ICC Demands ComEd Cut Consumption More
Commonwealth Edison must do more for energy efficiency than it has proposed, the Illinois Commerce Commission ruled, requiring the utility to save 25,000 MWh a year more than it currently plans. Even so, ComEd would not come close to the 2% consumption cut that Illinois requires by mid-2015.
The ICC agreed with environmentalists and consumer advocates that the utility was proposing too much spending on consumer education and not enough on efficiency programs. The commission also ordered ComEd to start getting results from its $2.6 billion smart-meter project by planning with smart-device companies to get appliances that interact with the meters.
More: Crain’s Chicago Business
KENTUCKY
Big Rivers Delays Wilson Closure
Big Rivers Electric Corp. found a buyer for half the output of its 417 MW D.B. Wilson plant for two months, and so did not shut it down Feb. 1 as planned. The cooperative hopes it will make another power purchase deal to keep the plant running beyond March. It had said earlier that it was shutting Wilson and would close the 443 MW Coleman plant in June because it had lost its two biggest customers, Century Aluminum smelters.
More: Lexington Herald-Leader
MARYLAND
NRC Inspecting Calvert Cliffs After Recent Shutdown
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is doing a special inspection of Constellation’s Calvert Cliffs nuclear plant after an electrical malfunction caused both units at the facility to shut down. The event appeared to be caused by snow and cold that affected a ventilation louver filter. The plant restarted after several days. The company said such NRC special inspections are common, but an NRC spokesman said they were not, explaining that complications in the shutdown prompted the inspection.
More: The Baltimore Sun
NEW JERSEY
Cut JCP&L Rates: BPU Staff
Jersey Central Power & Light not get the $31 million rate increase it wants, but instead should have its rates cut $207.4 million, the Board of Public Utilities staff says. The staff filed a brief that essentially agreed with the Division of Rate Counsel, which started the rate case after accusing JCP&L of overearning.
The company is studying the matter and will file its own brief. This rate case is separate from the one in which JCP&L seeks $580 million for storm-related costs.
More: The Star-Ledger
Wind Developers Seek Offshore Lease Sale Delay
Wind power developers want the U.S. Interior Department to delay sales of offshore leases, but a frustrated state legislator and environmentalists want no delay.
In a letter to Gov. Chris Christie and legislative leaders, the developers asked them to lobby Interior for postponement of a sale, which is expected sometime this year, because Board of Public Utilities regulations have not been written yet to award offshore renewable energy credits to developers. The letter also urged officials to force BPU action.
Environmentalists also have been frustrated by BPU inaction, but they said the federal lease sale should go ahead.
More: NJSpotlight
NORTH CAROLINA
Wind Farm Plan Abandoned
Torch Renewable Energy said it would no longer pursue development of the Mill Pond Wind Project in Carteret County, where its plans had called for about 40 turbines. There were concerns about the project’s impact on nearby Cherry Point military base activities as well as health and safety issues, and the county had placed a moratorium on permits while it reviews its wind turbine regulations.
More: The Daily News
OHIO
NTE Plans 500-MW Plant in Ohio
Florida-based NTE Energy plans a 500 MW natural gas combined cycle plant in Middletown, Ohio, between Dayton and Cincinnati. The company, which said it has entered the project into PJM’s interconnection queue, plans to start construction in 2015, with operations beginning in 2018.
More: Dayton Daily News
Four Finalists for PUC Seat
Gov. John Kasich has four Republicans to choose from to fill the Public Utilities Commission seat being vacated in April by Todd Snitchler. Finalists for nomination to the five-year term are: Tom Johnson, a former state representative; Patrick Donlon of the PUC staff; Stacey Polk, a sustainability attorney; and Tom Waniewski, a Toledo city councilman.
More: Columbus Business First
FE Auction Results Approved
Five competitive suppliers submitted winning bids for the one-year product and four submitted winners for the two-year product in FirstEnergy’s eighth auction to determine its retail generation service rates through May 2016. The one-year average clearing price was $55.83/MWh for June 2014 through May 2015. The two-year average price was $68.31/MW, through May 2016. The results will be blended with previous auctions and two upcoming auctions to establish the retail generation rates.
More: PUCO
Bird Group Opposition Makes Military Cancel Wind Turbine
Opposition by bird-conservation groups has led to cancellation of a wind turbine installation at Camp Perry on Lake Erie. The groups had threated to sue the Air National Guard and had 5,000 signatures on a petition opposing the turbine, which was slated to go up in a few months. The Black Swamp Bird Observatory’s executive director said the groups would use legal research from this case to challenge other projects that endanger birds and would lobby for state laws to better regulate turbine site selection.
More: Toledo Blade
PENNSYLVANIA
Coal Group Wants Hearings
The state’s coal industry called for legislative hearings on the effect of coal plant closures on power supplies, noting PJM’s emergency actions during the January cold snaps. The Pennsylvania Coal Alliance’s statement followed similar calls from two state lawmakers, Sen. Tim Solobay and Rep. Pam Snyder.
More: Pa. Coal Alliance
State Funds CHP, CNG Projects
The Commonwealth Financing Authority approved $4.5 million for seven projects that Gov. Tom Corbett touted as more evidence of the state’s commitment to expanding diverse energy industries. Six of the seven involve compressed natural gas installations. One grant, for $500,000, is for a $3.2 million, 265 kW combined heat and power installation at Cathedral Village retirement community in Philadelphia.
More: Office of the Governor
VIRGINIA
Dominion Rate Hike Bills Pass Committee
The Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor approved two bills backed by Dominion Virginia Power that could increase customer rates. One measure would let the company write off $420 million of the $600 million it has spent on nuclear and wind power development costs over the past six years, much of it development work toward a possible third unit at the North Anna plant. The write-off would reduce Dominion’s profits and allow it to avoid possible State Corporation Commission-ordered refunds in the next couple of years.
Another bill would let Dominion ask the SCC for a rate rider to pay for burying power lines. The utility said power restoration times could be cut in half if only 20% of its lines were buried. It would bury about 350 miles a year, at about $175 million, until 4,000 miles are underground. The state House has already approved the bill.
More: Daily Press
