Vermont Electric Cooperative Announces New CEO
Posted on Aug 23, 2018
The Vermont Electric Cooperative recently named Rebecca Towne as the cooperative’s new chief executive officer. Towne is expected to advance innovative initiatives, including an energy transformation program that offers incentives to members to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources; a community solar program under which members can sponsor panels in solar arrays and save money through bill credits; and energy storage and demand-management initiatives.
Continue Reading
Lewis County Electric Coop Receives Funds to Upgrade Power Lines
Posted on Aug 23, 2018
The Lewis County Rural Electric Cooperative Association received $12.3 million for a 4-year project to upgrade some of its power lines. These funds are a loan and not a grant. The Missouri electric cooperative intends to pay back the loan through revenue generated from its customers.
Continue Reading
NRECA Welcomes Clean Power Plan Replacement Proposal
Posted on Aug 22, 2018
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) expressed support for the Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to replace the Clean Power Plan with a more workable rule. According to NRECA CEO Jim Matheson, the proposed rule appears to provide electric cooperatives with a more achievable plan that adheres to EPA’s historic approach to using the Clean Air Act. This is necessary to provide electric co-ops the certainty and flexibility they need to meet their consumer-members’ local energy needs.
Continue Reading
USDA Announces New Loans for Electric Cooperatives
Posted on Aug 21, 2018
On August 6, 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that 19 electric cooperatives will receive a total of nearly $350 million in a new round of loans for infrastructure improvements, new power lines, and smart grid technologies. The loans are being made through the USDA’s Electric Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee program which helps finance generation, transmission, and distribution projects; system improvements; and energy conservation projects in communities with fewer than 10,000 residents.
Continue Reading
Federal Risk Center Will Help Electric Cooperatives Coordinate Cybersecurity
Posted on Aug 21, 2018
A new National Risk Management Center under the Department of Homeland Security was launched at the National Cybersecurity Summit in New York City on July 31, 2018. Among other things, the center will provide federal insight on developing threats and share information in order to help utilities anticipate and deflect cyberattacks.
Continue Reading
Arkansas Coop Announces Smart Grid Project
Posted on Aug 9, 2018
Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative Corporation has announced the launch of its Advance Smart Grid Project, which will begin deploying technology and equipment to meet the need for communicating with electrical distribution equipment throughout AVECC’s system.
Continue Reading
Connexus Energy Breaks Ground on Solar-Plus-Storage Projects
Posted on Aug 9, 2018
Connexus Energy, a member-owned electric cooperative in Minnesota, is breaking ground on two solar-plus-storage projects in the state. The combined 25 MW projects are expected to cost $31 million and save $4 million annually through peak load reduction.
Continue Reading
$345.5 Million in Rural Electric Infrastructure Investments Announced
Posted on Aug 9, 2018
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Purdue has announced that $345.5 million will be invested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 20 infrastructure projects to improve rural electric service in 14 states.
Continue Reading
New Mexico Coop Launches 4,000-Panel Solar Facility
Posted on Aug 3, 2018
On June 25, 2018, Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC) and Guzman Energy launched a 4000-panel solar array near Eagle Nest Lake in New Mexico. This project is part of KCEC’s goal of providing 100 percent of its customers’ daytime power needs from solar energy by 2022.
Continue Reading
Florida Coop Receives Approval for New Natural Gas-Fired Plant
Posted on Aug 2, 2018
Seminole Electric Cooperative (Seminole) has received approval from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to build a gas-fired plant in Putnam County, Florida. Seminole previously received approval from the Florida Public Service Commission.
Continue Reading
Solar Development Transforming Rural Energy Landscape
Posted on Jul 19, 2018
The acceleration of solar development by electric cooperatives is changing the energy landscape in rural America. According to a new report released by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, electric co-ops currently own or purchase more than nine times as much solar energy as they did in 2013.
Continue Reading
NRECA Joins Groups Advocating Continuation of MATS
Posted on Jul 13, 2018
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), along with six other advocating groups, requested that the Environmental Protection Agency complete the statutorily mandated Residual Risk and Technology Review (RTR) for power plants under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act as expeditiously as possible and leave the underlying Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) in place and effective. Since the MATS rule became effective in 2012, more than $18 billion has been spent on compliance. A complete and robust RTR will recognize the capital investments already made for compliance and...
Continue Reading
Cobb EMC Expands Solar Portfolio
Posted on Jun 26, 2018
Cobb Electric Membership Corporation (“Cobb EMC”) recently announced that it has entered into a 30-year power purchase agreement with Green Power EMC. This agreement, along with other solar initiatives, has increased Cobb EMC’s solar portfolio by 360 percent since 2016. The project, which is scheduled to begin construction in 2018, is under development by Silicon Ranch Corporation and is expected to begin commercial operations in 2021.
Continue Reading
Colorado Coop Approves Solar PPA
Posted on Jun 15, 2018
Intermountain Rural Electric Association (IREA) has voted to enter into a 10-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with GCL New Energy, which will develop an 80 MW, utility-scale solar project. The project will help ensure that IREA meets the renewable energy standard mandated by Colorado law.
Continue Reading
Subscribe
