RMEL eNews

Industry Information

Southern, Duke, PJM, Others Call for More Transmission, Coordination to Handle Renewables Surge

Eastern Interconnection grid operators and planners including Southern Co., Duke Energy and the PJM Interconnection called for more transmission and coordination to help meet renewable energy goals in a white paper released Tuesday.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/southern-duke-grid-planners-transmission-renewables-FERC/607831/ to view the full article online.

Global Energy Storage Set to Nearly Triple in 2021: Wood Mackenzie Forecast

Global energy storage deployments will nearly triple in 2021 compared to last year, reaching 12 GW/28 GWh this year, according to a new report from Wood Mackenzie.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/global-energy-storage-set-to-nearly-triple-in-2021-wood-mackenzie-forecast/607905/ to view the full article online.

LCRA Completes $51 Million Project to Upgrade Buchanan Dam Floodgates

The Lower Colorado River Authority has completed a more than 12-year project to upgrade the floodgates at Buchanan Dam to maintain continued reliable and safe operations at the dam.

Visit https://www.hydroreview.com/dams-and-civil-structures/lcra-completes-51-million-project-to-upgrade-buchanan-dam-floodgates/ to view the full article online.

Battery Recycling’s Big Chance

The demand for electric vehicles has never been higher. Government leaders see the elimination of internal combustion vehicles as a crucial step to reduce global emissions and slow the effects of climate change.

Visit https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/storage/battery-recyclings-big-chance/ to view the full article online.

DOE Invests $45 Million to Decarbonize the Natural Gas Power and Industrial Sectors Using Carbon Capture and Storage

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $45 million in funding for 12 projects to advance point-source carbon capture and storage technologies that can capture at least 95% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated from natural gas power and industrial facilities that produce commodities like cement and steel.

Visit https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-invests-45-million-decarbonize-natural-gas-power-and-industrial-sectors-using-carbon to view the full article online.

BPA on Path to Join Western Energy Imbalance Market in March 2022

After more than three years of rigorous review and analysis, the Bonneville Power Administration has decided to join the Western Energy Imbalance Market in March 2022.

Visit https://electricenergyonline.com/article/energy/category/t-d/56/923406/bpa-on-path-to-join-western-energy-imbalance-market-in-march-2022.html to view the full article online.

Preparing the Utility Sector for EVs: ScottMadden's Kevin Hernandez Shares Critical Advice with the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast

This week on the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast, guest Kevin Hernandez, Partner of Grid Edge Community of Practice at ScottMadden, shared what he's seeing as trends in the electric vehicle space as the utility stakeholders continue to brace for the massive changes that will be necessary.

Visit https://energycentral.com/news/preparing-utility-sector-evs-scottmaddens-kevin-hernandez-shares-critical-advice-energy-central to view the full article online.

Wholesale Electricity and Natural Gas Market Data

The market data provided here are republished, with permission, from data collected by the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) and are updated biweekly.

Visit https://www.eia.gov/electricity/wholesale/ to view the full article online.

Grid Hardening Through DER Could Soon be a Viable, Profitable Solution for Utilities

A new trial in Australia is tackling the regulatory aspect of DER marketplaces hoping to answer the question: How does a utility earn a return on customer-sited assets?

Visit https://www.power-grid.com/der-grid-edge/grid-hardening-through-der-could-soon-be-a-viable-profitable-solution-for-utilities/ to view the full article online.

Gas-Fired Role in Net-Zero Future Front and Center in October’s POWERGEN+ Series

Some say the power generation mix of the future will be nearly all renewable energies and battery storage, exclusive above all other resources. Fossil fuels like coal and natural gas are living on borrowed time, they say.

Visit https://www.power-eng.com/gas/gas-fired-role-in-net-zero-future-front-and-center-in-octobers-powergen-series/ to view the full article online.

A Decade After Aubrey McClendon Caught The ‘Tiger By The Tail’ — Chesapeake Energy Returns To Haynesville Shale With Big Acquisition

Freshly emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Chesapeake Energy today announced a deal to acquire publicly traded Vine Energy for $2.2 billion, or $15 per share.

Visit https://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherhelman/2021/08/11/a-decade-after-aubrey-mcclendon-caught-the-tiger-by-the-tail---chespeake-energy-returns-to-haynesville-shale-with-big-acquisition/?sh=6ad01fe85c93 to view the full article online.

Starved of Gas, European Electricity Producers Snap Up Coal

European electricity producers are snapping up coal cargoes as a shortage of natural gas forces utilities to burn the dirtiest of fossil fuels.

Visit https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-24/starved-of-gas-european-electricity-producers-snap-up-coal?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm to view the full article online.

