RMEL eNews

Industry Information

BLM Approves Construction for Starwood’s 3.2 GW Arizona-to-California Transmission Line

The Bureau of Land Management told a Starwood Energy Group Global affiliate it can begin building a 500-kV transmission line between Arizona and California, an area rich in solar potential, the U.S. Department of the Interior said Thursday.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/blm-starwood-transmission-ten-west-arizona-california/627362/ to view the full article online.

Texas Expands Industrial Demand Response Program as Grid Goes to the Brink of Rolling Outages

The Public Utility Commission of Texas on Thursday voted to raise the budget for the state’s industrial demand response program, known as Emergency Response Service, or ERS, a day after a sweltering heat wave pushed the grid to the brink.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/texas-expands-industrial-demand-response-program-as-grid-goes-to-the-brink/627358/ to view the full article online.

Transformative Times: Update on the U.S. Transformer Supply Chain

Large electric transformers are inconvenient machines. They are large and heavy, which means they usually need to be delivered by sea freight, not air freight, which would be faster.

Visit https://www.tdworld.com/utility-business/article/21243198/transformative-times-update-on-the-us-transformer-supply-chain to view the full article online.

Executive interview with Camille Calimlim Touton, Bureau of Reclamation

Camille Calimlim Touton is commissioner of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation. In this role, Touton will help manage the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s $8.3 billion investments in drought and water resiliency, including funding for water efficiency and recycling programs, rural water projects, WaterSMART grants, and dam safety to ensure that irrigators, Tribes, and adjoining communities receive adequate assistance and support.

Visit https://www.hydroreview.com/business-finance/executive-interview-with-camille-calimlim-touton-bureau-of-reclamation/ to view the full article online.

DOE Works to Advance Solar Manufacturing and Recycling

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a slate of new initiatives and $56 million in new funding to spur innovation in solar manufacturing and recycling.

Visit https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/solar/doe-works-to-advance-solar-manufacturing-and-recycling/ to view the full article online.

Now Accepting Applications: Research Experience in Carbon Sequestration (RECS) 2022

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) invites graduate students and early career professionals who are interested in carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) to apply for the 2022 Research Experience in Carbon Sequestration (RECS) program, which will be held in person from September 11-20, 2022 in Colorado and Wyoming.

Visit https://www.energy.gov/fecm/articles/now-accepting-applications-research-experience-carbon-sequestration-recs-2022 to view the full article online.

DOE Announces $18 Million to Streamline Commercialization of Clean Energy Technologies

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $18.4 million through the Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF) for seven national laboratory projects with the goal of getting more clean energy technologies to the marketplace.

Visit https://electricenergyonline.com/article/energy/category/climate-change/82/971932/doe-announces-18-million-to-streamline-commercialization-of-clean-energy-technologies.html to view the full article online.

Regulators Recommend License for New Mexico Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility

There are no environmental reasons that would prevent a New Jersey-based company from building a multibillion-dollar facility in southern New Mexico to temporarily store tons of spent nuclear fuel from commercial power plants around the nation, U.S. regulators said July 13.

Visit https://www.power-eng.com/ap-news/regulators-recommend-license-for-new-mexico-spent-nuclear-fuel-storage-facility/ to view the full article online.

Tesla’s Long-Time Partner Panasonic Building $4 Billion EV Battery Plant In Kansas

Panasonic, Tesla’s main battery manufacturer and a key investor in the company’s earliest days, says it intends to build a massive $4 billion battery plant in Kansas to supply packs for the auto industry’s fast-moving shift to electric cars and trucks.

Visit https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2022/07/13/teslas-long-time-partner-panasonic-building-4-billion-ev-battery-plant-in-kansas/?sh=5dfefcce6c51 to view the full article online.

Roadmap: Providing Flexible, Affordable, Sustainable Power & Services

United Power caught the attention of electric distribution cooperatives nationwide in April when it filed its non-conditional Notice of Intent to Withdraw from its wholesale power contract with Tri-State Generation and Transmission (Tri-State).

Visit https://www.unitedpower.com/roadmap-providing-flexible-affordable-sustainable-power-services to view the full article online.

