Failed Data Center Project on Hook for $1.4 Million, Court Rules
The Data Centers LLC must pay three consultants $1.4 million in fees and interest related to the company’s failed bid last year to build a power plant and data center on University of Delaware property, according to a recent Superior Court ruling.
The university rejected the project after community opposition arose. The Data Centers recently said it was eyeing a similar project in the greater Baltimore area.
More: Data Center Knowledge
ILLINOIS
Clean Line Unveils Proposed Routes in Series of Public Meetings
Clean Line Energy, which wants to build a 750-mile overhead direct-current transmission line from Kansas to Indiana, is holding a series of public meetings on the project.
The Grain Belt Express, designed to bring wind power from west to east through Missouri and Illinois, is similar to the company’s Rock Island Line, which will run through northern Illinois. The Rock Island Line has already gained the approval of the Illinois Commerce Commission. Clean Line said it hopes to get ICC approval for the Grain Belt Line this year.
More: Chicago Tribune (subscription required)
INDIANA
IURC Approves Vectren’s Emissions Plan for SW Indiana Coal Plants
The Utility Regulatory Commission has approved a plan by Vectren Energy Delivery of Indiana to install new emissions controls on its plants in the southwestern part of the state. Vectren plans to spend $70 million to $90 million on the project and to defer recovery of the costs until 2020.
“With today’s ruling, we can avoid an immediate impact to our customers’ electric bills yet still fulfill our obligation to comply with these additional, federally imposed environmental requirements,” said Carl Chapman, Vectren’s chairman, president and CEO.
More: RenewablesBiz
MARYLAND
MoCo Wants Opening of Pepco Lands as Condition of Approving Exelon Deal
The Montgomery County Council urged the state Public Service Commission to require Pepco Holdings Inc. to provide recreational access to its transmission rights of way as a condition of approving the utility’s pending $6.8 billion acquisition by Exelon.
The council’s resolution, the latest in a series of conditions set by various groups on the merger, would force Pepco to allow hikers to access trails crossing the utility’s transmission easements. County Planning Chairman Casey Anderson said there are laws already in place to insulate utilities from liability for recreational use of their land. He said talks with Pepco officials in the past have not been productive.
“It’s frustrating that we have generally tried to be cooperative with Pepco in the past in giving them the access they need to provide utility service, but they are not seeming to be inclined to reciprocate by giving us access when we need it,” he said.
More: Gazette.net
MICHIGAN
State Faces Barriers to Fulfilling Renewable Energy Potential
A weak renewable energy portfolio standard and a lack of incentive to adopt new technology is blocking the state from reaching its full renewable energy potential, according to a recent report by the Institute for Energy Innovation.
The report noted that state lawmakers declined to adopt a standard that would require utilities to get 25% of their electricity from renewables by 2025. The current goal is 10% by the end of this year.
More: MLive
MISSOURI
Hundreds Attend PSC’s Rate Hike Hearing for Ameren Missouri
Hundreds turned out last week for a Public Service Commission meeting to debate Ameren Missouri’s 10% rate increase request, its sixth since 2007.
Ameren said it needs the increase to help it meet oncoming federal emissions standards. If approved, Ameren will have raised rates by 57% in seven years, according to the Fair Energy Rate Action Fund.
More: Dexter Daily Statesman
NEBRASKA
Loup Public Power Signs First Wind Energy Deal
Loup Public Power District has approved the purchase of electricity from a new wind farm, its first wind energy purchase.
The 19,000-customer district currently obtains its electricity from nuclear, hydro and fossil sources. Last week, it added wind generation from Bluestem Energy Solutions. Bluestem’s wind farm, when completed, will have four turbines, each capable of generating 1.7 MW.
Although wind will provide only about 2% of the district’s needs, “it gives us a chance to show that we’re doing a little something for the environment in addition to the hydroelectric power,” Loup president Neal Suess said.
More: Columbus Telegram
NEW JERSEY
Bills Aimed at Pushing Offshore Wind Power Pass Senate Panel
The state Senate Environment and Energy Committee last week approved two bills that could break a Board of Public Utilities logjam over offshore wind farms.
One bill would require the BPU to approve any qualified wind energy project and relax the current requirement for projects to submit cost-benefit analyses. The second would urge the BPU to finalize regulations needed to implement the “Offshore Wind Economic Development Act,” enacted in 2010.
The BPU has repeatedly denied approval to a pilot project to build turbines near Atlantic City, saying it would be too costly for electricity customers.
