Dairyland Power Coop Rebuilding Transmission Line
Posted on Nov 14, 2012 in Innovation/Efficiency, Project Development, Reliability, Technology | Comments Off on Dairyland Power Coop Rebuilding Transmission Line
In September, Dairyland Power Cooperative (Dairyland) began a $22.5 million project to rebuild the 65-year-old, 20-mile Q1 transmission line that provides power to La Crosse, Wisconsin, and its surrounding areas. The project includes the addition of steel poles and a new conductor and foundations. Dairyland officials said that when the project is completed, it will eliminate...
New Partners Sought for Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant
Posted on Nov 13, 2012 in Grid & Infrastructure, Project Development, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on New Partners Sought for Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant
Kansas City Power & Light Co. and Kansas Electric Power Cooperative, two of the owners of the Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant located near Burlington, Kansas, are seeking new partners to help operate the plant. Citing operational issues such as extended outages and increased regulatory oversight as reasons, the owners are soliciting proposals to fill this role. Click here for...
Border Facility Finally Getting Power
Posted on Nov 12, 2012 in Grid & Infrastructure, Project Development, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on Border Facility Finally Getting Power
A new outpost to house U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and Border Patrol agents in southern New Mexico is finally getting a power line upgrade from the Columbus Electric Cooperative in Deming. The project has experienced a year-long delay because federal planners failed to make sure the local power coop could provide enough electricity. It wasn’t until final construction...
Power Wholesaler Predicts Slow Growth in Energy Demand
Posted on Nov 5, 2012 in Economic Downturn, Grid & Infrastructure, Land Use, Project Development | Comments Off on Power Wholesaler Predicts Slow Growth in Energy Demand
According to a planning outlook filed with state regulators last week, Great River Energy (GRE), a large power wholesaler to Minnesota coops, projects slow growth in electrical demand and no need to build new power plants for at least 15 years. The Maple Grove-based utility is the state’s second-largest electricity producer behind Xcel Energy. GRE supplies power to 28 retail...
Golden Valley Electric Association Wind Farm Produces Power
Posted on Nov 1, 2012 in Energy Savings Programs, Project Development, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Golden Valley Electric Association Wind Farm Produces Power
The largest wind project in Alaska began producing power this week in a key milestone toward beginning commercial operation. The $93 million project called the Eva Creek Wind Farm near Healy, Alaska, is part of Golden Valley Electric Association’s (GVEA) plan to produce 20 percent of its power from renewable sources by 2014. The project is expected to produce 77 million...
Electrical Demand Expected to Triple in the North Dakota Oil Patch
Posted on Oct 24, 2012 in Grid & Infrastructure, Project Development | Comments Off on Electrical Demand Expected to Triple in the North Dakota Oil Patch
The Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative (MWEC) in North Dakota will energize six new substations today in an effort to keep up with rapidly increasing demand spurred by increased oil production in the state. According to a recent study, the electrical demand in the Williston Basin and surrounding areas is expected to triple by 2032. MWEC reported that it has seen its peak load...
Hawaii Coop Reveals Solar Facility Progress
Posted on Oct 23, 2012 in Land Use, Project Development, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Hawaii Coop Reveals Solar Facility Progress
Kaua’i Island Utility Cooperative of Hawaii is building a $40 million, 12-MW solar project on 67 acres on the south side of its island territory. The project site, a former sugar cane farm, will be leased from the Grove Farm Co. The coop hopes to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals by July 2013, and the goal is to have the site online by late 2014. Read more on this...
Texas Coop Finalizes Financing for Biomass Plant
Posted on Oct 22, 2012 in Financing, Project Development | Comments Off on Texas Coop Finalizes Financing for Biomass Plant
East Texas Electric Cooperative, based in Nacogdoches, Texas, has finalized long-term financing for a 49.9-MW biomass plant currently under construction. The coop will fund the project with $55 million in Clean Renewable Energy Bonds issued by the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation and a loan from the Rural Utilities Service through the Federal Financing Bank. ...
Federal Grants to Boost Smart Grid Development
Posted on Oct 15, 2012 in Grid & Infrastructure, Legislative & Politics, Project Development, Technology | Comments Off on Federal Grants to Boost Smart Grid Development
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced $134 million in grant funding for rural electric coops and utilities to develop smart grid technologies. These funds will be added to the $250 million in financing announced by the USDA in August. (See previous Sutherland Coop team reports on this USDA grant funding from August 6, August 10, September 10, October 5...
Increased Solar Access on Horizon for Texas Coop
Posted on Oct 15, 2012 in Project Development, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Increased Solar Access on Horizon for Texas Coop
Pedernales Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Pedernales) plans to boost its solar generation portfolio beginning with new pilot programs in 2013. The programs will offer interested coop members the option to purchase a portion of large-scale solar projects or lease rooftop solar panels as part of Pedernales’ efforts to attain 30 percent of its generation requirements from renewable...
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