Calpine is building a 345-MW, gas-fired combined-cycle unit at the site of its 375-MW Mankato plant in Minnesota to meet the rising demand of Xcel Energy’s Northern States Power-Minnesota utility.
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved a 20-year power purchase agreement between Calpine and Northern States Power. The new unit is expected to start operations by mid-2018.
More: Energy Central
Navigant Predicts Smart Grid Market to Reach $29 Billion by 2023
A Navigant Research report said the market for smart grid technology will expand to $29 billion a year by 2020.
“The smart grid continues to mature, and communications technologies are also evolving in response,” said Navigant Senior Research Analyst Richelle Elberg. “Whereas five years ago vendors and utilities were consumed with simply enabling grid communications, today they are focused on technology that is anticipated to enable a truly integrated system that links existing legacy technology with new technology from a variety of vendors.”
The report also predicted that as smart grid technology is implemented, security needs will rise as well.
More: Transmission & Distribution World
Oops: PECO Customer Overpays Bill by $33K, Awaits Refund
A PECO Energy customer is waiting — somewhat impatiently — for a refund after his wife accidentally overpaid the couple’s electric bill by more than $33,000.
Steve Onufrey, 71, of suburban Philadelphia, said his wife misplaced a decimal point when paying their $339.38 bill online, and paid the utility company $33,938 instead. Luckily, he had that much in the account because of a real estate transaction. He said it took him about a week to convince the company to issue a refund.
PECO Spokesman Ben Armstrong said the company is sending a paper check in the mail, as part of standard refund practice to prevent fraud.
More: NBC 10
NextEra Building 120-MW Wind Farm on Maui
NextEra Energy, which is completing its $4.3 billion purchase of Hawaiian Electric, is planning to build a 120-MW wind farm on state land on Maui.
The planned facility will be on about 500 acres on the southern slopes of Haleakala, and be built, owned and operated by NextEra Energy Resources.
The NextEra project is the latest wind-generation facility to sprout in Hawaii. Boston-based First Wind operates four wind farms on Maui and Oahu with a capacity of about 120 MW, and Sempra U.S. Gas & Power owns a 21-MW wind facility on Maui. Champlin Hawaii Holdings is in the planning stages of a 24-MW wind farm on Oahu.
More: Pacific Business News
Dynegy Lobbying Against AEP’s Guaranteed Income Plan
Dynegy CEO Bob Flexon spent an hour with Ohio Gov. John Kasich recently to argue against a competitor’s plan to seek guaranteed income for some of its coal-fired plants.
Flexon told Columbus Business First that a proposal by rival AEP to seek long-term power purchase agreements for plants it says cannot compete would stifle incentives to build more efficient merchant generation plants in the region, at the expense of system reliability.
“When you want to create subsidies for a plant, you go into the huddle and pull out a playbook and have three plays: the reliability play, the jobs play and the local community play,” Flexon said. Merchant generator Dynegy is near closing on a $2.8 billion deal to buy 11 Duke Energy plants in the region, including nine in Ohio.
More: Columbus Business First
Dayton Power and Light Names Tom Raga as New CEO
Tom Raga, who has headed up Dayton Power and Light’s communications and government relations departments since 2010, was named the company’s new president and CEO. He replaces Derek Porter, who held the position since 2013.
“Tom brings the business experience and proven leadership skills with a clear strategic vision to the role of president and CEO,” said Ken Zagzebski, president of AES’ U.S. strategic business unit, in a statement. AES is the parent company of DPL.
More: Dayton Daily News
PSEG Names Braun New Chief Nuclear Officer
Robert C. Braun, PSEG Nuclear’s chief operating officer, has been named chief nuclear officer, replacing Thomas P. Joyce, who is retiring in March after 40 years in the industry.
Braun has been chief operating officer for 10 years and has 30 years of experience in nuclear operations. PSEG Nuclear operates the nuclear complex on Artificial Island in New Jersey.
More: NJ.com
NRG Can Be Sued over Coal Ash, Ill. Pollution Board Rules
The Illinois Pollution Control Board has ruled that environmental organizations can pursue a lawsuit against NRG Energy that alleges the Princeton, N.J., company has done nothing to keep harmful chemicals from coal ash dumps at four power plants it bought last year from Midwest Generation.
“The decision by the Illinois Pollution Control Board to allow an expanded lawsuit and investigation into NRG’s coal ash disposal methods brings us one step closer to making sure local communities and bodies of water around these plants are adequately protected,” said Holly Bender of the Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign.
Environmentalists allege that ash dumps at the Waukegan, Joliet, Romeoville and Pekin plants are leaking into the ground and into water supplies.
More: Progress Illinois
Darn that Reply-All Button: Ameren Shares Negotiating Position Before Hearings
Ameren Missouri has filed for a $264 million rate increase with the Missouri Public Service Commission, but it inadvertently disclosed that it would be willing accept about $100 million less.
Ameren told its investors in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that it had accidentally shared its proposed settlement position with all of the parties in a series of electronic document transfers meant to go only to the PSC staff. Ameren said it had “inadvertently” disclosed the proposed settlement to all the parties but made no further comment.
More: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
PPL Transferring Nuke Engineering Staff to Susquehanna Station Amidst Acquisition Rumors
PPL is transferring 88 engineer and technical support staff members associated with its nuclear operations from its Allentown, Pa., headquarters to its Susquehanna nuclear generating station in Berwick, Pa.
The announcement came amid market speculation that PPL might be looking to sell more generation assets. It is currently spinning off most of its power generation assets, along with those owned by Riverstone Holdings, into a new company called Talen Energy.
A company spokesman said engineering and support for the plants under the Talen name will remain in Allentown. The Morning Call reported that rumors are circulating that Talen may already be looking to buy more generation assets, but the company declined to comment on the rumors. The Talen spinoff has yet to achieve approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
More: The Morning Call
Exelon Expects Illinois Legislation Benefiting Nukes to be Introduced
Exelon, which has been lobbying hard for legislation to favor its six nuclear reactors in Illinois, said it expects a bill to be introduced in the Illinois General Assembly as soon as March. William Von Hoene Jr., the company’s chief strategy officer, said during an earnings conference call that it expects bi-partisan support for the measure.
Details of the bill haven’t been released, but Exelon has long complained that its nuclear fleet doesn’t get credit for being a carbon-free generation source, making it hard to compete against subsidized renewable energy. It has warned that without some sort of relief, it may have to shut down some or all of its nuclear sites in the state.
More: Midwest Energy News
Compiled by Ted Caddell