Supreme Court Agrees to Review Significant EPA Rule
Posted on Dec 2, 2014
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review the new power plant emissions caps of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The suit was brought by industry trade groups and almost two dozen states, who argued that the EPA did not adequately consider the costs associated with complying with this regulation. The immediate effect of any ruling in this case may be limited, as utilities have already begun taking measures to address emissions and announcing plant closures. However, any ruling would likely have a greater impact on EPA rules in other cases. Please click here to read...
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Texas Coops Purchase Wind Power
Posted on Dec 1, 2014
East Texas Electric Cooperative and Northeast Texas Electric Cooperative recently signed purchase agreements for wind power generated by an Apex Clean Energy subsidiary’s wind project, set to come online in 2015. Click here for more.
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WAPA Settles with FERC and NERC over Blackout
Posted on Dec 1, 2014
The Western Area Power Administration (WAPA), a regional power marketer, has reached a settlement with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) over a 2011 blackout. FERC alleged that WAPA’s Desert Southwest Region was operating its portion of the transmission system outside of voltage limits when a 500-kilovolt line in Arizona failed and led to blackouts as long as 12 hours in some areas. Click here for more.
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Arkansas Cooperative Adds 150 MW of Wind Energy to Portfolio
Posted on Nov 26, 2014
Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp. (AECC) has reached a long-term agreement to purchase power from the 150-MW Origin Wind Farm located in southeast Oklahoma. The Origin Wind Farm is owned by Enel Green Power North America, Inc., and AECC will be the only offtaker of electricity generated by this facility. To read more, please click here.
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Texas Coop Secures Peaker Output
Posted on Nov 25, 2014
San Bernard Electric Coop (San Bernard EC) has entered into a long-term power purchase agreement with an independent power developer for 50 MW of generation from a natural gas peaker plant. The move helps San Bernard EC secure generation capacity as reliability concerns rise in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas due to strained generation and market resources. To learn more about this development, click here.
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Iowa Coop’s Solar Farm Receives International Recognition
Posted on Nov 24, 2014
The Solar Electric Power Association recently named Farmers Electric Cooperative’s (FEC) Kalona solar farm, launched in July 2014, a national leader in solar energy. Click here to read an earlier article posted August 1, 2014 by Sutherland regarding FEC’s Kalona solar farm. Click here to read the most recent article.
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Alaska Coop Honored for Clean Energy Efforts
Posted on Nov 24, 2014
Alaska’s Kodiak Electric Association (KEA) was one of only eight State Leadership in Clean Energy Awards given out by the Clean Energy State’s Alliance this year. KEA generated approximately 99.7 percent of its power from renewable (including hydroelectric) sources through the first nine months of this year. Click here for more.
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Coops React to Rare Bird’s Status as a Threatened Species
Posted on Nov 21, 2014
Some electric cooperatives are unhappy about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to list the Gunnison sage-grouse as a threatened species, which entitles the rare bird to protection under the Endangered Species Act. The ground-dwelling bird resides in southwestern Colorado and southeastern Utah and has a population of less than 5,000. Electric coops in the bird’s territory are determining whether they can operate effectively under the agency’s decision, which includes a rule that could provide some exemptions for some affected parties. Click here for the full...
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EPA Clean Power Plan Raises Reliability Concerns, Says NERC
Posted on Nov 19, 2014
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has released its first assessment of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan. In its report NERC identified several reliability challenges posed by the proposed rule, including the need for significant infrastructure requirements and pipeline expansions to maintain reliability. To read more please click here.
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CoBank Names New Senior VP—Electric Distribution, Water and Community Facilities
Posted on Nov 19, 2014
CoBank has named Nivin Elgohary as its Senior Vice President, Electric Distribution, Water, and Community Facilities. Elgohary previously served as Assistant Administrator with the Rural Utilities Service. To read more about this story please click here.
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ERCOT Report Predicts Rise in Prices under EPA Power Plant Rule
Posted on Nov 18, 2014
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) published a report analyzing certain potential effects of the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Clean Power Plan, which limits greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants. Among other things, the report provides different estimates of the various increases in locational marginal prices based on different emissions scenarios. For more on ERCOT’s report, click here.
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Shots Fired at Pennsylvania Coop’s Substation
Posted on Nov 17, 2014
On November 5 gunfire struck a substation of Pennsylvania’s Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative, causing a mineral oil leak and other damage that will require around $250,000 to repair and remediate. Police are investigating the incident. Click here for more.
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Great River Energy Burns Lignite More Efficiently
Posted on Nov 13, 2014
Minnesota-based Great River Energy (GRE) can now burn lignite coal more efficiently, thanks to a moisture-reduction process. Because of its high moisture content, lignite has traditionally been used only at “mine-mouth” plants located close to a production source, but a newly-patented refining process allows lignite to produce more energy and to be transported before use. Click here for more on this story.
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SMECO Completes Reliability Upgrades
Posted on Nov 13, 2014
Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) recently completed a line upgrade project to boost reliability, which included running a line under the Patuxent River. Click here for a Nov. 25, 2013 Sutherland posting concerning this subject. Click here for a recent story.
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