Drinking the Electric Kool-Aid
Battery Storage: The hoopla far exceeds the reality.
Mahler’s music was better than it sounded, and so is battery energy storage.
Oncor
Efficiency on Display
Texas program succeeds, but faces sunset.
A program in Texas is helping low-income customers benefit from energy savings devices that connect to the smart meter like in-home energy monitors and smart thermostats.
Storage Grows Up
More than just energy, it's becoming part of the grid.
One of the most striking aspects of the state's "Reforming the Energy Vision" initiative is the unique role it assigns to energy storage. Utilities may own distributed storage without concern over competitive implications when it becomes a part of the distribution network.
Alterra Power Completes Acquisition of Shannon Wind Project
Submitted by aburr on Wed, 2014-03-05 14:09Alterra Power completed the acquisition of the Shannon wind project, a 202-MW wind farm in Clay County, Texas, from Horn Wind. Alterra also placed a $4.5 million cash deposit with Oncor, the project's transmission service provider, which will now begin the design and equipment procurement for the project's interconnection substation. In December 2013, Alterra completed certain construction activities to ensure the Shannon project will qualify for the U.S.
Vendor Neutral
(June 2012) South Carolina Electric & Gas gave Shaw Group and Westinghouse full notice to proceed on their contract for two new Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear power units and related facilities at the V.C. Summer nuclear station near Jenkinsville, S.C. Progress Energy awarded a contract to Westinghouse for underwater laser beam welding (ULBW) at the Robinson nuclear plant in Hartsville, S.C. Southern California Edison (SCE) completed additional inspections of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) Unit 2 steam generators, based on Unit 3 findings. And others...
Green Gridworks
Case studies on integrating renewable resources.
Where wind integration has been most successful, state authorities developed and adopted basic transmission planning and cost allocation principles before FERC issued Order 1000. Experiences in Texas, California, and Hawaii demonstrate what it takes to overcome permitting and cost allocation barriers—namely, a coherent policy framework and close coordination among stakeholders.
People (March 2011)
First Energy subsidiaries get new executives; Constellation names new treasurer, finance v.p., and CIO; Puget Energy gets new general counsel; plus senior staff changes at Dominion, Georgia Power, Parsons, California Energy Commission, Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, and others.
People (December 2010)
Steven Specker joins Southern Company board; Chesapeake Utilities names Michael McMasters CEO; Ethics inquiry leads to dismissals and new president at Duke Indiana; plus executive management announcements at American Transmission, Oncor, FirstEnergy, Alliant, NYISO, Gridwise Alliance, the Organization of MISO States, and more ...
What Happened in Texas
Evaluating smart meters and public backlash.
After ratepayers brought a class-action lawsuit against distribution utilities, Texas regulators commissioned a study of the state’s new smart meters. The study explains why customers reacted the way they did, and offers insights into how the industry can avoid a Texas-style backlash.
Vendor Neutral
Former Pres. Bill Clinton and other dignitaries help Duke, Cisco and Charlotte, N.C., launch commercial efficiency initiative; AEP signs 20-year MOU to buy solar output from New Harvest plant; Wartsila expands gas-fired generator in Turkey; U.S. DOE awards geothermal RD&D grants; GE acquires Dresser for $3 billion, and also acquires Calnetix industrial cogen technology; SunEdison sells 70 MW Rovigo PV plant; Ford Motor Co.