USDA Unveils Energy Efficiency Program for Rural Coops
Posted on Dec 5, 2013 in Climate Change, Energy Savings Programs, Financing, Innovation/Efficiency, Legislative & Politics, Regulation & Policy, Technology | Comments Off on USDA Unveils Energy Efficiency Program for Rural Coops
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide funding to rural coops and utilities to help boost energy efficiency improvements by commercial and residential customers. The Energy Efficiency and Loan Conservation Program plans to provide up to $250 million to rural coops which will, in turn, lend the money to customers to fund energy efficiency projects. To learn more, click...
Wisconsin Coop Secures Additional CFC Financing
Posted on Nov 25, 2013 in Financing, Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Project Development, Reliability, Technology | Comments Off on Wisconsin Coop Secures Additional CFC Financing
Washington Island Electric Cooperative (WIEC), based in Washington Island, Wisconsin, has recently refinanced its debt with another lender to become a 100-percent National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC) borrower. WIEC, which serves 1,080 members on an island in Lake Michigan accessible only by ferry, has plans for some improvement projects, including the...
SMECO Drills to Install Underground Cables
Posted on Nov 25, 2013 in Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Project Development, Reliability | Comments Off on SMECO Drills to Install Underground Cables
Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO), based in Hughesville, Maryland, is carrying out its plans to run lines for a new 230-kilovolt system under the Patuxent River. SMECO’s project manager, Black & Veatch, is currently drilling tunnels, through which the lines will run, 50 feet below the river’s bottom. SMECO undertook the project to provide increased reliability for...
Water Heater Efficiency Act to Help Coops?
Posted on Nov 21, 2013 in Climate Change, Environmental, Innovation/Efficiency, Legislative & Politics, Regulation & Policy, Reliability | Comments Off on Water Heater Efficiency Act to Help Coops?
Republican Senator John Hoeven and a bipartisan group of senators today introduced the Water Heater Efficiency Act, a bill that would enable rural electric power coops and their members to continue using large, energy-efficient water heaters in “demand response” conservation programs. New Department of Energy rules threaten to phase out such water heaters by 2015. The bill is seen as...
Iowa Coop Closes 1960s Coal-Fueled Plant
Posted on Nov 21, 2013 in Climate Change, Environmental, Innovation/Efficiency, Legislative & Politics | Comments Off on Iowa Coop Closes 1960s Coal-Fueled Plant
In early November, Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) closed CIPCO Fair Station, a 66-MW coal-fueled power plant located in eastern Iowa. CIPCO’s decision to close the plant stemmed from new federal environmental regulations, current energy prices and the overall efficiency concerns in running a plant built in the 1960s. Read more here.
Coops Respond to Outages from Midwest Tornadoes
Posted on Nov 20, 2013 in Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Reliability | Comments Off on Coops Respond to Outages from Midwest Tornadoes
Dozens of electric cooperatives have called line workers and other personnel to respond to outages caused by last weekend’s storms in the Midwest. The massive storm system, which spawned more than 80 tornadoes, caused power outages affecting tens of thousands of electric cooperative customers. Cooperative crews have been working around the clock to replace broken poles and restring...
Massachusetts Coop Holds Groundbreaking Ceremonies for Solar Energy Projects
Posted on Nov 20, 2013 in Energy Savings Programs, Innovation/Efficiency, Project Development, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Massachusetts Coop Holds Groundbreaking Ceremonies for Solar Energy Projects
This week Cape & Vineyard Electric Cooperative held groundbreaking ceremonies for six of eight solar energy projects it has underway in several Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard towns. The cooperative is hopeful that these eight projects will be operational by spring. Most of the projects are placed on capped landfills and are expected to generate 16 MW of energy. The cooperative...
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...
eBay the Cooperative Way
Posted on Nov 5, 2013 in Innovation/Efficiency | Comments Off on eBay the Cooperative Way
Basin Electric Power Cooperative has launched Surplus MarketPlace, an eBay-like website, to sell its surplus materials, such as office furniture, vehicles, and plant equipment. Learn more by clicking here.
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...
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