Transactions (April 2013)
February was a quiet month for debt issues, with asset sales and equity issues dominating the market. Deals by NextEra, Sempra, SRP, Dominion, TransCanada, and others totaled at least $2.4 billion.
People (April 2013)
Southern Company makes changes in operations and power subsidiaries; Michael Chesser to leave KCPL board; Dynegy names new e.v.p.; Rolando Pablos resigns from Texas PUC; In Memoriam: Kris R. Nielsen.
Elevated Risk
In an open letter to directors, IBM’s energy security lead recommends appointing a senior executive with authority to effect cultural change.
Achieving security requires a new office in the C-suite. An open letter to utility directors.
No Going Back
Free markets are not a fad.
Half-hearted deregulation hobbles the forces of supply and demand before they can get out of the gate.
Smaller, Cheaper, and More Resilient
The rationale for microgrids.
Despite an array of challenges, microgrids are becoming a force in the market. Innovative projects bring greater efficiency and resilience.
Dynegy to Acquire Ameren Energy Resources
Submitted by aburr on Thu, 2013-03-28 20:54Dynegy subsidiary Illinois Power Holdings agreed to acquire Ameren Energy Resources and its subsidiaries Ameren Energy Generating, AmerenEnergy Resources Generating, and Ameren Energy Marketing. Upon closing, Dynegy will own more than 8,000 MW of generating capacity in Illinois, and nearly 14,000 MW nationally. The AER retail and marketing businesses and the following plants are included in the transaction: Duck Creek, Coffeen, E.D. Edwards, Newton, and Joppa. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2013.
Georgia Power Pours Concrete for New Vogtle Reactor
Submitted by aburr on Thu, 2013-03-28 20:53Georgia Power completed placing basemat structural concrete for the nuclear island at its Vogtle Unit 3 nuclear project. The utility is building two new reactors at the Plant Vogtle site near Waynesboro, Ga. The full outlines of both nuclear islands have been completed to grade level. The first components for erecting the Unit 3 containment vessel are completed and staged for installation once the basemat concrete has cured, including the Unit 3 containment vessel bottom head.
NSTAR Starts Up Customer EV Hotline
Submitted by aburr on Thu, 2013-03-28 20:52NSTAR established a new hotline to provide customers with a source of information about electric vehicles and EV technology.
Georgia Power Upgrades Transmission Lines
Submitted by aburr on Thu, 2013-03-28 20:51Georgia Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company, chose 3M’s ACCR overhead conductor to double transmission capacity on a set of lines that cross wetlands near Savannah, Ga. The upgrade is on a 16.7-mile line linking the Kraft generating plant in Savannah with the McIntosh plant north of the city.