Global oil, coal, and gas demand to peak by 2030: IEA October 24, 2023 Many countries have mandated that automobiles, businesses, and more employ clean energy initiatives, aimed at reducing their carbon footprint. The rate of production and adoption of things like electric cars and the use of solar energy…
OPG’s Small Modular Reactors will generate jobs and lasting economic benefits for Ontario
OPG’s Small Modular Reactors will generate jobs and lasting economic benefits for Ontario 20 Oct, 2023 The construction of four Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) at its Darlington Nuclear site will have a substantial positive impact on the Ontario and Canadian economies, according to the Conference…
20 States That Have The Cheapest Electricity In The US
20 States That Have The Cheapest Electricity In The US October 23, 2023 In this article, we’ll list states with the most affordable electricity prices and explain their power grid. If you want to skip why certain regions pay less for energy than others, read 5 States That Have The…
U.S. DOE awards $3.5 billion for 58 projects to make electric grids safer and more resilient
U.S. DOE awards $3.5 billion for 58 projects to make electric grids safer and more resilient Energize Weekly, October 25, 2023 The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has made $3.5 billion in grants to utilities in 44 states to improve grid reliability and to take measures to meet the risks…
Global electricity grid must be upgraded urgently to hit climate goals, says IEA
Global electricity grid must be upgraded urgently to hit climate goals, says IEA 17 Oct 2023 Ministers have been urged to “open their eyes” to the need to build a vast network of new electricity grids to allow countries to hit climate goals, the chief of the world’s energy watchdog…
1,000 additional workers to help out during Cook plant refueling outage
1,000 additional workers to help out during Cook plant refueling outage October 12, 2023 A refueling outage is about to begin at the Cook nuclear power plant. Plant spokesperson Bill Downey tells us Unit 1 will be taken offline at 3 a.m. on Saturday for both refueling and maintenance. The…
U.S. natural-gas fired plant additions to increase again in 2023, EIA says
U.S. natural-gas fired plant additions to increase again in 2023, EIA says 10.16.2023 New U.S. natural gas-fired capacity additions are expected to total 8.6 GW in 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). 16 natural gas-fired plants are expected to come online this year, EIA said in its…
Seattle City Light to raise rates after it burns through cash reserves
Seattle City Light to raise rates after it burns through cash reserves Oct. 12, 2023 Seattle City Light will raise rates in January to recoup millions of dollars it lost during a particularly poor year of hydropower production, mostly attributed to dry, warm weather and a wildfire that disrupted dam…
A look inside Cheyenne’s new hydroelectric facility
A look inside Cheyenne’s new hydroelectric facility Oct 10, 2023 On Saturday, the Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities (BOPU) opened the doors of its new hydroelectric generation facility to the public. It’s located at the R.L. Sherard Water Treatment Plant where it provides more than enough energy to power the…
U.S. Hit Second Highest Hourly Peak Demand This Summer, EIA Reports
U.S. Hit Second Highest Hourly Peak Demand This Summer, EIA Reports October 6, 2023 This summer, the United States hit the second highest peak electricity demand since the Energy Information Administration began collecting data in 2016, the agency said. Peak hourly electricity demand in the continental United States reached 741,815…
Xcel Energy plans new $500M transmission line in western Wisconsin
Xcel Energy plans new $500M transmission line in western Wisconsin October 9, 2023 Xcel Energy plans to build a new $500 million transmission line through parts of western Wisconsin. The company says it’s needed to maintain grid reliability as the utility transitions away from coal-fired power plants and brings in…
Vogtle Unit 4 startup date pushed back after motor fault discovered in reactor coolant pump
Vogtle Unit 4 startup date pushed back after motor fault discovered in reactor coolant pump 10.9.2023 The in-service date for Plant Vogtle Unit 4 is being pushed back to 2024 due to a motor fault in one of four reactor coolant pumps, Georgia Power said in a filing to the…
The problem with making green hydrogen to fuel power plants
The problem with making green hydrogen to fuel power plants 10 October 2023 Today, utility Florida Power & Light will begin operations at its Cavendish NextGen Hydrogen Hub, one of the country’s first green hydrogen facilities. The 25-megawatt project will use solar power to split water into oxygen and hydrogen…
PG&E to Pay $45 Million for Second-Largest California Fire
