Vermont Coop to Build 5-MW Solar Project
Posted on Nov 12, 2013 in Climate Change, Environmental, Financing, Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Project Development, Rates, Regulation & Policy, Reliability, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Vermont Coop to Build 5-MW Solar Project
The Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) is hoping to build the state’s largest utility-owned solar power project as part of a broader effort to help reduce the state’s dependence on fossil fuels. VEC is working with 14 other coops across the country on the 5-MW project in a first-of-its-kind initiative to make solar energy cost-competitive with other forms of electricity by the end of...
Alaska Coop to Buy Private Utility
Posted on Nov 12, 2013 in Grid & Infrastructure, Mergers/Acquisitions, Project Development, Rates, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on Alaska Coop to Buy Private Utility
The Regulatory Commission of Alaska has recently approved an asset purchase agreement in which Alaska Village Electric Cooperative will buy the assets of Bethel Utility Corp., a privately owned utility. This acquisition will boost the Anchorage-based coop’s overall demand for electricity by more than 50 percent and resulting in savings for new members. Read more here.
Native American Reservation Reaches Settlement with New Mexico Coop
Posted on Nov 12, 2013 in Grid & Infrastructure, Land Use, Legislative & Politics, Litigation, Rates, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on Native American Reservation Reaches Settlement with New Mexico Coop
Northern Rio Arriba Electric Coop (NORA) has reached a deal with the Jicarilla Apache Nation for the Nation to purchase all of NORA’s infrastructure on the Northern New Mexico reservation. This settlement effectively ends two years of litigious hostilities between the utility and the Nation, whose lawyers said Nation officials are displeased with NORA’s service and are ready to end a...
U.S. Forest Service Seeking $38 Million Reimbursement from Coop for Wildfire
Posted on Nov 8, 2013 in Grid & Infrastructure, Land Use, Litigation | Comments Off on U.S. Forest Service Seeking $38 Million Reimbursement from Coop for Wildfire
The U.S. Forest Service has sent a $38 million bill to Jemez Mountains Electric Cooperative in connection with the agency’s firefighting and remediation efforts involving the 2011 Las Conchas Fire. This move comes even as the Forest Service has been named in a related lawsuit for its role in vegetation management along the power lines where the fire began. The Santa Fe New Mexican is...
Sutherland Webcast: NIST’s Preliminary Cybersecurity Framework – Impact on Energy Companies
Posted on Nov 6, 2013 in Grid & Infrastructure, Legislative & Politics, Regulation & Policy, Reliability | Comments Off on Sutherland Webcast: NIST’s Preliminary Cybersecurity Framework – Impact on Energy Companies
Cybersecurity and the protection of critical infrastructure are major concerns for the energy industry. New government regulations and guidance are in the works under the President’s Cybersecurity Executive Order, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework. NIST released its Preliminary Framework on October 22. Join Sutherland...
USDA Makes $960 Million Investment in Rural Electric Utility System Improvements
Posted on Oct 28, 2013 in Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Reliability, Technology | Comments Off on USDA Makes $960 Million Investment in Rural Electric Utility System Improvements
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced funding for rural electric utility system improvements that will benefit residential and business customers in 23 states, including more than $14.3 million to implement smart grid technology and nearly $11 million to improve electric service for Native Americans. The $960 million in USDA loan guarantees will go...
Coops Working to Make Smart Grid Data More Accessible and Useful
Posted on Oct 25, 2013 in Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Technology | Comments Off on Coops Working to Make Smart Grid Data More Accessible and Useful
As more coops and their members adopt smart meters and smart grid technology, the next step is to find ways to use this data to meet members’ needs. A number of coops have hired the Atlanta firm Verdeeco Inc. to help implement methods for coop members to better monitor and manage their energy use. Click here for more on this story.
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...
Man Arrested in Connection with Arkansas Grid Attacks
Posted on Oct 14, 2013 in Grid & Infrastructure | Comments Off on Man Arrested in Connection with Arkansas Grid Attacks
The FBI and the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas have announced that Jason Woodring, 37, of Jacksonville, Arkansas, was arrested on a criminal complaint charging him with destruction of an energy facility. The affidavit filed with the complaint charges that Woodring is responsible for multiple acts of sabotage to the power grid in Central Arkansas, including...
Subscribe
