Coal Plants’ Fate Hinges on Waiver
Ameren Corp. and Dynegy Inc. will face off with environmental groups next week in a hearing that could decide the future of some of Illinois’ largest coal-fired power plants. The companies are seeking a waiver from the Illinois Pollution Control Board that would provide five additional years to meet stricter air pollution limits for Ameren’s coal plant fleet in central and Southern Illinois.
More: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Smart Grid Creating Jobs in Illinois
Commonwealth Edison’s smart grid program created more than 1,000 direct full-time equivalent jobs at the utility and its contractors, in the second quarter, the utility reported to the Illinois Commerce Commission. “Grid modernization is proving to be an even stronger economic engine than we anticipated,” the company’s CEO said.
More: Fierce Energy
INDIANA
IURC Reverses Course, Won’t Take Industry Cash
Indiana’s top utility regulator said his agency won’t solicit or accept money from utility trade groups to help fund a conference of energy regulators from 14 states next year. The announcement came after The Indianapolis Star reported details of the effort by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to raise tens of thousands of dollars from the nation’s largest utility trade groups.
At issue is who should pay for the Mid-America Regulatory Conference in Indianapolis next June. At last year’s conference in Little Rock, Ark., industry groups contributed about $50,000 toward the total cost of $73,000.
More: The Indianapolis Star
Sierra Club: Reverse Edwardsport Rate Order
The Sierra Club and several citizens asked the Indiana Court of Appeals to overturn Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) orders that raised electricity rates to pay for construction of Duke Energy’s Edwardsport coal gasification power plant.
More: Fierce Energy
MARYLAND
Delmarva Power Wins 3.6% Rate Hike
The Public Service Commission awarded Delmarva Power a 3.6% increase in delivery rates. A residential customer using 1,000 kWh will see their monthly bill increase from $140 to $145.
More: The Baltimore Sun
PSC Vows to Monitor BGE on Howard Outages
The Public Service Commission ordered Baltimore Gas & Electric to improve service or risk penalties. BGE’s work plan includes more vegetation trimming, burying some lines and installing more automatic switching to keep power flowing when outages occur.
The commission can fine the company up to $25,000 a day for failing to comply.
More: The Baltimore Sun
OHIO
Coal Cos. Complained to Kasich before Regulator’s Ouster
Coal-industry officials repeatedly complained about new water-pollution limits to Gov. John Kasich before the governor allegedly forced out a top regulator, documents obtained by The Columbus Dispatch show.
More: The Columbus Dispatch
Duke Pledges to Exceed State Efficiency Targets
Duke Energy agreed with environmental and consumer groups on a five-year efficiency plan that will exceed the energy savings required by state law. The company filed a plan with the Public Utility Commission pledging to reduce customers’ electricity use 5.7% by the end of 2018, above the state standard of 4.9%.
More: Midwest Energy News
FirstEnergy Seeks Renewable Credits
FirstEnergy Corp. is looking to purchase 265,000 Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) and 6,600 Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs). FirstEnergy need the credits to meet state renewable energy targets for its Ohio Edison, Cleveland Electric Illuminating and Toledo Edison utilities.
More: FirstEnergy
PENNSYLVANIA
Criminal Charges Anger Drilling Industry
Attorney General Kathleen Kane’s decision to prosecute Exxon Mobil’s XTO Energy Inc. for a 2010 wastewater spill angered industry officials, who said the case creates a hostile business environment. Environmentalists called the prosecution a welcome change from the lenient treatment they say the industry has received from state regulators.
Kane filed charges against XTO Energy for discharging more than 50,000 gallons of toxic wastewater from storage tanks at a gas-well site in Lycoming County. XTO settled federal civil charges over the incident in July by agreeing to pay a $100,000 fine and deploy a plan to improve wastewater-management practices.
More: The Philadelphia Inquirer
VIRGINIA
Dominion OKd to Switch Coal Plant to Gas
The State Corporation Commission approved the conversion of Dominion Virginia Power’s Bremo coal plant to a 227 MW natural gas generator. Opened in 1931, it is Dominion’s oldest coal-fired power plant. The conversion is expected to cost more than $50 million.
More: Electric Light & Power