PG&E to Pay $45 Million for Second-Largest California Fire October 9, 2023 PG&E Corp. will pay a $45 million penalty for its role in starting the second-largest wildfire in California history under a settlement proposal issued by state regulators. The California utility giant agreed to the shareholder-funded penalty proposed by…
EVs could capture 80 percent of new car sales in China, Europe, and the U.S. by 2030
EVs could capture 80 percent of new car sales in China, Europe, and the U.S. by 2030 Energize Weekly, October 11, 2023 While it took six years for electric vehicles (EVs) to climb to from 1 percent to 10 percent of the passenger car market, in another seven, they could…
In the shadow of a nuclear plant, Prairie Island celebrates steps toward a green future
In the shadow of a nuclear plant, Prairie Island celebrates steps toward a green future October 3, 2023 Standing in the same former bean field he played in as a child, Prairie Island Indian Community President Johnny Johnson recently led a crowd of project partners and community members in celebrating…
State awarded $17.2 million grant for power grid resilience
Colorado awarded $17.2 million grant for power grid resilience Sep 28, 2023 The Colorado Energy Office and state Department of Local Affairs were granted $17.2 million in federal funds for improving the resilience and reliability of Colorado’s electric grid against climate-driven extreme weather events and aging infrastructure. As part of…
Ameren wants to build two gas power plants. Critics call them ‘a big concern.’
Ameren wants to build two gas power plants. Critics call them ‘a big concern.’ Sep 27, 2023 Regional electric utility Ameren said Tuesday that it aims to build two natural gas power plants over the next decade, a revelation that appears to conflict with corporate goals to slash carbon emissions…
Utility stocks take a beating amid rising rates
Utility stocks take a beating amid rising rates October 3, 2023 Utility stocks took a breather on Tuesday following the sector’s worst daily performance since April 2020. The SPDR S&P 500 Utility Sector ETF (XLU) fell 4% on Monday and recovered to end the next day higher. Year-to-date the ETF…
NRC approves transfer of three Energy Harbor nuclear plants to Vistra
NRC approves transfer of three Energy Harbor nuclear plants to Vistra 10.3.2023 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved the transfer of the operating licenses of Energy Harbor’s three nuclear plants to Vistra. In March 2023, Vistra reached an agreement to acquire Energy Harbor in a $3.4 billion deal, including debt.…
Hawaiian Electric begins restoration work in Lahaina at request of Maui Emergency Operations Center
Hawaiian Electric begins restoration work in Lahaina at request of Maui Emergency Operations Center September 21, 2023 Hawaiian Electric reports that replacement of poles and electrical equipment damaged in last months windstorms and wildfires in Lahaina will get underway at the request of Maui emergency management officials. This work will…
Constellation’s Carbon-Free Nuclear Fleet Ran at Near 100% Capacity During Hottest Summer on Record
Constellation’s Carbon-Free Nuclear Fleet Ran at Near 100% Capacity During Hottest Summer on Record Sept. 21, 2023 While wildfires, hurricanes and extreme heat battered Americans from coast to coast during the hottest summer in Earth’s recorded history, Constellation’s carbon-free nuclear units ran nearly 100% of the time, powering more than…
Xcel plans to replace Colorado power plant in Pueblo with renewable energy battery system
Xcel plans to replace Colorado power plant in Pueblo with renewable energy battery system SEPTEMBER 25, 2023 Xcel Energy recently announced its intent to construct a long duration energy storage system at the site of a coal-fired power plant in Pueblo. Once operational, the system in Colorado “will allow Xcel…
Hawaiian Electric Industries Hires Utility Bankruptcy Expert As CFO
Hawaiian Electric Industries Hires Utility Bankruptcy Expert As CFO September 20, 2023 A utility dealmaker with experience in mergers, restructuring and bankruptcy will become chief financial officer for Hawaiian Electric Industries next month as HEI and its subsidiaries address legal, financial and political issues related to the deadly Maui wildfires.…
U.S. solar installations to set a record in 2023 despite tariff, supply chain, and funding uncertainties
U.S. solar installations to set a record in 2023 despite tariff, supply chain, and funding uncertainties Energize Weekly, September 27, 2023 Solar installations in the U.S. are poised to reach a record 32 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity in 2023, a 52 percent increase over last year, even as the…
Solar, battery storage on deck for WWTP
