Vermont Electric Cooperative Approves Line Upgrade Also Necessary for Lowell Wind Project
Posted on Jul 27, 2011 in Grid & Infrastructure | Comments Off on Vermont Electric Cooperative Approves Line Upgrade Also Necessary for Lowell Wind Project
In an effort to save money for a $12 million upgrade to a 16.9-mile transmission line, members of Vermont Electric Cooperative Inc. approved sharing a transmission line with a wind energy project being developed by Green Mountain Power Corp. in Lowell, Massachusetts. Green Mountain Power agreed to pay $7 million of the upgrade costs (leaving VEC with $5 million of the upgrade costs)....
Mother Nature Takes a Heavy Toll on Heartland Coops
Posted on Jun 24, 2011 in Environmental, Grid & Infrastructure | Comments Off on Mother Nature Takes a Heavy Toll on Heartland Coops
Coop staffers in parts of the Southwest are hoping for rain as they brace for the effects of several huge wildfires. Coops in the Midwest are also facing challenges in face of potential prolonged flooding and heavy rains. Coop officials across the heartland have been de-energizing lines and removing meters and other equipment to protect coop assets as they prepare for service...
Landowners Comment on Minnkota Power Cooperative’s Proposed High-Voltage Transmission Line
Posted on Jun 17, 2011 in Grid & Infrastructure, Land Use, Permitting, Project Development | Comments Off on Landowners Comment on Minnkota Power Cooperative’s Proposed High-Voltage Transmission Line
Landowners commented on Minnkota’s plan for a 250-mile high-voltage transmission line during Minnkota’s presentation before the North Dakota Public Service Commission. Minnkota is in the in the process of obtaining easement options, and in order to address landowners’ concerns, it is pricing the easement options on a county by county basis. The Grand Forks Herald is covering this...
North Dakota Senator Introduces Energy Plan that Contains Incentives for Coops that Use Clean Energy
Posted on Jun 17, 2011 in Energy Savings Programs, Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Legislative & Politics, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on North Dakota Senator Introduces Energy Plan that Contains Incentives for Coops that Use Clean Energy
Senator Kent Conrad recently introduced the “Fueling U.S. Energy Leadership Act” or FUEL Act as a broad plan to address energy independence and to provide a means to improve the economy. Among other things, the Fuel Act contains incentives for rural electric coops that make use of various clean energy technologies. See Senator Conrad’s press release for more.
Electric Coops Leading the Way in Modernization of the Nation’s Electric Grid
Posted on Jun 13, 2011 in Financing, Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Project Development | Comments Off on Electric Coops Leading the Way in Modernization of the Nation’s Electric Grid
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack joined Administration officials on Monday to announce several initiatives aimed at modernizing the nation’s electric grid. The USDA Rural Development’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is providing funding for several projects, and rural electric cooperatives are heavily involved in smart grid deployments. Last year, RUS approved $7.1 billion in loans for...
Load Growth and Rising Commodity Prices May Lead a North Dakota Coop to Increase Rates
Posted on Jun 3, 2011 in Grid & Infrastructure, Rates | Comments Off on Load Growth and Rising Commodity Prices May Lead a North Dakota Coop to Increase Rates
Roughrider Electric Cooperative Inc. projects that demand will grow by 10 percent per year for the next five years. Based on this projection, the coop is investing in additional generation and transmission facilities to meet its members’ future needs. According to the executive team, higher commodity prices will significantly increase the construction costs of the new facilities and ...
Missouri Tornadoes Impact Coop Power Distribution
Posted on May 26, 2011 in Environmental, Grid & Infrastructure, Reliability | Comments Off on Missouri Tornadoes Impact Coop Power Distribution
The disastrous weather system that spawned severe storms and deadly tornadoes and spread destruction across portions of Missouri and six other states between May 21 and 23 has also affected area coops’ ability to distribute power. New-Mac Electric Cooperative, a Neosho, Missouri-based coop, reported more than 4,000 of its nearly 17,000 meters out of service. Many of the outages were...
Coop Cybersecurity Guidelines Released by NRECA
Posted on May 20, 2011 in Grid & Infrastructure, Reliability | Comments Off on Coop Cybersecurity Guidelines Released by NRECA
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) has released a cybersecurity guide for utilities and others to use to protect power grid infrastructure from cyber attacks. The guide was developed with the help of the Department of Energy and the National Institute of Standards and Technology and contains tools such as self-assessments and checklists that intend to create a...
Missouri Coop Launches Broadband Internet Initiative
Posted on May 20, 2011 in Financing, Grid & Infrastructure, Technology | Comments Off on Missouri Coop Launches Broadband Internet Initiative
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and RUS Administrator Jonathan Adelstein celebrated Ralls County Electric Cooperative’s completion of the first portion of its broadband initiative. The coop’s ultimate goal is to make broadband available to 4,500 customers, including schools and healthcare providers. The Quincy Herald-Whig has the full story.
South Carolina Cooperative Enters Smart Grid Market
Posted on May 10, 2011 in Grid & Infrastructure | Comments Off on South Carolina Cooperative Enters Smart Grid Market
South Carolina’s Central Electric Power Cooperative recently approved the first paid WattBoss pilot program, which is set for deployment this year. The WattBoss technology, being introduced this year by Electranetics Inc., will share information with utilities and the customer, and will provide the customer with greater control of its consumption, thereby decreasing energy costs....
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