NRECA Report Highlights Biogas Opportunities for Coops
Posted on May 21, 2012 in Renewable Energy | Comments Off on NRECA Report Highlights Biogas Opportunities for Coops
With 2,136 wastewater treatment facilities located in coop service areas, a report by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) Cooperative Research Network estimates that biogas from these facilities could be used to generate approximately 445 megawatts of base load power. As the technology improves for harnessing and using biogas as a renewable source of energy,...
Construction Begins on 250-Mile Transmission Line in North Dakota
Posted on May 16, 2012 in Grid & Infrastructure, Land Use, Project Development, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Construction Begins on 250-Mile Transmission Line in North Dakota
Construction began this week on Minnkota Power Cooperative’s $312 million, 250-mile transmission line, which will run from Center to Grand Forks, North Dakota. The 345-kilovolt transmission line is the longest line built in North Dakota in more than 30 years and should be completed by the end of 2013. The line will deliver coal-fired power from a plant near Center, which will allow...
With Help of CFC, Texas Coop Secures $115 Million in Financing for Renewable Projects
Posted on May 14, 2012 in Environmental, Financing, Project Development, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on With Help of CFC, Texas Coop Secures $115 Million in Financing for Renewable Projects
The National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC) recently helped Nacogdoches, Texas-based East Texas Electric Cooperative (ETEC) secure $115 million through a syndicated credit facility. CFC and Regions Bank, based in Birmingham, Alabama, participated in a four-year, unsecured revolving credit transaction in which CFC will serve as the administrative agent. ETEC...
House Committee Blocks Funding for Energy Department Plans for PMAs
Posted on Apr 30, 2012 in Climate Change, Environmental, Legislative & Politics, Regulation & Policy, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on House Committee Blocks Funding for Energy Department Plans for PMAs
On April 25, the House Appropriations Committee approved by voice vote an amendment to the fiscal 2013 Energy and Water spending bill that blocks funding for proposed changes that would affect power marketing administrations (PMAs) and their customers. In testimony before the House Committee, NRECA CEO Glenn English raised concerns that the proposed plans would impose high costs on...
Massachusetts Coop Awards Contract for Solar Projects
Posted on Apr 20, 2012 in Project Development, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Massachusetts Coop Awards Contract for Solar Projects
Cape and Vineyard Electric Cooperative, a Massachusetts coop, awarded contracts to Broadway Electrical Company, Inc. for 44 solar projects totaling 50 MW. The projects, backed by Rockland Capital, will cost roughly $200 million to complete. A number of obstacles remain, and the interconnection of at least some of the projects will have to be approved by Boston utility NStar. The...
Mississippi Coop Contemplates Nuclear Purchase
Posted on Apr 19, 2012 in Project Development, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Mississippi Coop Contemplates Nuclear Purchase
The South Mississippi Electric Power Association may enter a power purchase agreement and opt for a minority ownership share in the 2,200-MW expansion of the Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Generating Station in South Carolina. Santee Cooper, South Carolina’s state-owned utility, wants to sell a portion of its interest in the project in response to forecasts of reduced capacity needs in the...
Idaho Battle Over RECs Heats Up
Posted on Apr 12, 2012 in Legislative & Politics, Project Development, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Idaho Battle Over RECs Heats Up
The renewable energy credits (RECs) associated with renewable energy generation projects in Idaho are in high demand by the utilities that purchase power from the projects and the small power producers that generate it. Kootenai Electric Cooperative is one of many small generators trying to retain the marketable RECs, claiming the RECs are a separate product from the actual power...
AECC Agrees to Long-Term Power Purchase Agreement for Wind Energy
Posted on Apr 6, 2012 in Project Development, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on AECC Agrees to Long-Term Power Purchase Agreement for Wind Energy
Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation issued a press release yesterday announcing its agreement to purchase 51 MW of wind energy from the Flat Ridge 2 South Wind Farm in Kansas. The project is in the construction phase and is part of a larger 419-MW facility financed by BP and Sempra U.S. Gas & Power. Read more here.
Potential Risks in Solar Interconnection Changes
Posted on Apr 3, 2012 in Climate Change, Environmental, Financing, Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Project Development, Regulation & Policy, Reliability, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Potential Risks in Solar Interconnection Changes
In a filing before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association recently identified significant reliability and safety risks that could be caused by the proposed revised procedures for interconnecting small solar generation with the grid. NRECA requested that FERC reject the Solar Energy Industries Association’s request for...
Iowa Coop Honored After Speedy Completion of Wind Farms
Posted on Mar 20, 2012 in Financing, Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Iowa Coop Honored After Speedy Completion of Wind Farms
Estherville-based Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative has been honored by the U.S. Department of Energy as the 2011 Wind Cooperative of the Year after designing and building two wind farms in just 18 months. The coop built the wind farms near existing ethanol plants, which allowed it to use existing substation infrastructure and save approximately $5 million by not having to build a...
Subscribe
