Study to Determine North Dakota Power Needs
Posted on Mar 20, 2012 in Financing, Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Land Use, Project Development | Comments Off on Study to Determine North Dakota Power Needs
The North Dakota Industrial Commission, Basin Electric Power Cooperative and Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. are among the largest contributors to a study on how to meet the electricity needs of the state’s booming oil industry. The study is expected to determine whether utilities should develop additional electric generation and will also address related issues such as transmission...
Iowa Coop Honored After Speedy Completion of Wind Farms
Posted on Mar 20, 2012 in Financing, Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Iowa Coop Honored After Speedy Completion of Wind Farms
Estherville-based Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative has been honored by the U.S. Department of Energy as the 2011 Wind Cooperative of the Year after designing and building two wind farms in just 18 months. The coop built the wind farms near existing ethanol plants, which allowed it to use existing substation infrastructure and save approximately $5 million by not having to build a...
Revised Definition of “Bulk Electric System” May Benefit Coops
Posted on Mar 15, 2012 in Grid & Infrastructure, Regulation & Policy, Reliability | Comments Off on Revised Definition of “Bulk Electric System” May Benefit Coops
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) submitted a revised definition of the term “Bulk Electric System” (BES) for approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. If accepted, the revised definition may benefit coops by limiting the types of facilities subject to the NERC Reliability Standards. In particular, coops owning only radial facilities would likely...
U.S. Department of Agriculture to Fund Rural Electric Infrastructure
Posted on Mar 8, 2012 in Financing, Grid & Infrastructure, Regulation & Policy, Reliability | Comments Off on U.S. Department of Agriculture to Fund Rural Electric Infrastructure
USDA Rural Development announced that rural electric coops in eight states will receive funding for smart grid technologies and generation and transmission facility improvements. The Rural Utilities Service will be charged with managing the $201 million in loans, of which about $25 million will go towards smart grid developments. The announcement came at the 2012 National Rural...
Potential Power Plant Sites Assessed in Nationwide Study
Posted on Mar 6, 2012 in Environmental, Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Land Use, Permitting, Project Development | Comments Off on Potential Power Plant Sites Assessed in Nationwide Study
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Electric Power Research Institute have issued a report assessing possible sites for future power generation in the U.S.. The researchers took into account factors such as siting constraints, terrain, access to water and proximity to large population centers. This type of detailed site analysis can support long-term strategic...
NSWC Indian Head Gets New Service Provider
Posted on Mar 5, 2012 in Grid & Infrastructure | Comments Off on NSWC Indian Head Gets New Service Provider
Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) has become the electric service provider for the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) at Indian Head in Maryland. SMECO is taking over for Pepco who provided transmission service to NSWC for many years; NSWC was Pepco’s sole customer within the boundaries of SMECO’s service area. Southern Maryland Online has the full story.
Recent Storms Impact Coop Territories in Multiple States
Posted on Mar 5, 2012 in Environmental, Grid & Infrastructure | Comments Off on Recent Storms Impact Coop Territories in Multiple States
On March 2, multiple tornadoes and violent storms moved through communities served by electric cooperatives in several states, claiming at least 36 lives, injuring hundreds and leaving thousands more without power. The communications coordinator for Indiana-based Clark County Rural Electric Membership Corporation described some areas as being “literally wiped off the map.” Click here...
Montana Coops Negotiating New Payment Plans with Oil Companies
Posted on Mar 5, 2012 in Economic Downturn, Financing, Grid & Infrastructure | Comments Off on Montana Coops Negotiating New Payment Plans with Oil Companies
Some Montana coops are changing the way they structure payment plans with oil companies that need their oil well sites to be electrified. Lower Yellowstone Rural Electric Association (LYREA) is requiring payment up front from the oil companies rather than allowing payment through the monthly electricity rate. The cost of making payments all at once can add up; costs can reach about...
EPA and North Dakota Closer to Agreement on Haze Reduction Plan
Posted on Mar 5, 2012 in Environmental, Grid & Infrastructure, Legislative & Politics, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on EPA and North Dakota Closer to Agreement on Haze Reduction Plan
Officials for the state of North Dakota announced last Friday that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency agreed to approve the majority of the state’s regional haze air quality plan. The EPA had previously called North Dakota’s plan inadequate and had threatened to assume regulatory authority in the state, which relied heavily on coal power. The announcement comes as good news for...
Facility Owners Should Heed New Cybersecurity Legislation
Posted on Feb 29, 2012 in Grid & Infrastructure, Legislative & Politics, Regulation & Policy, Reliability | Comments Off on Facility Owners Should Heed New Cybersecurity Legislation
The push for new legislation to combat cybersecurity threats appears to be gaining steam in Congress. While election year politics, competing legislative priorities and other roadblocks may ultimately derail these legislative efforts, owners of critical infrastructure should take heed: Facility owners would be subject to “performance requirements,” certification...
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