Member Announcements

Supreme Court Ruling is Positive for Coal

On June 30, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan, a regulatory program finalized in 2015, was unconstitutional.

Visit https://www.basinelectric.com/News-Center/news-briefs/The-Clean-Power-Plan-ruling-made-by-the-Supreme-Court-is-positive-for-coal to view the full article online.

Black Hills Corp. Electric Utility in Wyoming Completes Agreement for First Customer under Blockchain Tariff

Black Hills Corp. (NYSE: BKH) announced that its Wyoming electric utility, Cheyenne Light, Fuel and Power Company, doing business as Black Hills Energy, completed its first agreement for service under its Blockchain Interruptible Service Tariff.

Visit https://www.blackhillscorp.com/node/118326 to view the full article online.

CPS Energy Continues Improvements in Southwest San Antonio to Support Reliability

CPS Energy continues improvements to support reliability for customers south of Loop 410 and Old Pearsall Road. The project involves removing and installing overhead power lines across the highway.

Visit https://newsroom.cpsenergy.com/cps-energy-continues-improvements-in-southwest-san-antonio-to-support-reliability/ to view the full article online.

El Paso Electric Issues a Request For Proposals for an Energy Efficiency and Load Management Market Potential Study

El Paso Electric (EPE) issues a Request for competitive Proposals (RFP) for an Energy Efficiency (“EE”) and Load Management (“LM”) Market Potential Study (“MPS”) to select a proposal(s) from qualified consultants.

Visit https://www.epelectric.com/company/news/el-paso-electric-issues-a-request-for-proposals-for-an-energy-efficiency-and-load-management-market-potential-study to view the full article online.

NextEra Water Completes the Acquisition of Texas Water and Wastewater Systems

NextEra Water Texas, LLC, an indirect subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, announced that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of a portfolio of rate-regulated water and wastewater utility assets in eight counties near Houston, Texas, from Quadvest, L.P.

Visit https://newsroom.nexteraenergy.com/2022-07-13-NextEra-Water-completes-the-acquisition-of-Texas-water-and-wastewater-systems to view the full article online.

OPPD Named a ‘Most Trusted’ Utility in Recent Study

Omaha Public Power District is among the highest-scoring utilities nationwide in a new study related to brand trust. The findings come from the 2022 Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement™ Residential study.

Visit https://www.oppd.com/news-resources/news-releases/2022/july/oppd-named-a-most-trusted-utility-in-recent-study/ to view the full article online.

SRP Reports More EV Drivers in its Service Territory Than Projected for Fiscal Year 2022

SRP surpassed its goal to have 23,000 electric vehicles (EVs) in the SRP service territory by the end of its fiscal year 2022, with a total of more than 29,200 EVs leased or purchased within the area as of April 30, 2022.

Visit https://media.srpnet.com/srp-reports-more-ev-drivers-in-its-service-territory-than-projected-for-fiscal-year-2022/ to view the full article online.

TEP-Supported Loans Help Create Stability for Diverse Businesses

Tucson Electric Power is continuing its support of the BIPOC Community Managed Loan Fund for black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) community members. This month, the Community Investment Corporation (CIC) re-opened applications for loans for new and fledgling businesses. Here is the story of one recipient from the first round in 2021.

Visit https://www.tep.com/news/tep-supported-loans-help-create-stability-for-diverse-businesses/ to view the full article online.

WAPA Selects New Senior VP And DSW Regional Manager

Jack Murray has been named Western Area Power Administration’s senior vice president and Desert Southwest regional manager. His promotion is effective June 19.

Visit https://www.wapa.gov/newsroom/NewsReleases/2022/Pages/jack-murray-dsw-regional-manager.aspx to view the full article online.

Xcel Energy Highlights Clean Energy Progress

Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy released its 17th annual Sustainability Report Wednesday, highlighting the company’s commitment to reliable, affordable natural gas and electricity service while protecting the environment.

Visit https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/35471-xcel-energy-highlights-clean-energy-progress/ to view the full article online.

Rocky Mountain Electrical League