Sutherland Coop Webinar Series – Webinar III: Natural Gas Transactions
Posted on Oct 10, 2012 in Project Development, Regulation & Policy, Webinar | Comments Off on Sutherland Coop Webinar Series – Webinar III: Natural Gas Transactions
With natural gas prices at historic lows and unconventional domestic supplies on the rise, natural gas usage is increasing for power generation. In Sutherland’s Electric Cooperative Webinar Series, “Natural Gas Transactions,” on October 9, 2012, David Wochner highlighted optimal transportation and storage arrangements available for natural gas and related regulatory and compliance...
USDA Announces Continued Funding and Support for Rural Electric Systems
Posted on Oct 5, 2012 in Financing, Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Legislative & Politics, Project Development, Technology | Comments Off on USDA Announces Continued Funding and Support for Rural Electric Systems
In a speech before the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Under Secretary for Rural Development Dallas Tonsager announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will continue to make funding available for modernization and efficiency improvements, including smart grid technologies. This announcement follows USDA’s success in meeting its goal to finance $250...
FERC Receives Mixed Responses Over Proposed Change in Merchant Transmission Policy
Posted on Sep 26, 2012 in Project Development, Rates, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on FERC Receives Mixed Responses Over Proposed Change in Merchant Transmission Policy
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has received mixed responses over its proposed change in policy regarding merchant transmission project capacity allocation. The proposed policy would allow merchant transmission project developers to bilaterally negotiate market-based, rather than cost-based, rates for up to 100 percent of their projects’ capacity. If implemented, this...
Missouri Coop Sued for Breach of Contract
Posted on Sep 25, 2012 in Innovation/Efficiency, Litigation, Project Development | Comments Off on Missouri Coop Sued for Breach of Contract
Atlantic Engineering Group, Inc. (AEG) filed a complaint this week in a Missouri district court against Ralls County Electric Cooperative (RCEC) for breach of a construction agreement related to the Ralls County Electric Fiber-to-the-Home Project. AEG is suing for the unpaid balance plus interest under the contract. Read the complaint here.
Oklahoma Coops Race to Accommodate Increased Load Due to Oil and Gas Boom
Posted on Sep 25, 2012 in Grid & Infrastructure, Project Development | Comments Off on Oklahoma Coops Race to Accommodate Increased Load Due to Oil and Gas Boom
Oklahoma coops are seeing their loads double, and triple in some cases, due to the growing oil and gas industries. Kay Electric Cooperative, for example, currently serves 80 megawatts, which is about double the size of its load two years ago, and projects its possible growth to 400 megawatts over the next two years. Coops are also under pressure to add new infrastructure-like...
Plan to Bury Transmission Lines Met With Opposition from Mid-Atlantic Coops
Posted on Sep 20, 2012 in Grid & Infrastructure, Litigation, Project Development, Rates | Comments Off on Plan to Bury Transmission Lines Met With Opposition from Mid-Atlantic Coops
Old Dominion Electric Cooperative and North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation are among the wholesalers disputing whether they must help pay to bury three Virginia transmission lines as currently proposed by the Virginia Electric and Power Co. in transmission rate agreements with the wholesalers. The wholesalers argue that burying the lines is a purely local retail decision...
Coop Affected by Court’s Grant of EPA Request to Stall MACT Lawsuits
Posted on Sep 18, 2012 in Environmental, Litigation, Project Development, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on Coop Affected by Court’s Grant of EPA Request to Stall MACT Lawsuits
A federal appeals court has granted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) request to hold pending lawsuits over its utility maximum achievable control technology (MACT) air toxics rule in abeyance until the EPA completes its reconsideration of the rule. The lawsuits being held in abeyance were filed by developers of new power plants, including Deseret Power Electric...
Refurbished Montana Plant Goes Online
Posted on Sep 10, 2012 in Financing, Grid & Infrastructure, Project Development | Comments Off on Refurbished Montana Plant Goes Online
The city of Whitefish, Montana, once again has its own hydroelectric plant. Last year, city officials negotiated a deal with an electric cooperative that outlined power delivery terms for a 20-year period, in two separate phases. The 30-year-old plant, which was recently rebuilt, now has a refurbished generator, turbine and controls. Flathead Electric Cooperative paid the city...
USDA Meets Goal for Smart Grid Funding
Posted on Sep 10, 2012 in Financing, Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Project Development, Technology | Comments Off on USDA Meets Goal for Smart Grid Funding
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has reached its $250 million goal to finance smart grid technologies. The Secretary also said that nine rural electric cooperatives and utilities in 10 states will receive loan guarantees to make improvements to generation and transmission facilities and implement smart grid technologies. Click here to...
New Mexico Coop Utilizes Unique Generation Facility
Posted on Sep 5, 2012 in Innovation/Efficiency, Project Development, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on New Mexico Coop Utilizes Unique Generation Facility
Lea County Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Lea County) constructed a 47-MW, gas-fired generation facility that can tap into a nearby 27-MW wind farm, the first tie-in of its kind in the country. The setup will help Lea County meet New Mexico’s upcoming Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) while preserving reliable service. Click here for the full story.
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