Bechtel and Westinghouse Establish Alliance to Pursue Nuclear Decommissioning Work

Bechtel partnered with Westinghouse Electric to provide decontamination and decommissioning services for nuclear power plants throughout the United States. The alliance will provide a full range of services: pre-shutdown planning, licensing, project development and management, dismantling, demolition, waste handling, and site closeout--with a central focus on the safe and efficient handling of radioactive materials. Bechtel has performed services on 88 percent of the U.S. nuclear power fleet.

PG&E and BMW Partner to Extract Grid Benefits from Electric Vehicles

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and automaker BMW are teaming up to test the ability of electric vehicle batteries to provide services to the electric grid. If successful, the pilot program could pave the way for utility payments that could stimulate further customer purchases of electric vehicles. PG&E selected BMW to manage a minimum of 100 kW of electric demand on PG&E's system. BMW will help PG&E manage power demand on its grid in two ways.

Landis+Gyr to Strengthen DONG Energy’s Metering Management

Landis+Gyr and DONG Energy, an energy group in Northern Europe, have signed an agreement for a meter data management system (MDMS) which will be integrated into the utility's existing IT architecture. The move comes as Dong Energy prepares to start the replacement of its entire metering infrastructure in the residential sector. Over the next four years, Landis+Gyr will deliver its Gridstream MDMS to DONG Energy. Between 2017 and 2020, DONG Energy will replace its entire residential meter base with smart meters, totaling one million metering end-points.

Accenture Expands Smart Grid Operations Risk Management Services with Acquisition of Structure

Accenture entered into an agreement to acquire Structure, a provider of consulting, system integration and customized solutions and services to energy and utilities clients. The transaction will expand and enhance Accenture's deep experience and capabilities in smart grid solutions, especially grid operations, as well as energy commodity trading and risk management (CTRM). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, and the acquisition is subject to regulatory review and other customary closing conditions.

Blown Fuse

The high cost of European Union energy threatens the region’s industrial base, pushing manufacturers to move factories and other energy-intensive facilities from Europe to regions where energy prices are far lower.

Electric and gas utilities don't get a lot of love. They typically rank near the bottom in Bain & Company surveys measuring customer loyalty and advocacy across a range of industries. In these times of rising energy prices across Europe, that's understandable. But blaming utilities deflects attention from the serious problems wrought by the European Union's current energy policy and regulation - the playing field on which utilities must operate.

Digest (January 2015)

FERC approved the proposed merger of Exelon and Pepco Holdings; SunEdison and TerraForm Power agreed to acquire First Wind for $2.4 billion; NorthWestern Energy closed on its $900 million purchase of facilities from PPL Montana; Siemens Energy Management partnered with Microsoft and FuelCell Energy to develop the nation's first zero-carbon, waste-to-energy data center; ABB commissioned a power solution that will control power flow and enhance grid stability in Michigan; AES Southland was awarded a 20-year PPA by Southern California Edison to provide 100 MW of interconnected battery-based energy storage; Renewable Energy Systems Americas developed what will be the largest, fully commercial energy storage projects in North America; Westinghouse Electric, China's State Nuclear Power Technology Corp., and Electricity Generation Co. agreed to develop and construct a four-unit nuclear power plant site in the Republic of Turkey. And others ...