of G&T Coops on the Rise
Posted on Dec 14, 2012 in Financing | Comments Off on New Study Finds Credit Quality of G&T Coops on the Rise
Kroll Bond Rating Agency recently released the results of a multi-month study related to its development of a new rating methodology for rural generation and transmission (G&T) cooperatives. The study found that the credit quality and strength of G&Ts have improved significantly over the past 20 years. The findings also indicated that many market participants give...
Study Finds Northwest Needs More Generation
Posted on Dec 13, 2012 in Grid & Infrastructure, Project Development, Reliability | Comments Off on Study Finds Northwest Needs More Generation
A study conducted by the Northwest Resource Adequacy Forum for the Northwest Power and Conservation Council said that utilities in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington will need approximately 350 MW of additional capacity by 2017. The additional generation will likely be needed because California plans to retire certain power plants, which will upset the region’s current...
New Mexico Coop Sees Insurance Premiums Spike
Posted on Dec 13, 2012 in Corporate Governance, Litigation | Comments Off on New Mexico Coop Sees Insurance Premiums Spike
Jemez Mountains Electric Cooperative faces an almost 33 percent increase in its overall insurance premiums resulting from a significant increase in general liability, workers’ compensation and executive officer-specific claims. The coop plans to explore other insurance providers and quotes to avoid an almost $200,000 increase in insurance premiums. The Rio Grande Sun has...
Tri-State Authorizes Capital Credits
Posted on Dec 13, 2012 in Corporate Governance, Patronage Capital | Comments Off on Tri-State Authorizes Capital Credits
The Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. (Tri-State) board of directors has authorized $10 million in capital credits to be refunded to members. The board has approved a reimbursement for 24 straight years. Tri-State makes the refunds when it meets equity capital ratios and other financial objectives. Click here for more.
Hawaii Regulators Approve Kaua’i Island Solar Power Purchase Agreement
Posted on Dec 11, 2012 in Climate Change, Environmental, Financing, Project Development, Rates, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Hawaii Regulators Approve Kaua’i Island Solar Power Purchase Agreement
The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission has approved a 20-year power purchase agreement between the Kaua’i Island Utility Cooperative and REC Solar for its 300-kilowatt, MP2 Hawaii Solar Project in Koloa. This will be the 36th-largest renewable energy project in Hawaii. Read more here.
New Mexico Coops and Tri-State G&T in Rate Battle
Posted on Dec 11, 2012 in Legislative & Politics, Litigation, Rates, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on New Mexico Coops and Tri-State G&T in Rate Battle
Kit Carson Electric Cooperative and two other New Mexico coops are battling a rate increase proposed by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. (Tri-State). Specifically, the coops filed a protest calling for a public hearing on the rate increase. The coops cited a New Mexico law that allows the Public Regulation Commission to call a hearing on rates if three or more...
Coop and River Authority Reach Preliminary Settlement in Pending Lawsuit
Posted on Dec 10, 2012 in Litigation, Rates | Comments Off on Coop and River Authority Reach Preliminary Settlement in Pending Lawsuit
Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative (GVEC) and the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) have reached a preliminary settlement of the lawsuit filed by LCRA after GVEC notified the authority of GVEC’s intent to terminate its wholesale electric contract with LCRA. GVEC is one of 10 wholesale customers of LCRA that chose not to extend contracts expiring in June 2016. The non-extending...
Utah Coop May Challenge California Greenhouse Gas Trading System
Posted on Dec 10, 2012 in Climate Change, Environmental, Litigation, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on Utah Coop May Challenge California Greenhouse Gas Trading System
Utah-based Deseret Power Electric Cooperative (Deseret) may file a lawsuit challenging California’s greenhouse gas trading system. Although the coop has declined to comment on the potential lawsuit, “one informed source” asserts that Deseret may be seeking other businesses to join in this effort. The lawsuit would likely claim that the trading system violates either the...
Emerson to Lead NRECA
Posted on Dec 5, 2012 in Legislative & Politics, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on Emerson to Lead NRECA
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) has a new leader. U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, a Missouri Republican, announced that she will be retiring from Congress in February to take the helm of the NRECA. When asked about the decision, Emerson stated, “. . . [t]hese are the people who provide electricity to my constituents…and the rural electric coops are what built...
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