University Hosts Initiative Promoting Offshore Wind
The University of Delaware has launched a “Special Initiative” on offshore wind, which it hopes will serve as
catalyst to “add momentum to a promising industry that is at a critical juncture.” Supported by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the initiative plans to draw together information about technology, financing and collaboration opportunities, serving as a nexus for partnerships among private sectors, non-governmental organizations and government. It is housed at UD’s College of Earth, Ocean and Environment.
More: Offshorewind.biz
ILLINOIS
ComEd Speeds Up Meters Aiming to Finish by 2018
Commonwealth Edison is accelerating its deployment of advanced meters, with plans to switch all 4 million of its meters by 2018, three years ahead of schedule. Chicago’s South Side started getting meters last week and would be completely outfitted by the end of 2015, assuming the Illinois Commerce Committee approves the schedule. The entire city would be finished by the end of 2017.
More: Chicago Tribune
State Considers Tougher Rules for Coal Ash Storage
The Illinois Pollution Control Board is considering stricter rules for coal ash storage and monitoring, initially focusing on regular monitoring and reports on groundwater supplies. If contamination occurred, companies would either take corrective action or close the site. The board held its first hearing on the matter Feb. 26 at the state Environmental Protection Agency, hearing from citizens worried about the numerous coal plant sites near them and industry representatives concerned about costs.
More: The State Journal-Register
INDIANA
House Version of S.B. 340 Kills Efficiency Program
The House of Representatives approved a bill that would eliminate energy efficiency mandates for utilities and dismantle Energizing Indiana, a two-year-old energy efficiency program for homes, businesses and industrial users.
The House was acting on a measure, Senate Bill 340, already passed by the Senate, which exempts large industrials from paying the program’s fees. In the House, however, an amendment broadened the bill to shut down the program altogether. The amended measure was to be returned to the Senate, where its author said he would determine whether to accept the House changes or go back to his original bill.
More: Dayton Daily News
Fort Wayne Airport Eyes Hosting Solar Power Farm
Fort Wayne International Airport, with Telamon Corp., is exploring the possibility of a solar park on two airport-owned sites. Telamon, which has a 12.5-MW solar farm operating at Indianapolis International Airport, is determining the viability of the Fort Wayne site. If built, the facility would feed power into the system of Indiana Michigan Power, a unit of American Electric Power.
More: The News-Sentinel
MICHIGAN
ITC Expects Competition, Remains Open to M&A
ITC Holdings sees competition in the transmission business growing as regulated utilities demonstrate more enthusiasm for building transmission. The independent transmission company remains open to merger and acquisition possibilities, despite the ultimate failure of its deal to buy Entergy’s transmission system.
More: UtilityDive
NEW JERSEY
JCP&L in Tentative Pact on Storm Cost Recovery
Jersey Central Power & Light would be able to recover nearly all the costs it incurred restoring its system after Hurricane Sandy and other storms in 2011 and 2012 under a tentative agreement with regulatory staff and the Division of Rate Counsel. The $736 million settlement — a slight reduction from the $744 million in costs claimed — has to get Board of Public Utilities approval. The company, a unit of FirstEnergy, still faces a possible hit, however, in a base-rate case at the BPU, where staff and Division of Rate Counsel want rates cut by more than $200 million.
More: NJSpotlight
‘Energy Strong’ Still Tough As Hearings Begin at BPU
No signs of rapprochement appeared as hearings began last week in the Public Service Electric & Gas “Energy Strong” case at the Board of Public Utilities. The company’s proposal to spend $2.6 billion over five years to harden its gas and power systems against storms continued to draw criticism for the size of the expenditure and the mechanism for cost recovery from customers. Since its initial proposal, PSE&G has reduced its requested amount to $1.9 billion, sources have said.
More: NJSpotlight
NORTH CAROLINA
NTE 480-MW Plant Aims To Sell to Duke, co-ops
Florida-based NTE Energy would aim to sell power to Duke Energy and electric cooperatives from a 480-MW natural gas combined-cycle plant it wants to build in the southwestern part of the state. The project could be the company’s first wholesale market venture, depending on the timing of development. NTE is also working on projects in Ohio and Texas. The plant, Kings Mountain Energy Center in Cleveland County, would be able to tap into a Transco pipeline and power lines at the site.
More: Charlotte Business Journal
State Citations Begin For Duke on Ash Spill
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources cited Duke Energy for violations of environmental laws in connection with the spill of coal ash from the shuttered Dan River coal plant. The company could face fines up to $25,000 a day for each violation. More information will emerge after the state completes investigating the incident. Also last week, Gov. Pat McCrory told Duke CEO Lynn Good that coal ash disposal facilities should be moved away from drinking water sources.
