South Mississippi Electric First to Bring Solar Power to Mississippi Gulf Coast
Posted on Mar 15, 2016
South Mississippi Electric cooperative has completed two solar facilities in rural Mississippi that began generating electricity in February. The two projects in Kiln and Lucedale, Mississippi are the first to bring solar power to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
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New USDA Program Supports Rural Economic Development
Posted on Mar 9, 2016
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a new program to let electric cooperatives partner with regional organizations to boost rural economic development. The USDA has set aside $500 million for rural projects that support economic and community development plans.
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Coop PCB Disposal Approved by EPA
Posted on Mar 9, 2016
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a request to allow electric cooperatives to dispose of low-level PCB wastes in local landfills.
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Sixth Circuit Agrees to Review EPA’s Waters of the United States Rule
Posted on Mar 4, 2016
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit has agreed to review EPA’s Waters of the U.S. rule. The controversial rule has been criticized on the grounds that it would extend EPA’s regulatory authority to small streams and dry creek beds. According to Dorothy Kellogg, NRECA senior principal, the rule will result in more expensive permits for coops attempting to maintain or construct power corridors or generation facilities–including renewables.
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High Court Rejects Bid to Stay Mercury Air Toxics Rule
Posted on Mar 4, 2016
On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request to stay the EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards rule. The rule, which requires coal-fired power plants to greatly reduce mercury and other toxic emissions, was struck down in June because the EPA had not considered the $1 billion cost of imposing the rule. The D.C. Circuit left the original rule in place, however, while the EPA worked to bring the rule into compliance by issuing a supplemental consideration of cost. The EPA plans to finalize its supplemental consideration in April in response to the Supreme Court’s June...
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Coal Transportation Costs Rise
Posted on Mar 1, 2016
While the price of coal has been dropping, the price utilities pay to have it transported to their plants has been increasing. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that transportation costs now account for 40 percent of the total cost of coal delivered, the highest share since the EIA began tracking that data in 2001.
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Dairyland Power Announces Renewable Energy Purchase Agreements with Two Solar Developers
Posted on Feb 26, 2016
Dairyland Power Cooperative (Dairyland Power) has finalized agreements with two solar developers, groSolar and SoCore Energy, to purchase over 15 MW of renewable energy from twelve new solar facilities in Wisconsin ranging between .5 MW and 2.5 MW in scale. By building the solar facilities in separate service areas, the projects will benefit from diversified weather, distributed grid infrastructure and locally-based renewable energy.
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Hawaii Coop Uses Renewables to Generate 90% of Island Electricity
Posted on Feb 24, 2016
The Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative (Kaua‘i) which serves 23,300 active member-owners over Kaua‘i’s 562 square miles, produced 90% of its island power from renewable sources during four periods on separate days in January. Annually, renewable resources including solar, biomass and hydropower make up 38% of this coop’s fuel mix for generating electricity, the remaining 62% is oil.
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Iowa Electric Coops Consider Merger
Posted on Feb 23, 2016
Tri-County Electric Cooperative out of Rushford, Iowa and Hawkeye REC out of Cresco, Iowa are asking customers to cast ballots to support their merger. Customers can expect to receive ballots in the mail this March.
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Kansas Electric Cooperatives Considering Merger
Posted on Feb 19, 2016
After combining operations in 2014, Leavenworth-Jefferson Electric Cooperative and Kaw Valley Electric Cooperative are considering a formal consolidated plan that would merge the two electric cooperatives. The resulting entity would operate as FreeState Electric Inc. starting January 1, 2017. The forecasted savings of $20 million over 10 years would allow rates to remain stable for three to five years.
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Mississippi Considers Ending PSC Oversight of Electric Cooperatives
Posted on Feb 18, 2016
Two new bills are under consideration in Mississippi—House Bill 1139 and Senate Bill 2089. These bills would significantly limit regulatory oversight of cooperatives serving 70 percent of the state’s electric customers. Both bills are currently in committee.
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PEC’s Empower Loans Now Available to Its Members
Posted on Feb 17, 2016
Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC) is now offering loans through its Empower Loans program to support qualifying members seeking to install photovoltaic and battery storage systems connected to the coop’s distribution system. These loans can be repaid in monthly installments on the members’ electric bill and are available for up to $20,000 to those residential and commercial customers who meet certain eligibility criteria.
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Coop’s Customer Data Breached
Posted on Feb 17, 2016
Kankakee Valley REMC discovered through a cyber-security audit that customer information was accessed through a cyber-security breach. Immediate action was taken by the coop to remove the accessed pathway, and the coop has procedures in place to conduct regular cyber-security audits to increase the effectiveness of its cyber-defense systems.
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Arizona Supreme Court Upholds Renewable Designation for Trash Burning Plant
Posted on Feb 12, 2016
The Arizona Supreme Court upheld the Arizona Corporation Commission’s approval of Mohave Electric Cooperative’s (“Mohave”) plan to meet part of its renewable energy mandate through trash incineration. Such renewable designation will allow Mohave to impose a surcharge on its 39,000 customers to cover the higher costs of alternatives to conventional energy resources.
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