ERCOT successfully navigates heat wave, new peak demand record Aug 26, 2024 Despite record temperatures last week and a new peak demand record, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas said it was able to maintain service without conservation requests, which it required last summer. Large additions of renewables and battery…
North Omaha coal plant transitioning to natural gas by 2026
North Omaha coal plant transitioning to natural gas by 2026 Aug 20, 2024 The north Omaha coal plant is moving away from using coal. The president and CEO of the Omaha Public Power District said during a committee meeting Monday that the plant will be transitioning to natural gas in…
AES plans $1.1B investment to convert Petersburg units from coal to gas
AES plans $1.1B investment to convert Petersburg units from coal to gas August 13, 2024 AES Indiana, Pike County government officials and community leaders Thursday celebrated the announcement of approximately $1.1 billion in investments over the next two years to convert Petersburg Generating Station Units 3 and 4 from coal…
DC Circuit rejects bids to put hold on EPA power plant carbon rule
DC Circuit rejects bids to put hold on EPA power plant carbon rule Jul 22, 2024 The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Friday rejected requests to put a hold on an Environmental Protection Agency rule limiting greenhouse gas emissions from power plants while litigation…
Before key hearings in North Carolina, Duke Energy makes tiny concessions to big gas ambitions
Before key hearings in North Carolina, Duke Energy makes tiny concessions to big gas ambitions July 18, 2024 Before pivotal hearings that begin Monday, Duke Energy has made a few small concessions to its plans for a giant fossil fuel buildout in North Carolina, winning over the once-skeptical state-sanctioned ratepayer…
Manchin, Barrasso announce permitting reform deal, breaking lengthy impasse
Manchin, Barrasso announce permitting reform deal, breaking lengthy impasse 07/22/24 Sens. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) have reached an agreement on a bill to speed up the nation’s energy and infrastructure projects after about two years of trying to reach a deal. The bill takes on a suite…
With electricity demand predicted to double, Dominion Energy looks to add “peaker plants”
With electricity demand predicted to double, Dominion Energy looks to add “peaker plants” July 16, 2024 In 2020, Virginia became the first southern state to lay out a legal mandate for a carbon-free electrical grid. That’s why it was a surprise to many when Dominion Energy announced plans to build…
Oglethorpe Power acquires 465 MW natural gas-fired plant
Oglethorpe Power acquires 465 MW natural gas-fired plant 7.8.2024 Oglethorpe Power announced the acquisition of Walton County Power, a 465 MW, three-unit combustion turbine generation facility in Monroe, Georgia. The facility was purchased from Mackinaw Power Holdings, an affiliate of the global investment firm, The Carlyle Group. Walton County Power…
Arizona voters will vote on going green fast or keeping fossil-fuel choices in the mix
Arizona voters will vote on going green fast or keeping fossil-fuel choices in the mix July 8, 2024 Three seats on the Arizona Corporation Commission are up for grabs in the coming primary and general elections, and the results of these votes will help set the state’s water and power…
Texas to double $5 billion state fund aimed at expanding the power grid
Texas to double $5 billion state fund aimed at expanding the power grid JULY 1, 2024 The state of Texas plans to double a state fund aimed at expanding the power grid as demand for electricity is expected to nearly double over the next six years. The state will look…
Despite bad weather and forced power plant outages the nation’s grid was reliable in 2023
Despite bad weather and forced power plant outages the nation’s grid was reliable in 2023 Energize Weekly, July 3, 2024 Even in the face of extreme weather events and higher rates of forced outages at generating facilities, the U.S.-Canadian electric grid remained “reliable and secure” in 2023, according to the…
Record temperatures will increase electricity demand, but not natural gas or coal prices
Record temperatures will increase electricity demand, but not natural gas or coal prices Energize Weekly, June 26, 2024 Record temperatures are set to increase electricity demand this summer, but analyses find that a combination of ample gas storage and more renewable generation will help prevent a spike in natural gas…
Ontario’s new energy minister says natural gas plants must stay ‘to help fuel our economy’
