U.S. Department of Energy

Burns & McDonnell will develop a grid stability awareness system (GSAS), a package of analytical software that will allow utilities to better utilize advanced synchrophasor technology. The joint project with Southern Company is part of a comprehensive program recently announced by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to improve the resilience and reliability of the national power grid. The DOE will partially fund the project with a $1.4 million grant, which will be matched by $1.5 million in additional funding from the project participants.

The U.S. Department of Energy authorized Bechtel to resume engineering work on a facility at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant--a facility that will treat some of the nation's liquid radioactive waste. The resumption comes after progress toward resolving technical matters for the High-Level Waste Vitrification Facility, where the most radioactive of the stored liquid will be processed. The government contracted Bechtel National to build the multi-facility complex at the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington.

The U.S.

AREVA Federal Services (AFS), an AREVA subsidiary in the United States, was awarded a contract by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to continue the development of next generation fuel for light water nuclear reactors. This program aims to develop enhanced accident tolerant fuel (EATF), a fuel that is more resistant under severe accident conditions, particularly those involving a loss of cooling. The AREVA-led team, comprising the U.S.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce selected Microgrid Institute for a two-part project addressing combined heat and power (CHP) stakeholder engagement in the state. The project includes a pair of contracts to perform work that will assist the Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources, in its efforts to develop a CHP Action Plan for the state. Microgrid Institute’s work under the contracts will include facilitating CHP stakeholder engagement meetings and performing a series of stakeholder surveys.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded The University of Texas at Austin a $12 million grant to fund carbon storage research aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The four-year DOE grant will fund a carbon storage research project at the university’s Center for Frontiers of Subsurface Energy Security. This grant is a renewal of the department’s five-year, $15.5 million research grant to the center in 2009.

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) installed a new EV fast-charge station at the SMUD campus. The station features dual capability to accommodate most types of EVs manufactured by domestic and foreign automakers. This station is one of the world's first commercial installations of certified DC fast-charge hardware that meets the new industry standard. The station is a joint SMUD, General Motors and U.S. Department of Energy project. Funding for this station comes from the sale of carbon credits.

Georgia Power secured approximately $3.46 billion in loan guarantees from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) toward the construction of the Plant Vogtle units 3 and 4 nuclear expansion project. The project is the first U.S. nuclear project to receive funding through the DOE program. Along with Georgia Power's portion of the two 1,100-MW reactors, the remaining ownership is split among Oglethorpe Power, the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG Power) and Dalton Utilities.

ConEdison Solutions (CES) signed a $56 million contract with the U.S. Army Reserve's 99th Regional Support Command (RSC) to provide energy efficiency services and operations and maintenance support at 90 sites in 11 states. The contract is a component of the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) program. Under this initiative, a limited number of qualified, private-sector energy service providers can provide energy efficiency, renewable energy and water conservation services to federally owned buildings and facilities.

Southern Company completed the smart grid development efforts associated with the $165 million Smart Grid Investment Grant awarded to the company by the U.S. Department of Energy in 2009. Through a combination of matching funds and additional investments, the company spent a total of $363 million to accelerate smart grid implementation and make the grid more reliable, efficient and secure.