RMEL eNews

Industry Information

AEP to Sell Unregulated Wind and Solar Assets to Sharpen Focus on Transmission, Regulated Renewables

American Electric Power (AEP) plans to sell about 1,600 MW of unregulated wind and solar generation to help the utility company focus on two growth "pinnacles:" regulated renewables and transmission, Nick Akins, the company’s CEO, president and chairman, said in an earnings call with analysts Thursday.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/aep-sell-unregulated-wind-solar-transmission-earnings/619412/ to view the full article online.

G8 Developing 65 MW Floating Solar at Hydro Project in West Africa

Singapore-based G8 Subsea has been awarded an agreement by a power authority in West Africa to install a full turnkey 65 MW system floating solar system at a hydro project, according to a press release.

Visit https://www.hydroreview.com/hydro-industry-news/g8-developing-65-mw-floating-solar-at-hydro-project-in-west-africa/ to view the full article online.

Clean Energy Supply Chains Need ‘Significant’ Improvement, DOE Report Finds

A year after President Joe Biden signed an executive order calling for a review of American supply chains, the Department of Energy released what it called its first-ever comprehensive assessment of the U.S. clean energy supply chain.

Visit https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/policy-regulation/clean-energy-supply-chains-need-significant-improvement-doe-report-finds/ to view the full article online.

DOE Announces Emergency Notice of Sale of Crude Oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to Address Oil Supply Disruptions

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) announced a Notice of Sale of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). DOE intends to sell 30 million barrels of crude oil from the SPR.

Visit https://www.energy.gov/fecm/articles/doe-announces-emergency-notice-sale-crude-oil-strategic-petroleum-reserve-address-oil to view the full article online.

New NARUC-NASEO Report on Resilience Valuation Highlights Potential of Microgrids

The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and the National Association of State Energy Officials announced the release of a new report on innovative approaches to estimating the value of resilience.

Visit https://electricenergyonline.com/article/energy/category/t-d/56/947773/new-naruc-naseo-report-on-resilience-valuation-highlights-potential-of-microgrids.html to view the full article online.

EIA Projects U.S. Energy Consumption Will Grow Through 2050, Driven by Economic Growth

Energy consumption will increase in the United States over the next 30 years across a variety of economic scenarios as population and economic growth outpace energy efficiency gains, according to our Annual Energy Outlook 2022 (AEO2022).

Visit https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=51478 to view the full article online.

Military Action in Radioactive Chernobyl Could be Dangerous for People and the Environment

The site of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in northern Ukraine has been surrounded for more than three decades by a 1,000-square-mile (2,600-square-kilometer) exclusion zone that keeps people out.

Visit https://www.power-eng.com/news/military-action-in-radioactive-chernobyl-could-be-dangerous-for-people-and-the-environment/ to view the full article online.

Ford Rises On Plan To Carve Out ‘Model e’ Electric Vehicle Business

Ford Motor Co. is doubling down on plans to compete with Elon Musk’s Tesla, General Motors and other global rivals in the race to dominate the fast-moving electric vehicle market by creating Model e, a new business unit within the company dedicated solely to EVs.

Visit https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2022/03/02/ford-rises-on-plan-to-carve-out-model-e-electric-vehicle-business/?sh=1325f6c4440d to view the full article online.

What Might a Hydrogen Energy Economy Look Like?

Pressure is mounting to decarbonize the economy, and momentum may be building around hydrogen as an energy resource and energy carrier.

Visit https://www.tdworld.com/distributed-energy-resources/article/21212431/what-might-a-hydrogen-energy-economy-look-like to view the full article online.

Member Announcements

Austin Energy Recognizes Anniversary of Winter Storm Uri with Continued Focus on Improvement and Lessons Learned

February 2022 marked one year since Winter Storm Uri wreaked havoc on the state’s power grid. Since then, Austin Energy staff looked at all areas of operation and outlined 19 observations and 112 action improvements.

Visit https://austinenergy.com/ae/about/news/news-releases/2022/anniversary-winter-storm-uri to view the full article online.

"Unreliable Grid?" Not Here in Arizona

A Feb. 18 Wall Street Journal article titled “America’s Power Grid Is Increasingly Unreliable” highlights what it takes for utilities to provide always-on electricity to customers while navigating challenges like extreme weather and wildfires, aging infrastructure and energy supply constraints, just to name a few.

Visit https://www.aps.com/en/About/Our-Company/Newsroom/Articles/Unreliable-grid-Not-here-in-Arizona to view the full article online.

