Walton EMC Contracts with New Solar Projects for Facebook Data Center
Posted on Dec 6, 2018
Walton Electric Membership Corporation (Walton EMC) has entered into contracts with two solar developers for three new solar projects as part of its agreement to supply 100 percent renewable energy for Facebook’s data center in Newton County, Georgia. Facebook chose Walton EMC as the power supplier for the data center when it announced the facility in March.
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Brazos Electric to Purchase More Power from Texas Solar Project
Posted on Dec 5, 2018
7X Energy, Inc. announced additional procurement of solar energy by Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (Brazos Electric) from the Lapetus Energy Project, taking the project from 25 MW to 67.5 MW. The Brazos purchase agreement represents the largest solar energy contract to date with an electric cooperative in Texas.
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FEMA Awards $1.28 Million for Hurricane Harvey Repairs
Posted on Nov 29, 2018
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through its Public Assistance Program, granted $1.28 million to Texas coop Jackson Electric Cooperative to repair damage caused by Hurricane Harvey.
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Inadvertent Tax Bill Language Could Jeopardize Exempt Status for Coops
Posted on Nov 28, 2018
Coops that accept any government grants may find their tax-exempt status at risk. To be considered tax exempt, electric coops are limited to a 15 percent threshold of non-member income. As written, the 2017 tax law counts money received from any government grant as non-member income, where previously, most such grants were considered contributions to capital.
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NRECA Seeks Reduction in Insurance Premiums on Coop Retirement Plans
Posted on Nov 28, 2018
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) is pushing hard in the remaining weeks of Congress this year to bring down pension insurance costs for electric coops. “Because of the strength of our network, electric coop retirement plans pose little risk of default. Yet we are required to pay insurance premiums as if we are a high-risk venture,” said NRECA CEO Jim Matheson. “When we overpay these premium costs, we take money away from our core mission as coops—member benefits and services.”
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Juhl Energy Developing Solar-Wind Hybrid Project for Cooperative
Posted on Nov 26, 2018
Juhl Energy is developing a 2.0 MW solar-wind hybrid power generation project to provide low-cost, locally generated energy to the Lake Region Electric Cooperative of Pelican Rapids, Minnesota. “This unique renewable energy project will provide a tremendous amount of value to the local community. The cost savings from purchasing the hybrid project’s energy will help provide rate stability, benefiting all of our coop members,” stated Tim Thompson, CEO of Lake Region Electric Cooperative.
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Texas Electric Cooperative to Receive $50 Million Loan
Posted on Nov 20, 2018
Congressman Vicente Gonzalez recently announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded a loan of $50,000,000 to San Miguel Electric Cooperative (San Miguel). This loan will allow San Miguel to make certain system improvements for a lignite-fired steam electric generating unit.
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Arkansas Cooperatives Developing Broadband
Posted on Nov 13, 2018
Six electric cooperatives in Arkansas are bringing high-speed broadband internet access to thousands of their members and plan to offer it to all of their members within the next four to six years.
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USDA Announces Investments to Improve Rural Electric Infrastructure
Posted on Nov 12, 2018
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced that it is investing $1.6 billion in 46 rural electric utility infrastructure projects across the country. These investments will help contribute to a stronger rural electric system by improving operations and reliability in 24 states. This funding will help build or improve 5,833 miles of line, will include $307 million in smart grid technologies, and will ultimately benefit 7 million rural business and residential electric consumers across the United States.
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Coop Announces Investment in Natural Gas Generating Station
Posted on Nov 8, 2018
Central Iowa Power Cooperative has announced an $85 million investment to repower a natural gas-fired generating station in Creston. The project is expected to be completed by late 2022.
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Coop Enters Into Long-Term Solar PPA
Posted on Nov 8, 2018
Continental Divide Electric Cooperative (CDEC) has entered into a long-term solar power purchase agreement (PPA) for the offtake of a solar facility to be constructed within CDEC’s territory.
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NRECA Files Comments in Support of EPA Proposed Coal Plant Emissions Rule
Posted on Nov 5, 2018
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) and other lobbying groups representing electric utilities recently filed comments in support of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule, endorsing looser pollution standards for coal-fired power plant generators. The EPA hopes to finalize the ACE rule by March 2019.
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New Solar Projects Announced for Clay County, Georgia
Posted on Nov 1, 2018
Green Power EMC, the renewable energy supplier for 38 Georgia electric membership corporations, is partnering with Silicon Ranch Corporation to develop solar projects in Clay County, Georgia that will generate more than 100 megawatts of solar energy.
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Iowa Coop Installing Batteries in Homes
Posted on Oct 25, 2018
MiEnergy Cooperative has started installing smart battery storage systems in the homes of its members as a way to test batteries as a tool for energy management. MiEnergy is one of four cooperatives that have commissioned a battery storage system as part of a pilot program sponsored by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
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