Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois (ATXI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Ameren Corporation, received approval from the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) to build the majority of its nearly 400-mile, approximately $1.1 billion Illinois Rivers transmission project. The project consists of a new 345-kV transmission line crossing the Mississippi River near Quincy, Ill., and continuing east across Illinois to the Indiana border.
The Illinois Commerce Commission accepted an annual report filed by Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) documenting its efforts to implement its advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) plan, including steps taken by the utility to educate customers on the upcoming deployment of the smart meters. Earlier in June, the commission had approved a revised schedule for installation of 60,000 new meters in ComEd’s service area beginning in the third quarter of 2013.
In its sixth annual report, the Illinois Commerce Commission’s Office of Retail Market Development (ORMD) provided an update on the status of the state’s competitive electric market, which shows a second straight year of dramatic increases in the number of residential users who are switching to competitive power suppliers as well as concomitant increases in the cost savings enjoyed by consumers who make the switch.
Refining the business case for advanced distribution investments.
As utilities plan their capital budgets for the next few years, investments in advanced distribution systems face an uncertain future. Customers question the value—and propriety—of some programs, while long-term strategic goals depend on seamless integration. What will be the path forward for smart grid technology?
Re-starting the Big Build calls for revisiting cost-recovery mechanisms.
As the industry resumes major capital-spending programs, utilities and their stakeholders are rightly concerned about the effects on prices. Traditional regulatory approaches expose utilities to risks and costs, and can bring rate shock when capital spending finally makes its way into customers’ bills. Pre-funding investments can provide a smoother on-ramp to bearing the costs of a 21st-Century utility system — but it also raises questions for utilities to address.
(April 2012) MidAmerican Energy awarded a contract to Siemens Energy to supply wind turbines for its 407-MW project expansion. American Electric Power began operating the 580-MW Dresden natural gas-fired combined-cycle power plant. Duke Energy and ChinaHuaneng Group signed a three-year agreement expanding their research cooperation to include coal and carbon capture and sequestration technologies. And others...
(March 2012) DTE Energy awards contract to URS; Exelon and Constellation reach an agreement with Electricite de France; Dominion and Lockheed Martin enter a joint marketing and development alliance; plus deals involving Nissan North America, CenterPoint Energy Field Services, Honeywell, Silver Spring Networks, and others.
