New Hampshire Coop Customers Bring Suit Over “Smart Meters”
Posted on Feb 27, 2012 in Grid & Infrastructure, Litigation, Technology | Comments Off on New Hampshire Coop Customers Bring Suit Over “Smart Meters”
A group of eight customers of Plymouth-based New Hampshire Electric Cooperative have brought suit in Grafton County Superior Court, arguing that they should have the option to refuse to have so-called “smart meters” installed at their homes. The plaintiffs are concerned about possible negative health consequences from exposure to electromagnetic radiation emanating from the meters. ...
Cross-State Air Pollution Rule Lawsuit Gains Steam
Posted on Feb 27, 2012 in Grid & Infrastructure, Legislative & Politics, Litigation, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on Cross-State Air Pollution Rule Lawsuit Gains Steam
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and several G&Ts have joined in a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Cross-State Air Pollution Rule. The new rule sets emissions caps and procedures for nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide that contribute to ozone formation in 27 eastern states and uses a system of tradable emissions allowances. The...
Partnership Continues to Promote Kansas Transmission Projects
Posted on Feb 23, 2012 in Grid & Infrastructure, Project Development | Comments Off on Partnership Continues to Promote Kansas Transmission Projects
ITC Great Plains, LLC, Sunflower Electric Power Corporation and Mid-Kansas Electric Company, LLC will continue their partnership efforts to build transmission projects in Kansas. The parties expanded their existing partnership agreement to give ITC Great Plains the exclusive option to build projects that Sunflower and Mid-Kansas choose not to construct. Click here for the full...
Kansas Officials Working on Disaster Fund That Would Benefit Coops
Posted on Feb 13, 2012 in Environmental, Grid & Infrastructure, Legislative & Politics, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on Kansas Officials Working on Disaster Fund That Would Benefit Coops
Kansas lawmakers are working with the state’s governor to establish a fund to cover the state’s share of expenses from federally declared disasters, after millions owed to electric coops from storms in 2011 went unpaid. Kansas governor Sam Brownback wants to use $12 million from tax collections each year to establish a rainy day fund to avoid the situation the state faced in 2011 when...
NERC Proposes Modified Definition of Bulk Electric System
Posted on Jan 31, 2012 in Grid & Infrastructure, Regulation & Policy, Reliability | Comments Off on NERC Proposes Modified Definition of Bulk Electric System
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has proposed that all transmission facilities operated at 100 kV or higher and all real and reactive power resources connected to the grid at 100 kV or higher be subject to its Reliability Standards. In NERC’s January 25, 2012 petition to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to approve its revised definition of...
Texas Power Plant Set to Reopen in 2013
Posted on Jan 30, 2012 in Grid & Infrastructure, Reliability | Comments Off on Texas Power Plant Set to Reopen in 2013
Sandy Creek Power Plant, which has been shut down for the past three months, is now set to go back online in 2013. Damage to the plant’s boiler led to the shut down and officials report that materials have already been ordered to fix the problem, but the delay in reopening the facility could affect the state’s electricity supply. Click here for more.
Vermont Coops Spurn Potential Transmission Control Shift to Green Mountain Power
Posted on Jan 24, 2012 in Corporate Governance, Grid & Infrastructure, Legislative & Politics, Mergers/Acquisitions, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on Vermont Coops Spurn Potential Transmission Control Shift to Green Mountain Power
In light of a possible merger of Vermont’s two largest utilities to form new entity Green Mountain Power, Vermont municipals and coops are debating who will control the state’s transmission utility, Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO). Through petitions before the Vermont Public Service Board, both municipals and coops are urging the Board to prevent Green Mountain Power from...
NRECA Asks FERC to Reconsider Order Against Iowa Coop
Posted on Jan 23, 2012 in Grid & Infrastructure, Litigation, Rates | Comments Off on NRECA Asks FERC to Reconsider Order Against Iowa Coop
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reconsider a recent order, which requires Midland Power Cooperative, based in Jefferson, Iowa, to obtain FERC’s authorization before disconnecting retail service to a local couple. The coop initiated the disconnection when the couple, who operate a small wind turbine in the...
Advocacy Groups Oppose New Power Lines for We Energies Plant
Posted on Jan 23, 2012 in Environmental, Grid & Infrastructure, Project Development | Comments Off on Advocacy Groups Oppose New Power Lines for We Energies Plant
As the Sutherland Coop team reported on January 12, Wolverine Power Cooperative and We Energies have raised the possibility of a joint venture, which could help to avoid shutting down the Presque Isle coal-fired power plant in 2017 due to the added costs of the Environmental Protection Agency’s new environmental rules. Two advocacy groups now are opposing the addition of power lines...
Missouri Bill Introduced to Promote Smart Grid Technologies
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 in Grid & Infrastructure, Legislative & Politics | Comments Off on Missouri Bill Introduced to Promote Smart Grid Technologies
A new bill introduced in the Missouri House of Representatives would make it easier to attach smart grid and broadband communication equipment to telecommunication poles and rural coop distribution system poles. The proposed bill would allow the pole owner to charge a reasonable rate based on costs incurred from the attachments and aims to spread these and other advanced technologies...
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