Storms and Tornadoes Strike Coops Throughout the South
Posted on May 1, 2014
Throughout the South, electric cooperatives have sent crews and equipment to restore power to thousands of consumer-members after this week’s storms. For more on the repair efforts, click here.
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U.S. Supreme Court Resuscitates EPA’s Cross-State Air Rule
Posted on Apr 29, 2014
The U.S. Supreme Court resurrected the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) regulation of air pollution crossing state borders through its 6-2 ruling in favor of the EPA, downwind states, and public health and environmental groups. The Court ruled that the government did not violate the Clean Air Act when it implemented a federal scheme for emissions that drift over state lines. The EPA said it gave the states the three-year period to submit a compliance plan. Read more here (subscription required).
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Minnkota Contracts for Coal Deliveries Through 2037
Posted on Apr 29, 2014
BNI Coal Ltd. (BNI) near Center, North Dakota, and Minnkota Power Cooperative (Minnkota) have reached an extended agreement to provide coal to the Minnkota Power Milton R. Young Station through 2037. This move extends BNI’s coal delivery schedule 10 years beyond the current contract, which would have ended in 2027. Click here for more.
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Hawaiian Utilities Outshine Others for Adding New Solar Capacity
Posted on Apr 29, 2014
The Kaua’i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) and the companies of Hawaiian Electric Company (Hawaiian Electric) have ranked among the top 10 utilities nationally for the amount of new solar power added to their grids last year. Hawaiian Electric added 329 watts of solar generating capacity per customer on the island of Oahu in 2013, which is the fifth highest of any utility nationwide. Hawaii Electric Light Company, which serves Hawaii island, ranked seventh with 183 watts per customer. Maui Electric Company was eighth with 178 watts per customer, while KIUC was ninth with 167 watts per...
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Minnesota Coop Planning New Community Solar Garden
Posted on Apr 28, 2014
Connexus Energy (Connexus), a distribution cooperative based in Ramsey, Minnesota, is planning to develop a community solar garden consisting of 792 panels with an output of 245 kW. Connexus customers will be given an opportunity to invest in financing the project in exchange for a proportional share of the output for 20 years. Click here for more.
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SMECO to Add More Solar
Posted on Apr 28, 2014
Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) will add 10 MW of solar power to its portfolio through a new power purchase agreement with Colorado-based solar developer Juwi Solar Inc. SMECO has agreed to buy all of the output from a new solar facility to be located within SMECO’s service territory in Waldorf, Maryland. Click here for more.
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New Power Supply Contract a Triple Win in New Mexico
Posted on Apr 24, 2014
Under a new eight-year power supply contract, the city of Gallup, New Mexico, will purchase power from Continental Divide Electric Cooperative, which in turn will purchase power from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association (Tri-State). The resale arrangement makes everyone a winner. Gallup is positioned to receive competitively priced power while offsetting costs for Continental Divide’s members and strengthening Tri-State’s membership overall. Click here for more information.
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Massachusetts Solar Projects Resume After Work Stoppage
Posted on Apr 24, 2014
The Cape and Vineyard Electric Cooperative (CVEC) has resumed construction of its Photovoltaic (PV) Initiative solar projects after a work stoppage in January. CVEC anticipates that the projects will generate approximately 28 MW of solar power by the end of this year. The Martha’s Vineyard Times has the full story.
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Coal Plant Retirements Raise Reliability Concerns for FERC Commissioner
Posted on Apr 24, 2014
Commissioner Philip Moeller of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) expressed concern this week that the nation’s power grid lacks sufficient infrastructure to replace coal and nuclear generation plants scheduled to retire or go offline over the next few years. This winter’s extreme weather stressed the power grid, and there are increasing concerns that compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) and other greenhouse gas emissions regulations will cause trouble for grid reliability. Read more here (subscription...
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South Dakota Coop Gets Reimbursement Funding from Winter Storm
Posted on Apr 23, 2014
The South Dakota Office of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will award roughly $20 million to Grand Electric Cooperative for the repair and replacement of more than 1,500 poles damaged by an early October blizzard. To read more, click here.
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Alabama Coop to Partner in New Landfill Gas Facility
Posted on Apr 23, 2014
Sand Mountain Electric Cooperative in Alabama has partnered with the Tennessee Valley Authority, Energy Development, and Republic Waste on a landfill gas facility outside of Collinsville, Alabama. To read more about this story, click here.
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Bluebonnet to Sell Water Subsidiary
Posted on Apr 22, 2014
Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative in Texas has announced that it is selling its water subsidiary, Bluebonnet Rural Water Corp., to Corix Utilities (Texas) Inc. Corix Utilities is a water utility operator that already has a significant presence in Central Texas. Click here for more information (subscription required).
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Sioux City Approves Franchise Fee Settlement
Posted on Apr 22, 2014
As cities across Iowa face lawsuits over allegedly excessive franchise fees, Sioux City, Iowa, has agreed to settle and absorb the cost of nearly $6.5 million in refunds to be paid to residents who were overcharged for franchise fees on their utility bills. The Sioux City settlement agreement stems from a 2006 class action lawsuit filed by those who paid franchise fees for gas or electricity to MidAmerican Energy Company or Woodbury County Rural Electric Cooperative from Sept. 5, 2001, to May 25, 2009. Read more about this story here.
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USDA Announces $150 Million Investment Fund to Grow Small Businesses in Rural America
Posted on Apr 22, 2014
Together with eight Farm Credit entities, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the creation of a new $150 million investment fund that will facilitate private equity investments in agriculture-related businesses. This new fund, known as the Advantage Capital Agribusiness Fund, is the first of its kind. It will develop a balanced and diversified portfolio of junior capital investments and focus on later-stage, growth-oriented small businesses involved in rural infrastructure, agriculture and farm supply. For more information, including the eight other entities involved,...
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