Public to Weigh in on Delmarva Rate Hike
The Public Service Commission scheduled public comment sessions for Oct. 3 and 16 in its investigation into Delmarva Power’s request to spend $397 million over five years for infrastructure and reliability projects. The PSC staff expressed concern over the request, noting that the company, which received a rate increase late last year, already exceeds its reliability requirement by 51%. (Docket No. 13-152)
More: Cape Gazette; Public Service Commission
ILLINOIS
Clean Line Gets Earful on Rock Island Line
Developers of the proposed Rock Island Clean Line heard little encouragement from hundreds of Illinoisans at a public meeting. The proposed 500-mile, 3,500-MW DC line would carry wind power to Illinois from Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota.
The president of the Illinois Farm Bureau said the line’s proposed path doesn’t follow farm property or section lines, which would make it difficult apply pesticides and use irrigation.
More: The Mendota Reporter
Jefferson to Look Again at Aggregation
Voters in the unincorporated areas of Jefferson County may get a second vote on electric aggregation if the County Board votes this month to approve the item for next March’s primary ballot. An April vote on the question failed by only 104 votes, and about 700 voters did not cast votes on the item. A consultant plans better public education on the issue.
If approved, 70 communities will band together to negotiate lower rates.
More: The Register-News
NEW JERSEY
CPV Woodbridge Closes Financing
Competitive Power Ventures has closed financing for its $842 million Woodbridge Energy Center. GE Energy Financial Services is providing financing, advanced generation technology and services for the 700-MW combined cycle plant, which is owned by CPV, ArcLight Capital Partners and Toyota Tsusho.
CPV Woodbridge will sell its capacity through 15-year standard offer agreements with New Jersey utilities.
More: Competitive Power Ventures
OHIO
Industry Likes Efficiency Rule, Wants Spending Cap
The Ohio Manufacturers Association favors the state’s energy efficiency standards but wants a cap on how much utilities can charge for efficiency riders. The group said is still studying provisions of a bill that has been introduced to make changes in the program.
Meanwhile, wind energy supporters argued against a provision in the bill that would eliminate requirements that utilities buy a certain amount of in-state renewable energy.
More: Columbus Business First; The Columbus Dispatch
PENNSYLVANIA
Lt. Gov. Criticizes Prosecution of XTO Energy
Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley thinks state Attorney General Kathleen Kane went too far in lodging criminal charges against XTO Energy for a Marcellus Shale wastewater spill. “No one should be punished more than once for the same mistake,” Cawley said at a natural gas industry conference in Philadelphia. XTO previously agreed to pay a fine for the 2010 incident and spend $20 million to upgrade its wastewater management practices.
More: The Philadelphia Inquirer
PUC Proposes Storm Response Policy
The Public Utility Commission asked for comments on its plans to improve utilities’ response to storm outages. The PUC is proposing creation of a working group of electric distribution companies (EDCs), telephone, and water, wastewater, and natural gas distribution utilities to coordinate restoration of services where more than one party is affected in a geographic area. The agency also issued a policy statement on outage response.
More: Pennsylvania PUC
PUC to Eye Duquesne Rate Hike Request
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission will investigate Duquesne Light’s proposal to raise its electric distribution rates 17.6%. The increase would fund grid upgrades, smart grid measures and vegetation management, the company said. The Office of Consumer Advocate is challenging it.
More: TribLIVE
Commission Begins Video of Meetings
The PUC began streaming video of its regularly scheduled public meetings. It said it also will stream video of en banc hearings and other special meetings.
More: Pennsylvania PUC
Great American Power Fined over Marketing Practices
The Public Utility Commission fined Great American Power $10,000 for misrepresenting its relationship with electric distribution companies and engaging in abusive telemarketing. The Commission also said the company’s ability to operate as an electric generation supplier could be revoked if it fails to meet PUC requirements for documenting customer enrollments and addressing future complaints.
More: Pennsylvania PUC
VIRGINIA
Panda Buys Stake in Stonewall
Panda Power Funds acquired a majority stake in the 750-MW Stonewall combined-cycle project planned for Loudoun County. Partners include Bechtel Development and Green Energy Partners/Stonewall, the original developer.
The state approved an air permit in April, and construction is to begin once financing and all permits are in hand. Panda expects the plant to be in service in 2017.
More: Leesburg Today
Warren County Station 50% complete
Dominion Virginia Power is on track to finish its 1,329-MW combined-cycle Warren County Power Station by the fourth quarter of next year, having hit the 50% completion mark last month after 17 months of construction that included building a 2.5-mile gas line. Warren County Energy Partners, a partnership of Burns & McDonnell and Zachry Construction, is building the station.
More: Dominion
WEST VIRGINIA
ApCo Receives OK on $337M Upgrade
Appalachian Power is moving forward with its plans to spend $337 million on a project to upgrade electrical transmission lines and related facilities. The company has filed four petitions with the Public Service Commission regarding the project, and one of them received PSC approval last week.
The company said the work is needed to replace some facilities that were built in the 1920s to 1940s and a “backbone” power line from Poca to Cabin Creek that was last reinforced four decades ago.
More: The Charleston Gazette; Electric Light & Power
Lawsuits Target Pinnacle Wind Farm
Thirty-eight Keyser residents filed suit against the Pinnacle Wind Farm, alleging that sound from the farm’s 23 turbines on Green Mountain has caused mental and physical problems and reduced property values. The company, owned by subsidiaries of Edison International, denies the allegations.
More: Cumberland Times-News
