Great Plains Energy and Westar Energy filed a joint application with the Kansas Corporation Commission to approve the $12.2 billion sale of Westar to Great Plains.
The companies estimated pre-tax savings and efficiencies from the merger at about $65 million in the first year. The sale also is expected to generate $60 million in transaction costs through 2020. If approved, the transaction will close in spring 2017.
The deal is also subject to FERC approval, and the Missouri Public Service Commission is still evaluating whether it should have jurisdiction.
More: The Topeka Capital-Journal
Wisconsin Co-op Using 4-Legged Vegetation Management System
The Eau Clair Energy Cooperative has hit upon an energy-saving, green method of controlling the vegetation at its solar farm in Fall Creek: sheep.
The co-op turned loose 15 three-month-old lambs to control the grass and weeds at the facility, the largest community solar facility in the state. “It’s all about sustainability,” Eau Clair spokeswoman Mary Kay Brevig said. “It’s kind of funny, they kind of stay in a group; they’re fairly timid.”
The co-op obtained the sheep from member Lambalot Acres. “They’ve got solar panels, which is a very green source of energy, and we’ve got sheep, which just eat the greens,” Dylan Klindworth of Lambalot Acres said.
More: WEAU
DTE Installs First Mini CHP At Michigan Residence
DTE Energy has installed a natural gas-burning residential combined heat and power system at a Northern Michigan home, footing the $27,000 price tag in exchange for monitoring the unit for a year.
The PowerAire by Houston-based M-TriGen is a three-cylinder engine that produces 4 to 8 tons of thermal energy for heating, 2 to 10 tons of cooling capacity and 5 to 10 kW of electricity. Robert P. Fegan Jr., principal market technical consultant for DTE, said the unit can fully power the 3,200-square-foot house if needed.
DTE is performing viability tests on the unit, the first of its kind to be installed in Michigan. M-TriGen Vice President of Sales Randy Erwin said around 50 PowerAire units are in service in several states.
More: Traverse City Record-Eagle
Korean Firm, Alliant Complete Wisconsin’s Largest Solar Plant
Alliant Energy has put Wisconsin’s largest solar installation, built on top of a coal-ash landfill, into service.
Korean solar energy firm Hanwha Q Cells built the 7,700-panel, 2.2-MW plant on Alliant’s landfill property near the Wisconsin-Illinois border. Alliant said it will purchase power from the project for the next 10 years and have an opportunity to purchase the $5 million installation after that.
The new solar plant is part of Alliant’s recent settlement with EPA over pollution from its coal-fired fleet.
More: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
PSEG’s Lopriore Retiring After 43 Years in Generation
Rich Lopriore, whose career in electricity generation has spanned more than four decades, is retiring as president of PSEG Fossil.
Lopriore came to Public Service Enterprise Group from Exelon during an aborted attempt at a merger between the two companies. He previously served as plant manager at Exelon Nuclear’s Byron Station and then senior vice president in charge of Mid Atlantic Operations for Exelon nuclear. He also worked at Duke Energy’s Brunswick Nuclear Plant.
Lopriore will retire to Massachusetts. A replacement has not been named.
More: NJBiz
Energy Transfer Calls off Acquisition of Williams
Pipeline giant Energy Transfer Equity has called off its proposed acquisition of Williams Co., following a Delaware judge’s ruling that the transaction could be terminated. The deal was valued around $38 billion, including debt, when it was reached in September.
Dallas-based Energy Transfer has sought for months to kill the cash-and-stock deal following a sharp decline in the energy markets last year. Tulsa-based Williams and Energy Transfer had accused each other of breaching the terms of the agreement, and the deal’s value declined as a fall in oil prices hurt the financial prospects of their customers.
The fight over the deal may be far from over. Williams shareholders approved the transaction during a special meeting June 27, and the company filed papers to begin the appeal process in the Delaware Supreme Court.
More: The New York Times
GridLiance, KPP to Explore Joint Projects
GridLiance and the Kansas Power Pool announced a collaboration to improve the transmission infrastructure in KPP’s service area.
GridLiance’s South Central Region within SPP will work with KPP’s 31 member cities to jointly plan, construct and operate transmission infrastructure. GridLiance will also manage NERC compliance and assist KPP in navigating SPP’s processes, providing greater participation in transmission planning, rate determination and other key functions.
More: GridLiance
SDG&E Hits Net Energy Metering Cap
San Diego Gas and Electric is the first California investor-owned utility to meet its cap under the state’s original net energy metering (NEM) rule, which restricts projects eligible for net metering to 5% of a utility’s peak load.
The company will now shift future distributed energy customers to NEM 2.0, a revised rule issued earlier this year by the California Public Utilities Commission in anticipation of the continued rapid growth in rooftop solar.
The new rule requires continued compensation for customers who export energy to the grid while also subjecting them to an interconnection fee, time-of-use rates and new fees to support low-income and energy efficiency programs.
More: Solar Industry; SDG&E
APS Elevates Company Veteran To Head Nuclear Operations
Arizona Public Service last week announced that Bob Bement has been appointed executive vice president for nuclear operations at the utility’s Palo Verde nuclear generating station.
Bement will take over as chief nuclear officer on Oct. 31, replacing Randy Edington, who will assume a role as an adviser to company CEO Don Brandt.
Bement has overseen nuclear operations at the plant since 2007, having previously held senior positions with Exelon and Arkansas Nuclear One.
More: Arizona Public Service
OG&E Puts $69.5M Rate Increase into Effect
Oklahoma Gas and Electric implemented a $69.5 million interim rate increase last week as it awaits a decision from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission in its rate case.
OG&E filed for a $92.5 million rate increase in December. An administrative law judge heard arguments in hearings that ended in May. Oklahoma law allows utilities to establish interim rates if the three-member OCC hasn’t issued a final order within 180 days.
The utility said the increase, subject to refund, would be offset by a lowering of the fuel-adjustment charges that it is required to pass along to consumers.
More: The Oklahoman