Alaska Coop Becomes “Self-Generating”
Posted on May 11, 2015 in Grid & Infrastructure, Project Development, Rates | Comments Off on Alaska Coop Becomes “Self-Generating”
Palmer, Alaska-based Matanuska Electric Association became “self-generating” on May 1 when its new 171-megawatt, gas-fired Eklutna Generating Station came online. Click here for more information.
Energy Information Administration Predicts Slowing Demand and Rising Prices for Electricity
Posted on May 4, 2015 in Rates | Comments Off on Energy Information Administration Predicts Slowing Demand and Rising Prices for Electricity
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts U.S. demand for electricity to slow because of new energy-efficiency standards and costs to increase because new regulations will require additional equipment to replace retired power plants, leading to a predicted 18 percent increase in the average cost of electricity between 2013 and 2040. Read more about the EIA forecast...
Minnesota Public Utilities Commission Approves Cooperatives’ Acquisition of Interstate Power & Light
Posted on May 4, 2015 in Mergers/Acquisitions, Rates | Comments Off on Minnesota Public Utilities Commission Approves Cooperatives’ Acquisition of Interstate Power & Light
On April 30, 2015 the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) approved the sale of Interstate Power & Light (IPL), a privately-owned utility, to 12 cooperative utilities for $112 million. Most of the coops have higher electric rates than IPL, so the acquisition will mean higher prices for the 43,000 IPL customers, but the MPUC will monitor a plan that bars any increase in...
Natural Gas Production Takes the Edge off of Winter Electric Rates
Posted on Mar 16, 2015 in Innovation/Efficiency, Rates, Technology | Comments Off on Natural Gas Production Takes the Edge off of Winter Electric Rates
Despite the fact that this winter has produced record cold temperatures across the country, the average price of residential electricity is projected to increase only 1 percent in 2015 compared to 3.1 percent in 2014. The slow-down in electricity cost inflation is due to an increase in natural gas production. Please click here to read more.
Survey Report: Less Concern of Distributed Generation in Utility Industry
Posted on Mar 10, 2015 in Energy Savings Programs, Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Rates, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Survey Report: Less Concern of Distributed Generation in Utility Industry
According to media startup Utility Dive’s State of the Electric Utility 2015 Survey Report, many utilities have begun to see distributed generation as a growth opportunity rather than a disruption. According to the report, 88 percent of respondents now view distributed generation as an opportunity, although 63 percent of those are not sure how to build their business around the...
Electric Cooperative Seeks to Reduce Credits Paid to Customers with Rooftop Solar Systems
Posted on Mar 6, 2015 in Climate Change, Energy Savings Programs, Environmental, Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Rates, Regulation & Policy, Renewable Energy, Technology | Comments Off on Electric Cooperative Seeks to Reduce Credits Paid to Customers with Rooftop Solar Systems
“Net metering” is the process by which electric suppliers pay credits to customers with home photovoltaic systems that generate more power than the customer uses. An Arizona EMC, Trico Electric Cooperative, has asked the Arizona Corporation Commission to approve its proposal to lower the amount of these credits from 4.2 cents per kilowatt hour to 3.7 cents. Trico believes that the...
Electric Coops See Rise in Sales and Customer Base
Posted on Feb 12, 2015 in Economic Downturn, Rates | Comments Off on Electric Coops See Rise in Sales and Customer Base
According to a recent report, electric coops led the electric utility industry in terms of sales and customer growth in 2013 with almost a 3.1 percent increase in retail sales and 1.2 percent increase in residential customers. Weather and economic conditions were among the reasons for the jump. Click here for more information.
Lower Oil Prices Bring Coop Savings
Posted on Jan 26, 2015 in Rates | Comments Off on Lower Oil Prices Bring Coop Savings
Lower oil prices have brought some savings to cooperatives and their members and may bring more. Coops that generate power from diesel fuel are seeing direct savings that in many cases will be passed along to members as reduced fuel costs. The savings may also flow through to coops that do not run any diesel generation—for example, coops that depend heavily on coal may benefit, as...
Minnesota Cooperative Announces Renewable Subscription Plan
Posted on Jan 21, 2015 in Energy Savings Programs, Innovation/Efficiency, Rates, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Minnesota Cooperative Announces Renewable Subscription Plan
Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric, a Minnesota cooperative, announced a plan to sell subscriptions to its members for electricity to be obtained from a 250-panel solar array to be constructed by Steele Waseca this spring. Subscribers to the plan will receive a credit on their normal electric bill based on production from the solar panels. To read more, click here....
Wolverine Power Cooperative Executes Power Purchase Agreement for 114 Megawatts of Wind Energy
Posted on Jan 9, 2015 in Project Development, Rates, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Wolverine Power Cooperative Executes Power Purchase Agreement for 114 Megawatts of Wind Energy
Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative, Inc. (Wolverine) has entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with RES America Developments Inc., a subsidiary of Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc. (RES Americas) for 114 MW of wind energy and associated renewable energy credits in Michigan. The Deerfield Wind Energy project, the source of the wind power, is scheduled to reach...
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