Solar, battery storage on deck for WWTP Sep 17, 2023 Solar panels and storage batteries could help Traverse City Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant shave its peak power use. City commissioners last week approved a $257,892 contract with Jacobs, the company that operates the plant, to design and manage the rooftop…
Dominion, in rare move, details data centers’ big electricity demands
Dominion, in rare move, details data centers’ big electricity demands Sep 18, 2023 Data centers, some of the biggest electricity users of all, have signed agreements with Dominion Energy showing they expect to use the equivalent of 35% of the record flow of electricity the utility saw during last year’s…
Takahama No. 2 nuclear reactor restarted after 12-year halt
Takahama No. 2 nuclear reactor restarted after 12-year halt Sep 15, 2023 Kansai Electric Power on Friday rebooted its nearly 50-year-old No. 2 reactor at the Takahama nuclear plant in Fukui Prefecture for the first time since 2011, marking the 12th unit to be restarted in the country since the…
Dominion to seek air permit for proposed Chesterfield gas plant
Dominion to seek air permit for proposed Chesterfield gas plant SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 Dominion Energy’s plans to build a new natural gas plant in Chesterfield will require a state permit for major new sources of emissions, state air quality regulators said Wednesday. Mike Dowd, the Department of Environmental Quality’s director…
United Illuminating lawsuit claims electric rates approved by CT will force it to operate at a loss
United Illuminating lawsuit claims electric rates approved by CT will force it to operate at a loss Sep. 18, 2023 Arguing that an August decision by Connecticut regulators on utility rates will force it to operate at a loss, United Illuminating Co. filed a lawsuit on Monday in New Britain…
California Legislature approves plan allowing the state to buy power
California Legislature approves plan allowing the state to buy power September 14, 2023 The California Legislature voted Thursday to give Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration permission to buy massive amounts of electricity, a move aimed at avoiding blackouts by shoring up the state’s power supply while jumpstarting the West Coast’s…
Solar is keeping the Texas grid running. Next month’s eclipse will be a new test.
Solar is keeping the Texas grid running. Next month’s eclipse will be a new test. Sept. 8, 2023 Texas quickly spiraled into a power emergency on Wednesday night, when record September demand and a drop in supply prompted appeals to consumers to conserve electricity to avoid blackouts. Hot, humid weather…
China-Linked Hackers Breached a Power Grid—Again
China-Linked Hackers Breached a Power Grid—Again SEP 12, 2023 The loose nexus of Chinese-origin cyberspies collectively called APT41 is known for carrying out some of the most brazen hacking schemes linked to China over the past decade. Its methods range from a spree of software supply chain attacks that planted…
Indigenous tribes urge federal officials to deny loan request for Superior, WI natural gas plant
Indigenous tribes urge federal officials to deny loan request for Superior, WI natural gas plant September 11, 2023 Indigenous tribes in Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin have asked federal officials to deny a utility’s request for a loan to help build a natural gas-fired power plant on the shores of Lake…
Bruce Power Unit 6 powers up
Bruce Power Unit 6 powers up Sep 08, 2023 A renewed Unit 6 at Bruce Power’s Tiverton nuclear generation station has been connected to Ontario’s electricity grid following a Major Component Replacement (MCR) outage. The Unit 6 MCR began in January 2020 and was completed ahead of schedule and on…
CMP accused of overspending $53.6 million in storm recovery efforts
CMP accused of overspending $53.6 million in storm recovery efforts Sep 8, 2023 Maine’s advocate for utility customers wants state regulators to withhold more than $50 million that it says Central Maine Power Co. overspent in violation of staffing guidelines when restoring power to customers during a dozen storms in…
Losing member co-ops, Tri-State seeks to sell its electricity on the wholesale power market
Losing member co-ops, Tri-State seeks to sell its electricity on the wholesale power market Energize Weekly, September 13, 2023 Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, a wholesale power supplier for rural electric cooperatives, is seeking to sell excess power on the open market as it loses some of its biggest members.…
Eversource presents plans for electrical grid upgrades, without fossil fuels
Eversource presents plans for electrical grid upgrades, without fossil fuels Sep. 03, 2023 Eversource has announced its first draft of improvements it hopes to make to the state’s electrical grid, boosting clean energy production and reducing the use of fossil fuels. The final plan — which will meet company requirements…
