Obama Administration Seeks $6 Billion Budget for RUS Program with Similar Previously-Rejected Restrictions on Lending
Posted on Feb 6, 2015 in Regulation & Policy, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Obama Administration Seeks $6 Billion Budget for RUS Program with Similar Previously-Rejected Restrictions on Lending
The Obama administration is pursuing a $6 billion budget for the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Electric Loan program’s 2016 fiscal year, a $500 million increase over the program’s 2015 fiscal year. Reflecting the administration’s goal of phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, this budget has allocated $3 billion for environmental updates to existing fossil-fuel plants and another $3...
Utility Groups Urge Eighth Circuit to Uphold Ruling against Minnesota’s NGEA
Posted on Feb 5, 2015 in Litigation, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on Utility Groups Urge Eighth Circuit to Uphold Ruling against Minnesota’s NGEA
Passed in 2007, in an effort to combat climate change, Minnesota’s Next Generation Energy Act (NGEA) prohibits any new power sources that, after offsetting reductions elsewhere, produce or supply 50 or more MWs and increase carbon dioxide emissions from being added to Minnesota’s energy mix. Utility groups claim that the law violates the dormant Commerce Clause by extending the...
NRECA Urges EPA to Maintain Current Ozone Standard
Posted on Feb 3, 2015 in Climate Change, Environmental, Legislative & Politics, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on NRECA Urges EPA to Maintain Current Ozone Standard
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed additional restrictions on ozone standards. The newer standards would be very costly to power plants, which might require owners to choose between implementing expensive emissions controls for coal and natural gas-fired units or shutting such units down. Carol Whitman, senior environmental principal at the National Rural...
Solar Component Discounts Offered to Coops
Posted on Jan 22, 2015 in Financing, Project Development, Regulation & Policy, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Solar Component Discounts Offered to Coops
Through the Vendor Management Office of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, coops have an opportunity to receive significant vendor discounts on photovoltaic modules, racking structures and inverters—three major components of utility-scale solar projects. Coops will still need to negotiate commercial terms and conduct their own research to determine whether solar...
EPA Files Brief in Cross-State Air Pollution Rule Dispute
Posted on Jan 21, 2015 in Climate Change, Environmental, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on EPA Files Brief in Cross-State Air Pollution Rule Dispute
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently filed a brief in its ongoing suit against industry groups’ allegations of “overcontrol” of upwind states. The D.C. Circuit will hear oral arguments on the suit’s remaining issues beginning February 25. Please click here to read more.
EPA Delays Final Carbon Emissions Rules
Posted on Jan 12, 2015 in Environmental, Legislative & Politics, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on EPA Delays Final Carbon Emissions Rules
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on January 7 that it would postpone releasing final carbon emission rules until “mid-summer.” The EPA had been expected to finalize emissions standards for new generation on January 8 and existing generation on June 1. Click here to read more.
Arizona Coops Relieved From Solar Incentive Payments
Posted on Dec 30, 2014 in Financing, Regulation & Policy, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Arizona Coops Relieved From Solar Incentive Payments
The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) has granted the requests of Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative and Graham County Electric Cooperative to remove a requirement that each coop offer customers solar incentives for leased distributed generation systems. The ACC may expand the decision to other coops and is investigating, among other things, consumer protection...
Mississippi Regulator Imposes New Annual Filing Requirement
Posted on Dec 18, 2014 in Corporate Governance, Patronage Capital, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on Mississippi Regulator Imposes New Annual Filing Requirement
The Mississippi Public Service Commission directed electric coops to make an annual filing to provide information on open meetings, board member elections, coop fund management and other matters to keep customers apprised of their respective ownership shares and worth. The filing is due May 1 of each year beginning in 2015. Click here to read more.
Basin Electric Slated to Purchase New Wind Generation
Posted on Dec 18, 2014 in Permitting, Project Development, Regulation & Policy, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Basin Electric Slated to Purchase New Wind Generation
The North Dakota Public Service Commission approved construction of a new 172-MW wind farm to be located in the western area of the state. Basin Electric Power Coop (Basin Electric) has signed a 25-year power purchase agreement for the full output of the $240 million project being built by Antelope Hills Wind Project LLC. Antelope Hills is aiming for a late 2015 in-service date. ...
NRECA Supports New NERC Grid Protection Standards
Posted on Dec 10, 2014 in Grid & Infrastructure, Regulation & Policy, Reliability | Comments Off on NRECA Supports New NERC Grid Protection Standards
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) is welcoming the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC) new Physical Security Grid Reliability Standards as a framework for cooperatives and other utilities to assess physical system risk and identify critical facilities, says NRECA CEO Jo Ann Emerson. To read more please click here.
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