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…
News From the Oil Patch: U.S. sets all-time crude production record Oct 16, 2023 U.S. operators set an all-time record for crude oil production last week. According to the Energy Information Administration, domestic output averaged 13,218,000 barrels per day last week. That’s the best weekly tally ever, 140,000 barrels per…
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 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 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…
U.S. sets records for crude oil and natural gas exports in the first six months of 2023 Energize Weekly, October 18, 2023 The U.S. set export records for both oil and natural gas in the first half of 2023, with Europe as the prime destination, according to the federal Energy…
Exxon’s blockbuster Pioneer merger needs Biden’s blessing Oct 8, 2023 Exxon Mobil Corp. needs approval from the Biden administration before it can take over independent oil and gas producer Pioneer Natural Resources Co. in what would be the world’s biggest deal this year. That might not be such an easy…
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 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 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 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 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…
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…
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.…
Favorable economics, the need for new reserves boost global oil exploration investments Energize Weekly, October 3, 2023 Global oil and gas exploration and production investments are set for a big rebound, according to energy analysts Wood Mackenzie and Rystad Energy. While not reaching the levels of the 2006-to-2014 boom years,…
EPA Awards Nearly $8M For Research Grants To Advance Groundwater Availability And Quality September 21, 2023 Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $7,837,196 in funding to four institutions to research the use and risks of enhanced aquifer recharge (EAR) to improve groundwater availability and quality. EAR is the…
Appeals Court Blocks Biden Bid to Limit Oil Drilling Auction September 25, 2023 A federal court left in place an order forcing the Biden administration to expand an upcoming sale of offshore drilling rights in the Gulf of Mexico, while giving the government more time to hold the auction. The…
US natgas futures steady on healthy demand, lower supply Sept 25 U.S. natural gas futures steadied on Monday and consolidated gains from the previous session, buoyed by healthy demand and slightly lower output projections, even as the market transitions into the shoulder period for gas demand. Demand for power usually…
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…
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 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.…
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 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 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…
Increased U.S. natural gas production in 2023 is boosting LNG and ethane exports Energize Weekly, September 20, 2023 Record U.S. natural gas production in 2023 is leading to a record ethane production and liquified natural gas (LNG) exports, according to the federal Energy Information Administration (EIA). The EIA is forecasting…
Legal assault awaits Biden’s Alaska lease cancellation 09/11/2023 An Alaska corporation is already teeing up a legal battle over the Biden administration’s decision to cancel contested oil and gas leases in a massive wildlife refuge. The Interior Department announced plans last week to revoke seven leases held by the Alaska…
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 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…
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 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.…
New EPA Data Shows 27 Million Americans Receive Drinking Water Contaminated With PFAS August 30, 2023 The U.S. EPA has announced a new official estimate for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in public water systems, releasing data that could shape forthcoming regulation and compensation from manufacturers. “Toxic ‘forever chemicals’…
California regulators OK gas storage expansion despite risks SEP 5, 2023 California regulators have approved a proposal to vastly increase natural gas storage at the site of the nation’s largest known methane leak, which sickened thousands of families and forced them from their Los Angeles homes in 2015. Despite opposition…
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)…
PHMSA Announces Proposed Rulemaking Affecting Natural Gas Distribution Systems August 28, 2023 On Aug. 24, 2023, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced the forthcoming publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking intended to improve safety on gas distribution pipelines nationwide by improving…
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 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 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…
Global oil and gas exploration spending is up at $50 billion in 2023 but reserves are down Energize Weekly, August 30, 2023 Conventional oil and gas exploration is on the upswing and spending is expected to reach $50 billion in 2023 – the highest in five years – but discovered…
Prairie Reports $2.4B Possible Reserves in Colorado August 22, 2023 Prairie Operating Co. has reported a possible reserves basis of approximately 285.3 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe) at its non-producing position in Weld County, Colorado, citing an independent third-party evaluation. “The reserve report reflects the quality and scale of…
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 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 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’ 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…
Inflation Reduction Act could unleash $3 trillion in renewable energy investments Energize Weekly, August 23, 2023 The $1.2 trillion in incentives proposed under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will spur about $3 trillion investment in renewable energy technology over the next decade, according to Goldman Sachs Research. Goldman Sachs…
DOD Backs Offshore Wind Project Near California Space Force Base Aug 11, 2023 A pilot floating offshore wind project near the California coast has been approved by the U.S. Dept. of Defense (DOD), the first of several steps needed by the 60-MW project that would be located near the Vandenberg…
Chesapeake to complete Eagle Ford basin exit with SilverBow deal August 14, 2023 U.S. natural gas producer Chesapeake Energy (CHK.O) said on Monday it would sell its remaining Eagle Ford assets to SilverBow Resources (SBOW.N) for $700 million, completing its exit from the south Texas basin. The company’s asset sales…
Data Centers in Oregon Strain Electricity Grid and Challenge Clean Energy Goals AUG 12, 2023 Data centers in Oregon are expected to consume significantly more electricity than initially estimated, according to three recent forecasts. This unexpected increase in energy consumption is placing additional strain on the Northwest electrical grid and…
Experts eye ways to mitigate physical assaults on US power grid 11 Aug, 2023 Industry experts offered a range of ideas for how power system planners can help bolster physical grid security during an Aug. 10 technical conference hosted by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staff. The gathering, held jointly with…
Public meeting held to address proposal to close four coal plants in Western Kentucky Aug. 14, 2023 People from across Western Kentucky voiced their concerns over a proposal to close several coal plants. In Madisonville, the Public Service Commission hosted a public comment session Monday to address a recent proposal…
Quebec government says it is open to studying whether to restart nuclear reactor Aug 14, 2023 Quebec Energy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon said Monday he agrees with Hydro-Québec’s decision to study a possible reopening of the province’s only nuclear power plant. Fitzgibbon was reacting to last week’s news that the power…
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