Dakota Gas Shifts Carbon Dioxide Sales To Fulfill Supply Shortage

The Great Plains Synfuels Plant produces carbon dioxide (CO2) that is sent through a pipeline up to Canada, and also gets used to make ammonium sulfate fertilizer.

Visit https://www.basinelectric.com/News-Center/news-briefs/Dakota-Gas-shifts-CO2-sales-to-fulfill-supply-shortage to view the full article online.

CPS Energy Hosts Energy2business (E2b) Fair For Local Small And Medium-Sized Businesses

CPS Energy is committed to supporting local small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) in their pursuit of success and energy efficiency.

Visit https://newsroom.cpsenergy.com/cps-energy-hosts-energy2business-e2b-fair-for-local-small-and-medium-sized-businesses/ to view the full article online.

El Paso Electric Reduces Fuel Charge for Texas Customers

El Paso Electric (EPE) filed to reduce the fuel charge by 13% with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) that will result in a decrease of $2.30 for residential customers.

Visit https://www.epelectric.com/company/news/el-paso-electric-reduces-fuel-charge-for-texas-customers to view the full article online.

Norfolk Residents Will Soon be Able to Sign Up for Solar Shares

Two open houses will be held in Norfolk on March 2 and 17, to give NPPD Retail customers the opportunity to sign up for shares of the Norfolk Community Solar Farm.

Visit https://www.nppd.com/press-releases/norfolk-residents-will-soon-be-able-to-sign-up-for-solar-shares to view the full article online.

OPPD Board Approves Selection Of Tim Mcareavey as VP of Customer Service

At their monthly meeting, the Omaha Public Power District Board of Directors approved the selection of Tim McAreavey as Vice President – Customer Service.

Visit https://www.oppd.com/news-resources/news-releases/2022/february/oppd-board-approves-selection-of-tim-mcareavey-as-vp-of-customer-service/ to view the full article online.

Osmose Utilities Services, Inc. Names New CEO

Osmose Utilities Services, Inc. (Osmose), the market-leading provider of grid asset management and infrastructure support services for electric and telecommunications utilities, announces Mike Adams as its new CEO. Adams succeeds interim CEO Geisha J. Williams, former president and CEO of PG&E Corporation and board chair at Osmose. Williams will remain as chair of the Osmose Board.

Visit https://www.osmose.com/news/osmose-utilities-services-inc.-names-new-ceo?hsLang=en#:~:text=(Osmose)%2C%20the%20market%2D,and%20board%20chair%20at%20Osmose. to view the full article online.

Bergsten Named Platte River Board Chair

During its board meeting, the Platte River Power Authority Board of Directors elected Reuben Bergsten, director of utilities for the Town of Estes Park, to be the organization’s next board chair. The board also selected Julie Pignataro, councilmember for the City of Fort Collins, to become vice chair.

Visit https://www.prpa.org/news-releases/bergsten-named-platte-river-board-chair/ to view the full article online.

SRP, Phoenix Zoo and the City of Phoenix to Unveil New Solar-covered EV Charging Station

The Phoenix Zoo parking lot charging station can charge up to 20 electric vehicles at once.

Visit https://media.srpnet.com/srp-phoenix-zoo-and-the-city-of-phoenix-to-unveil-new-solar-covered-ev-charging-station/ to view the full article online.

Tri-State Proposes Transmission System Additions and Upgrades in Eastern Colorado to Support Clean Energy, Reliability and System Performance

Wholesale power supply cooperative Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association announced that it has filed with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for approval of two new transmission lines in eastern Colorado.

Visit https://tristate.coop/tri-state-proposes-transmission-system-additions-and-upgrades-eastern-colorado to view the full article online.

March/April Message From Mark A. Gabriel

Looking ahead while focusing on the present is a challenge in today’s electric power industry. Whether it is changing regulations; the desire of more members to engage with us as their electric cooperative in new ways; the advancement of technologies; or simply the expectations of high quality, always on, reliable power, being prepared is key.

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

TEP Sets ‘Clean Energy Peak’ with New Wind, Solar

Tucson Electric Power (TEP) generated more clean energy than ever last week during a brief period when more than 95 percent of its power was coming from renewable resources.

Visit https://www.tep.com/news/tep-sets-clean-energy-peak-with-new-wind-solar/ to view the full article online.

New Tool Saves Time, Improves Inspections

Last month WAPA launched a new tool that, according to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Kevin Howard, will “enable us to more effectively monitor the health of our transmission system and efficiently react to condition issues while continuing to maintain the high level of reliability we have always achieved."

Visit https://www.wapa.gov/newsroom/NewsFeatures/2022/Pages/new-tool-saves-time-improves-inspections.aspx to view the full article online.

Rocky Mountain Electrical League