More: Los Angeles Times
OHIO
Kasich Names a Former Lawmaker to Chair PUC
Gov. John Kasich chose former state Rep. Thomas Johnson to succeed Todd Snitchler as chairman of the Public Utilities Commission when Snitchler leaves April 10. Johnson, whose term will end in April 2019, was a member of the General Assembly for 22 years and now heads a consulting firm, Ohio Strategic Advocacy Partners.
After leaving the Assembly, he was director of the state Office of Budget and Management for seven years and then joined Ohio State University, where he taught public budgeting and in 2011 became assistant vice president of financial services. Johnson’s nomination requires Senate confirmation.
More: Columbus Business First
NRG Pipeline Gets PUC Nod; Will Serve Avon Lake plant
The Public Utilities Commission approved NRG Ohio Pipeline as a utility, enabling the company to build a natural gas pipeline to affiliate NRG Energy’s Avon Lake plant, which will convert from coal to gas. The 24- or 30-inch pipe would take gas from a Dominion East Ohio or a Columbia Gas of Ohio line about 20 miles south of Avon Lake.
The project requires the Ohio Power Siting Board’s approval for an as-yet undetermined pipeline route. NRG hopes to start building the line in the spring or summer of 2015 and to complete conversion of the plant in May 2016.
More: The Plain Dealer
PENNSYLVANIA
Attorney General Takes On Cold-Spell Price Spike Issue
Attorney General Kathleen Kane is investigating reports of extreme electricity bill spikes for customers on variable-rate plans. The Public Utility Commission was already examining its rules for variable-rate sellers, but last week Kane invited ratepayers to file complaints for investigation.
Kane noted that price gouging — increasing prices above any increased costs — during a state of emergency is prohibited in Pennsylvania. Governor Corbett declared a state of emergency on Feb. 5.
More: PA Attorney General
FE Utilities Mark $600M For State-System Spending
FirstEnergy utilities in Pennsylvania plan about $600 million of investment in system improvements this year, including significant tree trimming and maintenance. In Pennsylvania Electric territory, the company will spend $228 million, $66 million more than last year. The figure includes $49 million for transmission-related projects built and owned by affiliate Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line.
West Penn Power will invest $160 million, including $23 million for TrAIL work. The spending is $41 million more than last year.
Metropolitan Edison plans to spend $140 million, $55 million more than last year, including $30 million for TrAIL projects.
In the Penn Power service area, the company will spend $71 million, $34 million more than last year. $37 million is for TrAIL work and $14 million is tagged for smart meters.
More: Penelec; West Penn; Met-Ed; Penn Power
CMU Study: Put Renewables Where Benefits are Greatest
Planners should place solar and wind power generators where they can deliver the most benefits — like Pittsburgh, for example — and not necessarily where the resources are greatest, a Carnegie Mellon University study concludes. “What makes solar benefits in Pittsburgh larger than in other locations is that we would be mostly displacing electricity generated by coal, which has a large amount of air pollutant emissions — and associated health and environmental consequences,” said Inez Lima Azevedo at CMU’s Center for Climate and Energy Decision Making.
More: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
VIRGINIA
Dominion Rate Bill Goes to Governor for Signature
A bill allowing Dominion Power to write off most of what it has spent studying whether to build a third unit at the North Anna nuclear station passed the state Senate last week and went to Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s desk. The state attorney general had opposed it, as had environmentalists and Dominion’s largest customers.
As of last week the governor had not expressed his intentions for the bill. The measure allows Dominion to deduct about $400 million of spending from its profits. It would probably avoid the possibility of a state-ordered rate refund in the future.
More: The Washington Post
WEST VIRGINIA
Invenergy Plans Storage At Beech Ridge Facility
Beech Ridge Energy has asked for approval to install battery storage systems at its wind farm in Nicholas and Greenbrier counties. The Invenergy company asked the Public Service Commission to waive the need for an amendment to its existing site certification in order to add the storage. Beech Ridge now has 100 MW operating, and says that the storage, plus a second set of turbines, would not exceed 186 MW. The storage device would have a nominal output of up to 32.4 MW.
FirstEnergy Sets $250M In System Improvements
FirstEnergy utilities that serve West Virginia plan to spend more than $250 million this year to improve their systems and trim and maintain trees. Mon Power will invest about $110 million, $32 million more than last year, in projects that include raising capacity on the Collins Ferry-Osage 138-kV line and supporting the expanding Marcellus Shale gas industry operations.
Potomac Edison, which serves customers in western Maryland and West Virginia, plans to spend about $143 million on a variety of projects, $80 million more than last year, including $42 million for transmission-related work on projects built and owned by FirstEnergy affiliate Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line. The utility will also be extending service to fast-growing areas of both states.
More: Mon Power; Potomac Edison
— Compiled by Kathy Larsen
