MISO Will Not Allow Shutdown of Presque Isle Power Plant
Posted on Oct 22, 2013 in Climate Change, Environmental, Grid & Infrastructure, Project Development, Regulation & Policy, Reliability, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on MISO Will Not Allow Shutdown of Presque Isle Power Plant
The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) says We Energies’ Presque Isle coal-fired power plant in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula needs to remain operational for reliability reasons, despite a bid by We Energies to suspend operations. We Energies had discussed retiring the power plant several years ago but changed its mind after Wolverine Power Cooperative (Wolverine) agreed to...
Dairyland to Retire Alma Station
Posted on Oct 22, 2013 in Climate Change, Environmental, Grid & Infrastructure, Project Development, Regulation & Policy, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Dairyland to Retire Alma Station
Dairyland Power Cooperative (Dairyland) has announced plans to shutter two boilers of one of its coal-fired generating plants in Alma, Wisconsin, because of the age of the facility, demand, market prices and regulations. Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) obligations require that Dairyland produce a quarter of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025. Currently about 88...
EPA Emission Standards Face Supreme Court Review
Posted on Oct 18, 2013 in Environmental, Litigation, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on EPA Emission Standards Face Supreme Court Review
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) arguing that the EPA has overreached its authority under the Clean Air Act by regulating greenhouse gas emissions from fossil-based power generation facilities. Oral arguments for the case (Utility Air Regulatory Group v. EPA) are expected in February or March 2014. Click here for more...
Industrial Standards Group Rejects Limits on Water Heaters
Posted on Oct 14, 2013 in Environmental, Innovation/Efficiency, Regulation & Policy, Technology | Comments Off on Industrial Standards Group Rejects Limits on Water Heaters
In a victory for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and electric coops, an industrial standards organization has rejected water heater restrictions that could have cost coop members millions of dollars. The International Code Council voted down water heater limits recommended by the Natural Resources Defense Council at its code hearing in early October. As a result,...
Kansas Supreme Court Nixes Permit for Coop’s Coal Plant
Posted on Oct 7, 2013 in Climate Change, Environmental, Litigation, Project Development, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on Kansas Supreme Court Nixes Permit for Coop’s Coal Plant
In a unanimous decision, the Kansas Supreme Court overturned a permit granted to Sunflower Electric Power Corporation in 2010 to build a coal-fired power plant in the southwestern part of the state. The court found that the Kansas Department of Health and the Environment (KDHE) erred in issuing the permit because it did not take into account a series of regulations that were enacted...
Montana Coops Discuss Sage Grouse and Renewable Portfolio Standard
Posted on Oct 3, 2013 in Environmental, Legislative & Politics, Rates, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Montana Coops Discuss Sage Grouse and Renewable Portfolio Standard
Efforts to avoid listing the sage grouse as an endangered species and changes to the Montana Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) were among the issues discussed at the annual Montana Electric Cooperatives’ Association meeting. Efforts to save the sage grouse may require coops to reroute existing lines or plan new lines to avoid breeding locations, which may increase member rates. The...
Coop Uses Crowdfunding to Create Additional Wind Power
Posted on Sep 30, 2013 in Climate Change, Environmental, Financing, Project Development, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Coop Uses Crowdfunding to Create Additional Wind Power
East River Electric Cooperative (EREC), a supplier of electric power for rural areas of South Dakota and Minnesota, is using crowdfunding to add more wind power to its portfolio. Crowdfunding is a new method through which many writers, artists, designers, and entrepreneurs get their projects funded by strangers. EREC crowdfunded from the communities it serves to finance a portion of...
Coop Action Plan for EPA Regs
Posted on Sep 24, 2013 in Climate Change, Environmental, Regulation & Policy, Technology | Comments Off on Coop Action Plan for EPA Regs
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) plans to enlist the support of electric coops and their members nationwide to deal with proposed regulations for future power plants that are built. The new Cooperative Action Network website seeks to organize this movement. NRECA will seek coop input as it develops comments on the Environmental Protection Agency’s...
Coops Continue to Take on EPA’s New Climate Plan
Posted on Sep 24, 2013 in Climate Change, Environmental, Regulation & Policy, Technology | Comments Off on Coops Continue to Take on EPA’s New Climate Plan
Representatives of electric coops across the country are trying to get the following message across on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) rulemaking announced September 20: This rulemaking is not feasible and prohibitively expensive. Specifically, the EPA’s rulemaking implementing the Clean Air Act requires future coal-based generation to employ carbon capture and storage...
Coop Industry Group Seeks Reconsideration of Wastewater Rule
Posted on Sep 23, 2013 in Environmental, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on Coop Industry Group Seeks Reconsideration of Wastewater Rule
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) has asked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reconsider its proposed guidelines for wastewater discharges from coal generation. According to NRECA, the EPA should carefully consider the cost effectiveness of the pending effluent limitations guidelines and especially their potential impact on smaller power...
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