Rebooted commission could breathe new life into bills challenging Virginia’s largest utility February 26, 2024 Virginia clean energy champions have their fingers crossed that members of a resurrected legislative commission won’t water down four utility-focused bills when they meet in the off-season to reshape the failed measures for next year’s General Assembly. The rebooted Commission…
US government may sue PacifiCorp, a Warren Buffett utility, for nearly $1B in wildfire costs February 26, 2024 The U.S. government is threatening to sue PacifiCorp, a unit of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, to recover nearly $1 billion in costs related to the 2020 wildfires in southern Oregon and northern California, though the company is…
Natural gas-fired generation, the backbone of U.S. electricity generation, varies by region Energize Weekly, February 28, 2024 Natural gas generation is the largest source of electricity in the U.S. and is used across the country, but the scale and efficiency of that generation varies region by region, according to an analysis by the federal Energy…
US to add 36.4GW of new solar generation capacity in 2024, 58% of all capacity additions February 19, 2024 US power developers expect to add 36.4GW of new solar generation capacity in 2024, which would account for 58% of all new capacity additions in the US power sector, according to the US Energy Information Administration…
U.S. Drillers Scale Back Operations as Gas Prices Tumble Feb 16, 2024 U.S. natural gas producers are beginning to reduce drilling and investment as low prices weigh on their returns. Reuters reports that natural gas prices in the U.S. hit the lowest in three and a half year, betraying drillers’ expectations for a rebound this…
Texas Lawmaker files bill that would allow the rest of the country to access Texas’ power grid February 18, 2024 Congressman Greg Casar, D-Austin, says it is the first time it has ever happened in Congress: a bill was drafted and filed that would make Texas connect its power grid to the national grid. And…
Pioneering GE F-Class Hydrogen-Capable Gas Power Plant Begins Operations in Australia February 19, 2024 EnergyAustralia has begun operations at the 320-MW Tallawarra B gas-fired power station in New South Wales (NSW)—Australia’s first peaking power plant capable of operating on a natural gas and hydrogen fuel blend. The project’s start on Feb. 19 also marks GE…
Vogtle Unit 4 reaches first criticality 2.14.2024 Operators have safely started the nuclear reaction at Vogtle Unit 4, according to an announcement from Georgia Power. This step, known as initial criticality, happens when the nuclear fission reaction becomes self-sustaining and is necessary to generate enough heat to produce electricity. Operators will now continue increasing power…
Eversource seeks 19% rate hike on CL&P customers February 15, 2024 Eversource filed a request Thursday for a $784 million rate adjustment that would bump its Connecticut Light & Power electric rates by nearly 19%, costing an average residential customer an additional $38 a month on May 1. The United Illuminating Company, an Avangrid subsidiary…
Texas Electric Utility Courts Unnamed Crypto Miners With Five-Year Deals Feb 17, 2024 In a recent report, the community-driven, nonprofit electric provider in Texas, Denton Municipal Electric (DME), is attracting interest from several crypto mining companies seeking to establish operations. These companies are eyeing a five-year agreement for powering their mining activities. On Feb. 16,…
Growing electricity demand from electric vehicles poses risks to the bulk power system, NERC says Energize Weekly, February 21, 2024 The growing demand for electricity to charge electric vehicles (EVs) – depending upon the timing of the charging – could threaten the bulk power system, according to a study by the North American Electric Reliability…
US oil companies to merge in $26bn deal as firms rush to buy up drilling land 12 Feb 2024 Two American oil and gas companies have said they will merge in a $26bn (£21bn) deal, the latest in a wave of acquisitions designed to buy up the best land for drilling. Diamondback Energy has agreed…