North Dakota May See Federal Takeover of Regional Haze Rules
Posted on Jul 25, 2011
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to file a notice on August 18 to take over the state’s authority to manage federal regional haze rules. Federal and state regulators disagree on which technology Minnkota Power Cooperative and Basin Electric Power Cooperative must install to reduce certain power plant emissions. The Bismarck Tribune has the full story.
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Deadline for PSC Approval of CapX2020 Transmission Line Extended
Posted on Jul 22, 2011
Although the Wisconsin Public Service Commission typically has 180 days to consider applications for major projects, a judge recently approved a six-month extension for the application filed by Dairyland Power Cooperative, Xcel Energy and Wisconsin Public Power Inc. for the CapX2020 transmission line. The proposed transmission line would connect Minnesota with La Crosse, Wisconsin. The Lacrosse Tribune has been following this story.
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Proposed Derivatives Rules Designed for Wall Street May Apply to Coops
Posted on Jul 22, 2011
In a hearing before the House Committee on Agriculture, a number of Representatives questioned the chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission about the scope of proposed derivatives rules under Dodd-Frank. Despite the chairman’s assurances, many fear that coops and utilities will be regulated as swap dealers under the proposed rules. Law 360 has the full story (subscription required).
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Carroll Electric Coop Faces Class Action
Posted on Jul 21, 2011
On Tuesday, members of the Carroll Electric Cooperative Corporation filed a class action complaint against the coop with the Arkansas Public Service Commission. The class seeks, among other things, increased transparency and democratic governance of Carroll Electric as well as patronage capital (the repayment of capital credits to coop members). Carroll County News has the story.
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NRCO Helps Mid-Atlantic Coops Enter Wind Purchase Agreements
Posted on Jul 21, 2011
The National Renewables Cooperative Organization (NRCO) facilitated negotiations for two Mid-Atlantic coops to enter separate power purchase agreements with BP Wind Energy. Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative Inc. and Old Dominion Electric Cooperative recently agreed to purchase 30 MW and 75 MW respectively from the Mehoopany Wind Farm currently under development in Pennsylvania. The NRCO acts as a clearinghouse and brings cooperatives together to enable access to large-scale renewable projects. Click here for details.
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Solar Plant Talks Begin in Southern Maryland
Posted on Jul 21, 2011
Huntington, Maryland may be the home of a new two-acre solar energy plant. A meeting to discuss preliminary aspects of the proposed project will be held this Saturday with Calvert County residents invited to attend. The project’s voltage amount is not yet known, but if built, will connect into the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative Inc. grid system. Read more.
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Missouri Coop Agrees to Purchase 150 MW From Wind Capital
Posted on Jul 21, 2011
Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. will purchase 150 MW of power from a Wind Capital Group wind farm currently under development in Oklahoma. The wind farm has a construction completion date of June 2012. Read the full story here.
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Beartooth Electric Cooperative Members Seek to Replace Trustees
Posted on Jul 20, 2011
A group of members of the Beartooth Electric Cooperative in Montana has commenced efforts to replace the five trustees who voted to support increasing the debt limit for the construction of the Highwood Generating Station near Great Falls to $300 million. Additional details can be found here.
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Coop Offers Early Retirement Packages to Cut Costs
Posted on Jul 19, 2011
The Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative has offered early retirement to more than one-third of its employees as a cost cutting measure intended to keep rates lower. Full-time employees 54 or older were offered “voluntary special early retirement,” which includes insurance coverage through April 30, 2012, and a retraining program for anyone who wants to re-enter the workforce. The Virginia-area coop estimates that if all 10 employees take the early retirement, it would save the electric cooperative $500,000 a year. The coop cites rising costs, attributed to Environmental Protection Agency...
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Arizona Corporate Commission Approves New Waste-to-Energy Plant
Posted on Jul 18, 2011
Last week, the Arizona Corporate Commission approved an application filed in November 2010 by Mohave Electric Cooperative for a waste-to-energy plant as a pilot program. MEC, which distributes electricity to nearly 40,000 customers, plans to build the plant in the Phoenix area. The plant could generate about 11 megawatts of electricity, supplying roughly 2,700 homes with electricity. The ACC requires utility companies to supply 15 percent of their energy from renewable resources by 2025, and the new plant could help MEC receive renewable credits. The Mohave Daily News has more.
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House Committee Blocks EPA Regulations
Posted on Jul 18, 2011
The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted on July 13 to advance legislation to block the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating coal ash as a hazardous waste. The same committee voted just days earlier to delay implementation of two major EPA rules. The first rule would require utilities to use maximum achievable control technology on their units to reduce emissions of mercury, chromium, and nickel. Another rule targeted by the committee dealt with airborne emissions that cross state lines in the eastern part of the country. ECT.coop has the full story here.
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Coop Offers Reward for Information on Copper Theft
Posted on Jul 15, 2011
In response to two break-ins this summer, New Hampshire Electric Cooperative is offering a cash reward to anyone with information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the responsible person or persons. The coop has also increased security in an effort to combat this ongoing problem. The Union Leader has the full story.
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Coop Members Save Money with Smart Grid Pilot Program
Posted on Jul 15, 2011
Participating members at Pedernales Electric Cooperative and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative have saved as much as nineteen percent on their electric bills as part of the coops’ smart grid pilot programs. Through a combination of technologies, members are better able to control the amount of energy they use and when they use it. Electric Co-op Today has more.
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Cooperatives Highly Rated for Customer Satisfaction in New Study
Posted on Jul 13, 2011
Several cooperatives received high marks in J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study(SM). The study measures customer satisfaction with electric utility companies by examining six key factors: power quality and reliability; price; billing and payment; corporate citizenship; communications; and customer service. In the midsize utility segment, Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative and Jackson EMC ranked highest in the East and South regions, respectively. More information and the full study are here.
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