Ontario’s new energy minister says natural gas plants must stay ‘to help fuel our economy’ June 13, 2024 Ontario’s new energy minister says the fast-growing province can’t afford an “ideological” push to wean its electricity system off fossil fuels even as concerns about climate change mount. “I cannot underscore this…
Big energy projects moving fast, face $150 billion a year in cost overruns, Bain & Co. says
Big energy projects moving fast, face $150 billion a year in cost overruns, Bain & Co. says Energize Weekly, June 19, 2024 The scale and speed of the energy transition risks project delays and setbacks leading to cost overruns of 15 percent to 20 percent, equal to $150 billion a…
NRG Applies to the Texas Energy Fund to Bring Essential Dispatchable Power to ERCOT
NRG Applies to the Texas Energy Fund to Bring Essential Dispatchable Power to ERCOT Jun 10, 2024 Today, NRG Energy Inc. (NYSE: NRG) submitted the first of three loan applications to the Texas Energy Fund (TEF) to develop the previously announced 1,600 megawatts (MW) (1.6 Gigawatts) of new quick-start natural…
AI is poised to drive a doubling in data center electricity demand by 2030, studies say
AI is poised to drive a doubling in data center electricity demand by 2030, studies say Energize Weekly, June 5, 2024 Data centers, spurred by increased artificial intelligence applications, could double their demand for electricity in the U.S. reaching 9.1 percent of the nation’s electricity load by 2030, according to…
Coal-Fired Mill Creek Generating Station Readies for New 7HA.03 Gas-Fired Unit
Coal-Fired Mill Creek Generating Station Readies for New 7HA.03 Gas-Fired Unit Apr 30, 2024 Louisville Gas and Electric Co. and Kentucky Utilities Co. (LG&E and KU) will replace two aging coal generation units at Mill Creek Generating Station in Kentucky—a combined 600 MW—with a 645-MW GE Vernova hydrogen-ready 7HA.03 gas…
AI could drive a natural gas boom as power companies face surging electricity demand
AI could drive a natural gas boom as power companies face surging electricity demand MAY 5 2024 Natural gas producers are planning for a significant spike in demand over the next decade, as artificial intelligence drives a surge in electricity consumption that renewables may struggle to meet alone. After a…
Replacing old coal-fired plants with small nuclear reactors could be an economic boon
Replacing old coal-fired plants with small nuclear reactors could be an economic boon Energize Weekly, May 8, 2024 The steady pace of coal-fired plant closures in the U.S. is leaving gaps in the economies of dozens of communities and creating risks to electricity reliability. One solution addressing multiple problems could…
Internet data centers are fueling drive to old power source: Coal
Internet data centers are fueling drive to old power source: Coal April 17, 2024 A helicopter hovers over the Gee family farm, the noisy rattle echoing inside their home in this rural part of West Virginia. It’s holding surveyors who are eyeing space for yet another power line next to…
PacifiCorp scales back renewables
PacifiCorp scales back renewables April 16, 2024 PacifiCorp, parent company to Wyoming’s largest utility, Rocky Mountain Power, has issued major updates to its Integrated Resource Plan, a blueprint that highlights key changes to the company’s business strategy and its ever-evolving energy portfolio. The update shines a light on the world…
North Dakota’s Dept. of Commerce looking at nuclear power to meet the increasing demand for electricity
North Dakota’s Dept. of Commerce looking at nuclear power to meet the increasing demand for electricity April 15, 2024 North Dakota’s Commerce Department has begun studying whether nuclear power could be used to help meet the increasing demand for electricity. That demand is being driven – in part – by…
DOE Opens $25M Funding Opportunity To Support Tribal Clean Energy Projects
DOE Opens $25M Funding Opportunity To Support Tribal Clean Energy Projects APRIL 15, 2024 The U.S. Department of Energy has opened a funding opportunity making up to $25 million available to support clean energy technology deployment on Tribal lands. Certain projects fueled by biomass, biogas, renewable natural gas (RNG) or…
With time short, S.C. senators take up comprehensive energy bill
With time short, S.C. senators take up comprehensive energy bill Apr. 5, 2024 Utilities, conservation groups, and other stakeholders are all in agreement: South Carolina needs to expand its energy capacity to keep up with its growth. It’s a top priority for leaders in Columbia as well, but they face…
Tri-State G&T faced with co-ops leaving and a stalled rate increase sees bond ratings drop