West Virginia coal-fired power plant targeted for deactivation to be restarted for hydrogen use
West Virginia coal-fired power plant targeted for deactivation to be restarted for hydrogen use August 31, 2023 A West Virginia coal-fired power plant that had been targeted for deactivation was restarted Wednesday under a new owner that plans to retrofit the facility to use hydrogen to generate electricity, Gov. Jim…
US regulator ready for next-generation nuclear, NRC says
US regulator ready for next-generation nuclear, NRC says September 1, 2023 The NRC is under pressure to show it can move fast on a new generation of nuclear technology, including small modular reactors (SMRs) and other previously untested designs, as many in the industry call for deep reforms at the…
FirstEnergy subsidiaries file settlement with the Pennsylvania PUC
FirstEnergy subsidiaries file settlement with the Pennsylvania PUC September 05, 2023 FirstEnergy Corporation’s announced Thursday its subsidiaries – Met Ed, Penelec, Penn Power, West Penn Power, Keystone Appalachian Transmission Company (KATCO), and Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission, LLC (MAIT) – had filed settlement agreements with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (Pa PUC)…
Solar panel shipments set a record in 2022 but uncertainty over tariffs loom in the future
Solar panel shipments set a record in 2022 but uncertainty over tariffs loom in the future Energize Weekly, September 6, 2023 Solar photovoltaic panel shipments in the U.S. rose 10 percent in 2022 year-over-year, setting an annual record of 31.7 million peak kilowatt-hours of modules, with 88 percent of the…
First US offshore wind auction in Gulf of Mexico attracts paltry interest
First US offshore wind auction in Gulf of Mexico attracts paltry interest August 29, 2023 The Biden administration’s first ever auction of offshore wind development rights in the Gulf of Mexico ended with a single $5.6 million winning bid on Tuesday, reflecting meager demand for the clean energy source in…
Hawaii power utility takes responsibility for first fire on Maui, but faults county firefighters
Hawaii power utility takes responsibility for first fire on Maui, but faults county firefighters August 28, 2023 Hawaii’s electric utility acknowledged its power lines started a wildfire on Maui but faulted county firefighters for declaring the blaze contained and leaving the scene, only to have a second wildfire break out…
California’s energy mix is changing but natural gas still the No. 1 source
California’s energy mix is changing but natural gas still the No. 1 source AUG. 25, 2023 Some things are changing in California’s mix of energy sources for electricity generation, but others are not. With policymakers looking to derive 100 percent of the state’s electricity from carbon-free sources by 2045, the…
TVA Plans to Invest $15 Billion Over the Next Three Years to Meet Region’s Growth
TVA Plans to Invest $15 Billion Over the Next Three Years to Meet Region’s Growth Aug. 28, 2023 During the decade before COVID, TVA’s seven-state region saw almost no electric load growth. Post-COVID, the region has experienced tremendous economic growth, fueled by several factors. The Tennessee Valley Authority Board of…
State power grid operator calls on Texans to conserve energy late Sunday
State power grid operator calls on Texans to conserve energy late Sunday AUG. 20, 2023 The state’s electric grid operator is asking Texans to limit their power use on Sunday between 7 and 10 p.m., the second such request in three days as extreme heat continues to grip the state.…
Duke seeks approval for SMRs at retiring N.C. coal plant
Duke seeks approval for SMRs at retiring N.C. coal plant Aug 18, 2023 Duke Energy has filed an update to its 2022 state-mandated carbon-reduction plan with the public utility commissions of North and South Carolina, proposing the deployment of small modular reactors at the Belews Creek coal plant in Stokes…
Sentar wins grant to boost cyber resilience in US nuclear plants
Sentar wins grant to boost cyber resilience in US nuclear plants Aug 21, 2023 Sentar Inc., a small business specialising in cyber resilience solutions and technology, has been awarded a research grant from the US Department of Energy. The grant will be used to develop a proof-of-concept solution that will,…
Florida raises eyebrows with decision on $377 million of crucial federal funding: ‘Negative implications for Florida residents’
Florida raises eyebrows with decision on $377 million of crucial federal funding: ‘Negative implications for Florida residents’ August 19, 2023 Last month, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis rejected $377 million in federal energy-efficiency funding despite the Sunshine State experiencing record-setting heat. Bloomberg reported the money included “hundreds of millions of dollars…
