House Resolves to Overturn EPA’s “Waters of the U.S.” Rule
Posted on Jan 14, 2016 in Environmental, Land Use, Legislative & Politics | Comments Off on House Resolves to Overturn EPA’s “Waters of the U.S.” Rule
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a resolution to overturn the “Waters of the U.S.” rule issued last year by the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers. The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association praised the resolution, as coops nationwide have expressed concern over the rule’s dramatic expansion of federal regulation of waterways.
FERC Case Leads to Changes in MISO Auction Rules and Potential Consumer Refunds
Posted on Jan 13, 2016 in Rates, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on FERC Case Leads to Changes in MISO Auction Rules and Potential Consumer Refunds
Southern Electric Cooperative was a complainant in a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) case that led to the agency issuing an order to correct alleged market manipulation by Midcontinent Independent Systems Operator in connection with its 2015-2016 Planning Research Auction.
Coal Prices and Production Down in 2015
Posted on Jan 13, 2016 in Economic Downturn, Grid & Infrastructure, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on Coal Prices and Production Down in 2015
According to the Energy Information Administration, coal prices and production declined in 2015. The agency attributed this decline to low natural gas prices, lower demand and more environmental regulations.
Illinois Coops Join Metal Theft Task Force
Posted on Jan 12, 2016 in Legislative & Politics | Comments Off on Illinois Coops Join Metal Theft Task Force
A new state law will give Illinois electric cooperatives a role in fighting metal theft through the creation of the Recyclable Metal Theft Task Force. Seats on the task force include representatives of Illinois’ electric coops, public utilities, scrap metal dealers, insurance companies, members of the state Senate and House and state law enforcement.
Vermont Coop Working with Major State Industry to Promote Electric Technology
Posted on Jan 6, 2016 in Innovation/Efficiency, Renewable Energy, Technology | Comments Off on Vermont Coop Working with Major State Industry to Promote Electric Technology
Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEP), a Vermont cooperative with 35,000 members, including 400 maple syrup producers, has partnered with Dominion & Grim, a Canadian company, to promote to sugar makers a new electric evaporator called ECOVAP. VEP will offer incentives for the sugar makers to switch to ECOVAP and, in turn, VEP will receive carbon credits for the program.
Coops Repairing After Severe Storms
Posted on Jan 6, 2016 in Grid & Infrastructure, Reliability | Comments Off on Coops Repairing After Severe Storms
After severe ice storms in parts of Texas and Oklahoma and major flooding from Illinois to Arkansas, electric coops are facing weeks of repairs. As repairs to any damaged systems move forward, coops are continuing to monitor any conditions that could cause scattered outages.
NRECA Suggests Changes to Clean Power Plan’s “Safety Valve”
Posted on Jan 4, 2016 in Climate Change, Environmental, Grid & Infrastructure, Litigation, Regulation & Policy, Reliability | Comments Off on NRECA Suggests Changes to Clean Power Plan’s “Safety Valve”
The NRECA filed a petition on December 21 requesting that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) include a more robust “safety valve” in its Clean Power Plan to allow power providers relief from emissions standards in the event that those standards will have adverse effects on reliability. The EPA’s plan does include a “safety valve,” but the current structure may be insufficient...
Sutherland Represents EKPC in Gas Plant Acquisition
Posted on Jan 4, 2016 in Mergers/Acquisitions, Regulation & Policy, Reliability | Comments Off on Sutherland Represents EKPC in Gas Plant Acquisition
Sutherland recently represented East Kentucky Power Cooperative, Inc. (EKPC) in its acquisition of a 594-megawatt natural gas power plant located in Oldham County, Kentucky from Bluegrass Generation Co. LLC. The transaction, approved by the Kentucky Public Service Commission last month, closed on December 29, 2015.
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