Cooperatives Consider Investment In Planned MidAmerican Nuclear Facility
Posted on Mar 29, 2011
Municipal utilities and electric cooperatives in Iowa are showing support for the passage of a state legislative bill that would help finance nuclear development. MidAmerican, one of the largest privately-owned utilities in the state, plans to build a new nuclear facility in the wake of increased federal oversight and resulting costs associated with coal-fired plants. Several cooperatives and related industry groups have shown interest in investing in the nuclear initiative while critics point to higher electric rates for MidAmerican customers if the plans move forward. Radio Iowa has the...
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Power Plant Bill Passes Arkansas Legislature, On to Governor
Posted on Mar 29, 2011
As reported in the Arkansas News, House Bill 1895 passed in the Arkansas Senate Monday on a 26-7 vote after passing in the House last week with a definitive 91-0 vote. The bill now goes to the governor and if approved will allow the state Public Service Commission to review in separate proceedings a public utility’s request for additional energy supply and proposal for a new power plant. The bill developed out of ongoing litigation over the construction of a new power plant in Hempstead County. Opponents argue it will reduce the public notice period and opportunity to protest new plant...
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Unusual Corridor of Land Request in North Dakota
Posted on Mar 28, 2011
Minnkota Power Cooperative has requested an unusually narrow corridor of land on which to build a new 260-mile power line from west-central North Dakota to Grand Forks. While corridor requests may be up to six miles wide, Minnkota’s recent application was for 1,000 feet, a unique move that may reduce the cooperative’s siting expenses the AP reports.
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NRECA Among Several Cooperative Entities to Participate In House Briefing
Posted on Mar 28, 2011
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), National Cooperative Business Association and other cooperative bodies will participate in a House briefing on “The Role of Cooperatives in Rural and Urban Communities” on March 29, 2011. The Washington, D.C., event provides a forum for participants to raise and discuss the unique challenges facing cooperatives today and the role federal policy may play in helping cooperatives succeed in the future. Read more here.
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Surge in Demand Thanks to Oil Field Development
Posted on Mar 28, 2011
Rural electric cooperatives in North Dakota face increased demand for power and transmission lines due to the rapid development of oil fields and a corresponding workforce in the western area of the state. Cooperatives are projected to invest heavily over the next three years in an effort to serve the rising presence of oil reports The Bismarck Tribune.
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HB 1895 Clears Senate Insurance and Commerce Committee
Posted on Mar 25, 2011
House Bill 1895 cleared the Arkansas Senate Insurance and Commerce Committee today. The bill, which had passed the House on March 11, 2011, would change existing utility law and affect issues currently under litigation. The Sierra Club has issued a press release in opposition of the bill, which it argues infringes on the rights of landowners to fully participate in having a say on whether coal plants will be built in their own neighborhoods. Arkansas Times Blog has the story.
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FEMA Grants Funds to Coops to Protect Against Future Transmission Outages
Posted on Mar 25, 2011
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has awarded Iowa more than $23.6 million to help two rural electric cooperatives upgrade transmission lines to lessen damage from future disasters. Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative, which serves customers throughout western Iowa, will be awarded $20.7 million to retrofit 151 miles of distribution lines, and Southwest Iowa Rural Electric Cooperative, which has customers in Adams, Montgomery and Ringgold counties, will receive nearly $2.9 million to retrofit 41 miles of electrical distribution lines. Click through for details.
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Trico Develops Sun Farm Program
Posted on Mar 24, 2011
Trico Electric Cooperative in Arizona has created a “sun farm” program for people who want solar electricity but do not want solar panels on their roofs. Run largely like a farm share, Arizona residents will be able to purchase output from a quarter, half or full solar panel. The project is being funded by a 21st Century Energy Grant of nearly $1 million from the Arizona Department of Commerce, meaning no funding is coming from the renewable energy standard tariff that is charged on electric bills. Tucson Electric Power Company established a similar program last year. Check out...
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YVEC in Litigation Over Exit from Southern Montana Electric Generation and Transmission Cooperative
Posted on Mar 24, 2011
Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative (YVEC) is headed to trial in November in effort to leave Southern Montana Electric Generation and Transmission Cooperative (Southern). YVEC, four other coops and the city of Great Falls, Montana, formed Southern in 2004 for the purpose of developing and owning a coal-fired power plant near Great Falls. However, with time, the cost of the plant more than doubled and the project encountered regulatory and environmental issues. The plant then became natural gas-fired , which is currently under construction. YVEC is suing to leave Southern due to the...
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Idaho Renewable Rate Debates
Posted on Mar 24, 2011
Idaho developers and utilities are at odds over the application of the Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act (PURPA) to mandate renewable energy rates. Kootenai Electric Cooperative, a small cooperative in Hayden, Idaho, is developing a landfill gas project with Kootenai County. However, Avista Corp., the Spokane, Washington-based utility, has rejected the price Kootenai Electric can demand under PURPA. Avista inserted a provision into the agreement struck late Tuesday, which may thwart Kootenai Electric’s plans. As a concession to Idaho Power, which opposed...
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Southern Nuclear Projects Largely Unaffected By the Japan Nuclear Crisis
Posted on Mar 23, 2011
Santee Cooper and Oglethorpe Power Corporation are among the coops to move forward with plans for nuclear facilities despite the Japanese nuclear crisis. Santee Cooper currently holds a 33.3 percent ownership interest in the existing 900-MW nuclear unit at Summer, as well as a 45 percent stake in the planned two-unit expansion of the facility. As reported by the Coop Law Blog yesterday, Santee Cooper has recently entered into a letter of intent with the Orlando Utilities Commission for the sale of 50 MW to 100 MW of its output from these facilities. Similarly, Oglethorpe reports seeing no...
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Cobb EMC Case Thrown Out on a Legal Technicality
Posted on Mar 23, 2011
The January indictment of former Cobb County EMC Chief Dwight Brown for stealing money from the coop and conspiring to conceal his actions from EMC members has been thrown out by Cobb County Superior Court Judge Robert Flournoy. Judge Flournoy found on Tuesday that the indictment was not “open to the public” because Brown’s counsel was effectively excluded from the courtroom when the grand jury returned the indictment when he showed up late. The Atlanta Journal Constitution covered this story and EMC’s reaction to the judge’s ruling.
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Bill Proposed for a More Transparent Coop
Posted on Mar 23, 2011
Texas state Senator Troy Fraser filed legislation in the 82nd Legislature on Friday that would require more openness from electric cooperatives. This move, believed to be aimed at Pedernales Electric Cooperative, would require more transparency for coops in the form of more open meetings, open records and open elections. The bill, as written, would only affect coops with more than 170,000 members. Click here for the full story.
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Thirteen Coops Rewarded IRS CREBs
Posted on Mar 22, 2011
The Internal Revenue Service has announced the allocation of $190,795,445 in bonding authority for 13 electric cooperative projects under the New Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREB) program. The CREB program, which was created by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, was implemented to allow coops to better integrate renewable energy by addressing their inability, as not-for-profit entities, to take advantage of the production tax credits available to for-profit firms. The NRECA describes this grant in a press release.
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