Member Announcements

Austin Energy Seeing Unprecedented Demand for Backup Power Options

Austin Energy is seeing unprecedented demand among its customers for whole house generators and solar panels with batteries designed to act as backup power sources during electrical outages.

Visit https://austinenergy.com/ae/about/news/news-releases/2021/unprecedented-demand-for-backup-power-options to view the full article online.

Podcast Explores How Clean Energy Shift Will Impact Arizona

APS CEO Jeff Guldner recently participated in an insightful 1-on-1 podcast. During the 23-minute Q&A with iHeartMedia’s William Harfosh, Guldner discussed our Clean Energy Commitment, electric vehicles, climate change, our reliability compared to the recent situation in Texas, and economic development in Arizona.

Visit https://www.aps.com/en/About/Our-Company/Newsroom/Articles/Podcast-explores-how-clean-energy-shift-will-impact-Arizona to view the full article online.

Basin Electric Partners With Dairyland Power Cooperative And Allete to Add New Natural Gas Generation

Basin Electric announced today the cooperative is partnering with ALLETE of Duluth, Minn., and Dairyland Power Cooperative of La Crosse, Wisconsin, to develop new natural gas-based generation.

Visit https://www.basinelectric.com/News-Center/news-releases/Basin-Electric-partners-with-Dairyland-Power-Cooperative-and-ALLETE-to-add-new-natural-gas-generation to view the full article online.

NPPD Partners on Groundbreaking Ceremony in York for New Community Solar Project

Representatives of Nebraska Public Power District, The City of York and Solar Developer GRNE will hold an official groundbreaking event for the York Community Solar project located at 1214 Road 15 (York landfill), north of York.

Visit https://www.nppd.com/press-releases/nppd-partners-on-groundbreaking-ceremony-in-york-for-new-community-solar-project to view the full article online.

OPPD Board Promotes Vice President to Chief Operating Officer

The Omaha Public Power District Board of Directors promoted Troy Via to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer and Vice President -- Utility Operations, effective Oct. 31.

Visit https://www.oppd.com/news-resources/news-releases/2021/september/oppd-board-promotes-vice-president-to-chief-operating-officer/ to view the full article online.

Several Western Power Providers Announce Plans to Explore Market Options

Several electric providers that serve millions of customers in the Western United States announced plans today to evaluate regional market solutions together.

Visit https://www.pacificorp.com/about/newsroom/news-releases/power-providers-explore-western-market-options.html to view the full article online.

SRP Signs Contract for its Largest Solar Power Plant in Arizona

On the heels of announcing signed agreements for three new solar power plants in Arizona, SRP announced its largest standalone solar power plant to soon be under development northwest of Flagstaff, Arizona.

Visit https://media.srpnet.com/srp-signs-contract-for-its-largest-solar-power-plant-in-arizona/ to view the full article online.

Tri-State Advances Clean Energy, Emissions Reductions Goals in Supplemental Electric Resource Plan Filing

Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association would continue to meet its carbon dioxide reduction and clean energy goals as identified in its Responsible Energy Plan and supported in a supplemental Electric Resource Plan (ERP) filing made today with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

Visit https://tristate.coop/tri-state-advances-clean-energy-emissions-reductions-goals-supplemental-electric-resource-plan to view the full article online.

September/October Message from Mark A. Gabriel

Recently, two solar salesmen came to my home in Brighton offering to convince me of the value of adding solar. Their main sales pitch was a false narrative that United Power rates were slated to increase “dramatically” over the next several years due to our ongoing conversations with our power supplier, Tri-State G&T, about a contract modification.

Visit https://www.unitedpower.com/septoct-message-mark-gabriel to view the full article online.

Three Ways We’re Working to Advance Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Tucson Electric Power, we believe our differences make us stronger. Diversity, equity and inclusion are a core part of our company culture. Here are some of the key ways we champion an inclusive, diverse environment and work to make meaningful progress both inside our company and throughout our community.

Visit https://www.tep.com/news/three-ways-were-working-to-advance-diversity-equity-inclusion/ to view the full article online.

Human Performance Enhances Safety Culture

As WAPA's Human Performance Improvement/Just Culture Program gains traction, Human Performance Program Manager Krystall Valencia is interested in better educating employees on how the program benefits them.

Visit https://www.wapa.gov/newsroom/NewsFeatures/2021/Pages/human-performance-enhances-safety-culture.aspx to view the full article online.

Xcel Energy Center Port Substation to Power Growth

Xcel Energy has started work on an $8.4 million electric substation on Northeast 24th Avenue near Whitaker Road that will open more opportunities for business growth and job creation in northeast Amarillo.

Visit https://co.my.xcelenergy.com/s/about/newsroom/press-release/xcel-energy-center-port-substation-to-power-growth-20Y2R000000bliJUAQ to view the full article online.

Rocky Mountain Electrical League