Copper Theft Continues to Impact Coops
Posted on Mar 4, 2013 in Grid & Infrastructure, Legislative & Politics, Regulation & Policy, Technology | Comments Off on Copper Theft Continues to Impact Coops
Ongoing international demand for copper could result in another rise in copper prices, followed by a rise in copper theft, according to Maurice Martin, a program manager at NRECA’s Cooperative Research Network. Coops like Missouri-based N.W. Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. have tried multiple ways to thwart copper theft. For example, Northwest long ago switched to tin-coated...
Texas Coop to Own and Operate Experimental Wind Energy Storage System
Posted on Feb 20, 2013 in Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Project Development, Renewable Energy, Technology | Comments Off on Texas Coop to Own and Operate Experimental Wind Energy Storage System
South Plains Electric Cooperative will own and operate an experimental battery energy storage system at the Reese Technology Center in Lubbock, Texas. The storage system will focus on combining utility scale energy storage with wind generation and will be installed by Samsung SDI and Xtreme Power as part of a $27 million smart grid demonstration project. To read more about the...
Government Announces New Funding for Rural Coops
Posted on Feb 18, 2013 in Energy Savings Programs, Environmental, Financing, Grid & Infrastructure, Technology | Comments Off on Government Announces New Funding for Rural Coops
In a recent announcement, John Padalino, USDA Rural Utilities Acting Administrator, stated that rural electric cooperatives and utilities in 12 states will receive loan guarantees to improve generation and transmission facilities and implement smart grid technologies. The statement was made during the annual meeting of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association on behalf of...
New Regulation Under Cybersecurity Executive Order
Posted on Feb 15, 2013 in Grid & Infrastructure, Legislative & Politics, Regulation & Policy, Reliability, Technology | Comments Off on New Regulation Under Cybersecurity Executive Order
President Obama has issued an Executive Order to address the growing cyber threat to the Nation’s “critical infrastructure.” The energy industry should pay attention, both for regulatory compliance purposes and also as a matter of sound business practice, in the face of the increasing security threat posed by cyber attacks. Read the full Sutherland Legal Alert.
Proposed Texas Bill Would Give Customers Grounds to Sue
Posted on Feb 14, 2013 in Energy Savings Programs, Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Legislative & Politics, Litigation, Regulation & Policy, Technology | Comments Off on Proposed Texas Bill Would Give Customers Grounds to Sue
In addition to creating a cause of action against utilities for theft and improper use of data, a proposed Texas bill, H.B. 1171, also provides customers with the right to opt out of smart meter programs and the right to have previously installed meters removed. This bill differs from a prior Senate bill in that H.B. 1171 provides customers with this cause of action but does not...
Coop and IOU Strike Deal to End Territorial Dispute
Posted on Jan 30, 2013 in Grid & Infrastructure | Comments Off on Coop and IOU Strike Deal to End Territorial Dispute
The city council of Cheyenne, Wyoming, has approved a franchise agreement between High West Energy, Inc. (High West) and Cheyenne Light, Fuel and Power Company that ends a 35-year territorial dispute between the coop and the investor-owned utility. Over the years, the coop has lost service territory and customers as the city expanded into unincorporated territory serviced by High...
Delaware Coop Breaks Ground on New Solar Farm
Posted on Jan 29, 2013 in Climate Change, Grid & Infrastructure, Land Use, Project Development, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Delaware Coop Breaks Ground on New Solar Farm
The Delaware Electric Cooperative (Delaware Electric) has begun construction of a 20-acre, 16,000-solar-panel, solar energy farm in Sussex County, Delaware. It will be one of the largest solar farms in the state and is expected to cost $14 million. Delaware Electric hopes the project will be online by May 2013. Read more here.
Kansas Coop Brings Attention to Private Transmission Considerations
Posted on Jan 24, 2013 in Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Land Use, Legislative & Politics, Permitting, Project Development, Regulation & Policy, Reliability | Comments Off on Kansas Coop Brings Attention to Private Transmission Considerations
Wheatland Electric Cooperative of Kansas is alerting others to potential concerns regarding the construction of private transmission lines to meet increased oil and gas exploration in the Mississippi Lime Play, which is an underground formation across southern and western Kansas and northern Oklahoma. If energy companies begin building their own electric transmission infrastructure,...
Colorado Coop Looks to Expand Transmission Line Capacity
Posted on Jan 22, 2013 in Grid & Infrastructure, Project Development, Reliability | Comments Off on Colorado Coop Looks to Expand Transmission Line Capacity
San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative plans to expand the capacity of a 32-mile transmission line from 69 kV to 115 kV. The project will improve reliability in the San Luis Valley by reducing the risk of outages. The Pueblo Chieftain has the full story.
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association to Consider Alternative Transmission Project
Posted on Jan 17, 2013 in Grid & Infrastructure, Project Development, Reliability | Comments Off on Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association to Consider Alternative Transmission Project
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association plans to consider an alternative route for its planned transmission project to provide new infrastructure for its electric system. Tri-State’s decision is in response to Xcel Energy’s indication that it will likely withdraw from the previously proposed joint transmission project. The project will help provide reliable power to San...
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