More: NJ.com
NEW MEXICO
State Official Puts Brakes on $2 Billion SunZia Tx Line
State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn put a 60-day suspension on construction of a $2 billion SunZia Southwest Transmission Project to allow her office time to review the transmission line, which would deliver electricity generated from renewable sources in New Mexico and Arizona to western markets.
“Eighty-nine miles — nearly 30% — of the proposed transmission line will cross state trust land,” Dunn said in a news release. “The suspension will allow our office time to ensure all necessary agreements are in place to protect state trust land and ensure state beneficiaries are receiving fair consideration by SunZia.”
The company said it will work with Dunn’s office to address any concerns.
More: Las Cruces Sun-News
NORTH CAROLINA
New Subpoenas Come to Light in Fed Investigation of Duke Spill
A Federal grand jury is investigating last year’s coal ash spill from Duke Energy’s Dan River plant, apparently to determine if the discharge of 39,000 tons of coal ash involved any criminal violations.
A newly unveiled federal subpoena of the state Utilities Commission sought communications between the commission and “Duke Energy or its employees, agents or consultants” regarding engineering reviews of the Dan River ash ponds. Investigators also sought all communication between the commission and state environmental regulators about periodic ash inspections.
“An official criminal investigation of a suspected felony is being conducted by an agency of the United States and a federal grand jury,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Banumathi Rangarajan wrote in a cover letter accompanying the June 24 subpoena. The subpoena was disclosed as a result of a public records request by the News & Record.
More: The Times-News
NORTH DAKOTA
PSC Approved $2.7 Billion in Projects in 2014
The Public Service Commission approved projects totaling $2.7 billion in 2014, up from about $1 billion the year before. The projects included transmission lines, power generating stations and pipelines, the commission said.
More: Daily Journal
OHIO
Ohio Edison Area Gets $690 Million in Transmission, Distribution Improvements
FirstEnergy says it invested nearly $690 million in transmission and distribution improvements last year in Ohio Edison territory, allowing it to exceed reliability standards set by the Public Utilities Commission.
More than $581 million was spent on new transmission projects, the company said, including a new 100-mile, 345kV line from the Bruce Mansfield plant to northeast Ohio.
More: Transmission & Distribution World
PENNSYLVANIA
Gov. Corbett’s Energy Advisor Leaves for Gas Industry Job
Patrick Henderson, former Gov. Tom Corbett’s energy executive, has become a lobbyist for the Marcellus Shale Coalition, an industry trade group.
Henderson confirmed that he will be the MSC’s next director of regulatory affairs. MSC President Dave Spigelmyer praised Henderson’s “deep understanding of energy-related regulatory and legislative issues.”
But Barry Kauffman of Common Cause PA said Henderson’s move to represent the industry “elevates cynicism about how government operates.” Sierra Club representative Joanne Kilgour was even more blunt: “We always suspected he was working for the interests of polluters rather than the people of Pennsylvania,” she said. “Now he just has the title to prove it.”
More: StateImpact
SOUTH DAKOTA
PSC Will Allow TransCanada to Argue to Use 2010 Permit for Keystone
The Public Service Commission ruled that it will allow TransCanada to try and convince the panel why a 2010 construction permit issued for the Keystone XL pipeline should still be valid.
The Yankton Sioux Tribe and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, backed by other tribal and landowner organizations, wanted the commission to dismiss TransCanada’s application. Their central argument was that 30 changes identified by TransCanada require a new permitting process. The PSC, by a vote of 3-0, denied the tribes’ requests.
Evidentiary hearings are set for May.
More: Aberdeen News
WISCONSIN
Lawmakers Debate Impact of EPA Emissions Plans on State
Wisconsin could spend as much as $13 billion to comply with new Environmental Protection Agency emissions mandates, according to Ellen Nowak, a member of the Public Service Commission.
Nowak, one of several speakers at a joint committee hearing in Madison last week, said the new emissions rules could hurt Wisconsin because of the state’s heavy reliance on coal-fired power plants. Others said they felt the mandates are being unfairly thrust on the state. “What we have here is an unfunded mandate from the federal government, the Obama administration,” state Sen. Rick Gudex (R-Fond du Lac) said.
But Keith Reopelle, of the environmental group Clean Wisconsin, was more upbeat. He said current renewable requirements, as well as energy efficiency programs, leave Wisconsin well positioned to meet the new rules.