Tri-State G&T faced with co-ops leaving and a stalled rate increase sees bond ratings drop Energize Weekly, April 10, 2024 Facing the departure of four member cooperatives and the failure to get federal regulators to approve a rate increase, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association bonds were downgraded by two rating…
Evergy Plan Maintains Lowest-Cost Approach to Meeting Growing Customer Electricity Demand, Maintaining Reliability, and Advancing Sustainability
Evergy Plan Maintains Lowest-Cost Approach to Meeting Growing Customer Electricity Demand, Maintaining Reliability, and Advancing Sustainability April 1, 2024 Evergy, Inc. (NASDAQ: EVRG) today filed its triennial Integrated Resource Plan with the Missouri Public Service Commission. This outlines the plan to meet customer electricity needs over the next 20 years.…
AES Indiana files to convert Petersburg coal units to natural gas
AES Indiana files to convert Petersburg coal units to natural gas March 15, 2024 In filing a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) this week, AES Indiana sought the right to repower Petersburg Units 3 and 4 from coal to natural gas. This would make the utility the latest…
After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans
After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans March 18, 2024 State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce…
EPA LEAVES OUT EXISTING NATURAL GAS-FIRED POWER PLANTS FROM CARBON RULE
EPA Leaves Out Existing Natural Gas-Fired Power Plants from Carbon Rule MARCH 8, 2024 The Biden administration’s recent announcement that it would hold off on regulating carbon emissions from existing natural gas-fired power plants means the agency will wait until after the election to regulate one of Pennsylvania’s largest sources…
New Jersey waters down proposed referendum on new fossil fuel power plant ban
New Jersey waters down proposed referendum on new fossil fuel power plant ban March 4, 2024 New Jersey lawmakers wanted to ask voters whether to ban new fossil fuel-fired power plants. And then they added a loophole big enough to drive a fleet of oil trucks through. A state Senate…
Xcel says big reason it needs to spend millions on new projects is regional grid’s reliability risks
Xcel says big reason it needs to spend millions on new projects is regional grid’s reliability risks MARCH 4, 2024 The growing risk of unreliability and potential expense of buying energy on the open market is a big reason why Xcel Energy wants to make significant investments in its infrastructure.…
Retired coal plant’s revival as natural gas station sparks debate across South Carolina
Retired coal plant’s revival as natural gas station sparks debate across South Carolina February 26th 2024 A retired coal-fired power plant in Colleton County may be revamped in the next decade. The plant would be a joint station between Dominion Energy and Santee Cooper. It will function as a natural…
Natural gas-fired generation, the backbone of U.S. electricity generation, varies by region
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…
Pioneering GE F-Class Hydrogen-Capable Gas Power Plant Begins Operations in Australia
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…
New 1.2-GW Natural Gas-Fired Plant Announced for Texas
New 1.2-GW Natural Gas-Fired Plant Announced for Texas Feb 13, 2024 A Texas-based energy company has announced plans to build a 1.2-GW natural gas-fired power plant in Lee County, Texas, with construction expected to begin in 2025. Sandow Lakes Energy Co. on Feb. 12 said it would build the plant…
Global investment in clean tech and energy transition reached a record $1.8 trillion in 2023
Global investment in clean tech and energy transition reached a record $1.8 trillion in 2023 Energize Weekly, February 7, 2024 Global investments in the energy transition from fossil fuels to clean tech climbed 17 percent in 2023 to a record $1.8 trillion, according to a study by the energy research…
Lawmakers propose to keep Utah running on coal and natural gas
Lawmakers propose to keep Utah running on coal and natural gas Jan 29, 2024 Republicans on Capitol Hill are working to keep coal and natural gas in Utah’s future. There’s a bumper sticker making its way around the Capitol this year. It reads simply, “powered by coal.” Rep. Colin Jack,…
Tennessee natural gas pipeline decision ignites fiery debate
Tennessee natural gas pipeline decision ignites fiery debate January 22, 2024 The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved plans to build a natural gas pipeline to supply a power plant the Tennessee Valley Authority plans to build near Clarksville, Tennessee, at the site of TVA’s biggest coal plant. Despite opposition…
