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Industry Information
  
The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) and Southwest Power Pool (SPP) announced a year-long transmission study to address generation interconnection challenges, looking to "identify comprehensive, cost effective and efficient upgrades" along the areas where the regional grids connect.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/spp-miso-launch-joint-transmission-study-to-address-renewables-interconnec/585216/ to view the full article online.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Neil Chatterjee and Commissioner Richard Glick reached a rare agreement, passing an order 2-1 that would lower the barriers to distributed energy resources' (DER) participation in wholesale markets.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-lowers-barriers-to-ders-in-wholesale-markets-in-rare-chatterjee-glick/585467/ to view the full article online.

  
The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) has announced the final step in a years-long process to open its wholesale energy markets to energy storage resources (ESRs), including pumped storage hydropower.

Visit https://www.hydroreview.com/2020/09/10/nyiso-implements-rules-for-energy-storage-resources-including-pumped-storage-hydro/ to view the full article online.

  
Hawaiian Electric has submitted eight contracts for new grid-scale renewable energy and storage projects on O‘ahu and Maui to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for review and approval.

Visit https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/2020/09/18/hawaiian-electric-proposes-300-mw-of-renewables-plus-2000-mwh-of-storage-to-replace-coal-on-the-islands/ to view the full article online.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the selection of 12 projects to receive approximately $34 million in federal funding under the funding opportunity announcement (FOA), Small-Scale Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Systems and Hybrid Electrolyzer Technology Development.

Visit https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-invests-34-million-develop-small-scale-solid-oxide-fuel-cell-sofc-systems to view the full article online.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette joined Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Lisa Murkowski in announcing the reestablishment of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Arctic Energy Office (AEO), which will be located on the campus of the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

Visit https://electricenergyonline.com/article/energy/category/general/90/855505/u-s-department-of-energy-announces-establishment-of-office-of-arctic-energy.html to view the full article online.

  
This week, Houston-based independent power producer Broad Reach Power announced that it has begun construction on two 100-MW/100-MWh greenfield battery storage projects.

Visit https://www.power-grid.com/2020/09/16/two-new-100-mw-storage-projects-in-texas-are-underway/ to view the full article online.

  
Atlantic City Electric, in a filing submitted recently to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU), outlined its plans to build a Smart Energy Network across the company's entire service area, including installing smart meters and upgrading the local energy grid with specialized networking equipment.

Visit https://www.tdworld.com/grid-innovations/smart-grid/article/21141571/atlantic-city-electric-outlines-plans-to-build-smart-energy-network to view the full article online.

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Member Announcements
  
Construction began on the Pflugerville Solar Project, a utility-scale solar project with 144 megawatts of capacity, approved by the Austin City Council in 2018.

Visit https://austinenergy.com/ae/about/news/news-releases/2020/construction-begins-on-pflugerville-solar-project-edging-austin-energy-closer-to-renewable-energy-goals to view the full article online.

The Basin Electric board of directors approved the 2021-2030 long-range engineering plan, as presented by Tom Christensen, Basin Electric senior vice president of Transmission, Engineering and Construction, during the September meeting held at East River Electric Power Cooperative headquarters in Madison, South Dakota.

Visit https://www.basinelectric.com/news-center/news-briefs/basin-electric-directors-approve-long-range-engineering-plan to view the full article online.

CPS Energy now gives customers more power with new outage and billing alert notifications. Customers can now sign up to receive alerts to inform them of important billing, payment, and outage information. 

Visit https://newsroom.cpsenergy.com/cps-energy-gives-customers-more-options-for-alerts-on-power-outages-and-monthly-energy-bills/ to view the full article online.

  
El Paso Electric (EPE) released its 2019 Corporate Sustainability Report, an annual publication that captures the Company’s recent energy and environmental accomplishments. 

Visit https://www.epelectric.com/company/news/el-paso-electric-releases-2019-corporate-sustainability-report to view the full article online.

  
Evergy, Inc. announced that Terry Bassham has informed the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of his decision to retire as President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Evergy. To ensure a smooth transition, Bassham will continue to serve as Director, President and Chief Executive Officer of Evergy until his successor is appointed.

Visit https://investors.evergy.com/index.php/news-releases/news-release-details/evergy-announces-chief-executive-officer-terry-bassham-retire to view the full article online.

As of Sept. 1, 2020, Lincoln Electric System is offering rebates to residential customers purchasing or leasing a new electric vehicle for the first time.

Visit https://www.les.com/about-les/news/view?article_id=122260 to view the full article online.

Nebraska Public Power District has contracted Forbes Brothers Timberline Construction Inc., of Rapid City, S.D. to refurbish a 115-kV transmission line in Southwest Nebraska.

Visit https://www.nppd.com/press-releases/refurbishing-of-nppd-transmission-line-between-beverly-and-enders-set to view the full article online.

NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, highlighted a suite of clean energy storage developments in the state that could nearly double the total installed capacity of battery storage available in the U.S. today.

Visit http://newsroom.nexteraenergy.com/2020-08-31-NextEra-Energy-Resources-readies-significant-portfolio-of-California-energy-storage-projects-to-enhance-reliability-and-support-the-states-clean-energy-goals to view the full article online.

The future is bright, as Omaha Public Power District takes a big step in its Power with Purpose (PwP) project. PwP will add 400 to 600 megawatts (MW) of accredited utility-scale solar generation, as well as up to 600 MW of accredited modernized natural gas backup generation, to OPPD’s energy portfolio.

Visit https://www.oppd.com/news-resources/news-releases/2020/september/power-with-purpose-progresses-with-site-details-provided-to-oppd-board-of-directors/ to view the full article online.

In response to COVID-19, SRP is now offering a new rebate to help commercial customers reduce airborne viruses. Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) is a disinfection method that uses short-wavelength ultraviolet light to kill or inactivate microorganisms including common coronaviruses.

Visit https://media.srpnet.com/srp-offers-ultraviolet-germicidal-irradiation-business-rebate/ to view the full article online.

In an effort to help alleviate conditions that recently led to an historic second call for water use restrictions on the Yampa River, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and the Colorado River District announced a joint effort to release up to 1,500 acre-feet of water from Elkhead Reservoir to support irrigators and endangered habitat.

Visit https://www.tristategt.org/tri-state-and-colorado-river-district-announce-water-releases-increase-yampa-river-flows to view the full article online.

 
Crews completed turbine construction and started system testing at the Oso Grande Wind Project, which is expected to begin producing clean energy for Tucson Electric Power (TEP) customers before the end of the year.

Visit https://www.tep.com/news/tep-achieves-major-milestone-at-oso-grande-wind-project/ to view the full article online.

White Paper
Researchers have developed a standalone device that converts sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into a carbon-neutral fuel, without requiring any additional components or electricity.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200824123406.htm to view the full article online.