PJM Urges Delayed Retirement of 840-MW Fossil Fuel Power Plant, Citing Reliability Impacts
PJM Urges Delayed Retirement of 840-MW Fossil Fuel Power Plant, Citing Reliability Impacts January 10, 2024 PJM has urged Talen Energy to delay its deactivation of two of four units at the 840-MW coal, oil, and gas–fired Herbert A. Wagner Generating Station in Maryland until transmission upgrades are put into…
Solar generation continues expand rapidly on the U.S. grid while coal continues its decline
Solar generation continues expand rapidly on the U.S. grid while coal continues its decline Energize Weekly, January 17, 2024 Solar and coal-fired electricity generation are continuing to head in opposite directions over the next two years with solar being the leading source of new generation and coal activity falling to…
AES Closes California Natural Gas-Fired Plant
AES Closes California Natural Gas-Fired Plant January 4, 2024 AES Corp. has ended operations at one of the group’s four remaining natural gas-fired power plants in California. AES on Dec. 31 shut down its 1,300-MW Redondo Beach Generating Station, a facility that operated at less than full capacity in recent…
Coordination of Texas electric and natural gas sectors key in dealing with blackouts
Coordination of Texas electric and natural gas sectors key in dealing with blackouts Energize Weekly, January 10, 2024 Better coordination between the Texas electric and natural gas industries is key to getting individual generating facilities up and running – a so-called blackstart – after a cold-weather blackout, according to a…
Dominion regulator recommends rejection of utility’s long-term plan
Dominion regulator recommends rejection of utility’s long-term plan DECEMBER 12, 2023 A utility regulator with the State Corporation Commission is recommending the body reject Dominion Energy’s most recent long-term plan because of its inclusion of new natural gas plants. In her Friday recommendation, which will now go to the three-member…
NYISO says “peaker plants” should remain open longer than expected to meet demand
NYISO says “peaker plants” should remain open longer than expected to meet demand November 28, 2023 In its Short-Term Reliability Process Report, the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) said plants scheduled for retirement in May of 2025 may have to stay in service longer temporarily to keep the grid…
NARUC establishes new gas-electric working group to tackle grid-related reliability
NARUC establishes new gas-electric working group to tackle grid-related reliability November 28, 2023 At its annual meeting and education conference last week, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) launched a new 15-month gas electric working group to improve reliability for both the gas and electric industries. “The safety…
Giant batteries drain economics of gas power plants
Giant batteries drain economics of gas power plants November 21, 2023 Giant batteries that ensure stable power supply by offsetting intermittent renewable supplies are becoming cheap enough to make developers abandon scores of projects for gas-fired generation world-wide. The long-term economics of gas-fired plants, used in Europe and some parts…
Georgia Power says economic growth reason for updated plan to generate more electricity
Georgia Power says economic growth reason for updated plan to generate more electricity Nov. 13, 2023 Georgia Power recently filed an updated Integrated Resource Plan with the Georgia Public Service Commission, citing the need to support recent economic growth. But an environmental group opposed a portion of the proposed update…
Fossil-fuel producing countries set to blow past climate targets for oil, natural gas, and coal
Fossil-fuel producing countries set to blow past climate targets for oil, natural gas, and coal Energize Weekly, November 15, 2023 Fossil-fuel producing countries are set to turn out double the amount of coal, oil, and natural gas between now and 2050 needed to keep the increase in global warming to…
Three Rivers Energy dedicates new $1.3 billion power plant near Morris
Three Rivers Energy dedicates new $1.3 billion power plant near Morris October 26, 2023 The new $1.3 billion Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) Three Rivers Energy plant started over eight years ago is finally up and running, and Three Rivers Energy celebrated with a dedication and groundbreaking on Wednesday. CPV Three…
Global oil, coal, and gas demand to peak by 2030: IEA
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…
