RMEL eNews

Industry Information

Small Modular Nuclear Reactors May Become the Go-To Energy Source

Can renewable energy replace electric power plants that run 24-7 — including nuclear energy — once battery storage matures and the transmission grid expands? It’s unlikely, given that the intermittent nature of renewables requires a backup source — something that can kick on when the weather is not agreeable.

Visit https://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2023/02/15/small-modular-nuclear-reactors-may-become-the-go-to-energy-source/?ss=energy&sh=218d068c212d to view the full article online.

Burns & McDonnell Arm Launches Unique Cybersecurity Service for Critical Infrastructure

Under the rubric “Managed Threat Protection & Response” the company is offering a “proactive threat hunting and response capability” — a one-stop shop — for critical infrastructure companies, from electric to water utilities, to oil refineries and rigs, to pipelines.

Visit https://www.forbes.com/sites/llewellynking/2023/02/15/burns--mcdonnell-arm-launches-unique-cybersecurity-service-for-critical-infrastucture/?ss=energy&sh=3a3ce6214b21 to view the full article online.

US Grid is a Magnet for Terrorists: How Can We Solve This?

Since the days of the Soviet threat during the Cold War, the US grid was in the scope of foreign militaries. In addition to China and Russia, Iran and North Korea drew contingency plans to destroy our sources of electricity. Yet, it is not only foreign governments that target our electric lifelines.

Visit https://www.forbes.com/sites/arielcohen/2023/02/17/us-grid-is-a-magnet-for-terrorists-how-can-we-solve-this/?ss=energy&sh=1a2c963c25a1 to view the full article online.

Bipartisan Legislation Would Increase US Uranium Production to Promote Nuclear Energy

Three U.S. senators, including the two leaders of the Senate’s Energy and Natural Resources Committee, have introduced bipartisan legislation directing the U.S. Department of Energy to establish a nuclear fuel program to strengthen domestic production.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/nuclear-energy-federal-legislation-haleu-russia-manchin-terrapower/643103/ to view the full article online.

DOE Invests $2.7 Million in Carbon Capture and Storage Technologies, Working Alongside International Partners to Reduce Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions

To support implementation of these projects, DOE national laboratories will team with multi-national industry and government partners, reflecting the importance of international cooperation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in support of global goals to address climate change.

Visit https://www.energy.gov/fecm/articles/doe-invests-27-million-carbon-capture-and-storage-technologies-working-alongside to view the full article online.

Western U.S. Hydropower Generation Rose 13% Last Year, Rebounding From 20-Year Low

After decreasing to a 20-year low for the 2020–2021 water year, hydropower production in the western U.S. increased 13% during last year’s water year to reach 161 million MWh, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Visit https://www.hydroreview.com/environmental/western-u-s-hydropower-generation-rose-13-last-year-rebounding-from-20-year-low/ to view the full article online.

Hackers are ‘Increasingly Bold,’ NERC Warns, as Dragos Report Identifies New Grid Threats

The industrial cybersecurity firm said it is now tracking 20 “activity groups” that target a wide range of industrial sectors around the world, but noted the cyber defenses of the electric sector are among the best.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/hackers-are-increasingly-bold-nerc-warns-as-dragos-report-identifies-ne/643485/ to view the full article online.

DOE Announces $48M to Improve Semiconductor Technologies for Better Grid Control and Protection

The funding will stand up the “Unlocking Lasting Transformative Resiliency Advances by Faster Actuation of power Semiconductor Technologies” program, which will be managed by DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/doe-announces-48m-to-improve-semiconductor-technologies-for-better-grid-co/643591/ to view the full article online.

Electricity Production Costs Rose with Fuel Costs in 2021, Delivery Cost Remained Elevated

After adjusting for inflation, costs for major U.S. utilities to produce electricity rose 6% in 2021 as a result of rising fuel costs. For a number of years, electricity production costs had declined as natural gas prices fell and new low-cost renewable generators came online.

Visit https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=55639 to view the full article online.

Member Announcements

NextEra Energy is Once Again Recognized as No. 1 in its Industry on Fortune's List of 'World's Most Admired Companies'

NextEra Energy, Inc. announced it has been named to Fortune's 2023 list of the "World's Most Admired Companies" and ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry for the 16th time in 17 years.

Visit https://newsroom.nexteraenergy.com/2023-02-02-NextEra-Energy-is-once-again-recognized-as-No-1-in-its-industry-on-Fortunes-list-of-Worlds-Most-Admired-Companies to view the full article online.

Xcel Energy is Committed to 100% Carbon-Free Electricity

Xcel Energy is well positioned to meet the ambitious new goals, and the company already has approved energy resource plans that will retire all of its coal facilities and achieve both the 2030 carbon-free standard and the 2035 renewable energy standard.

Visit https://co.my.xcelenergy.com/s/about/newsroom/press-release/xcel-energy-is-committed-to-100-carbon-free-electricity-MCHMSBCKYU2ZBBRAA5OJJWGPARIE to view the full article online.

CPS Energy Completes FlexPOWER Bundle Initiative with Solar, Firming and Storage Additions

CPS Energy, the largest municipally owned electric and natural gas utility in the United States, has reached agreements with three companies, closing out the utility’s FlexPOWER Bundle initiative stemming from the RFP that was launched in 2020. In total, the FlexPOWER Bundle will deliver 580 megawatts (MW) of solar, 50 MW of storage, and 500 MW of natural gas firming capacity.

Visit https://newsroom.cpsenergy.com/cps-energy-completes-flexpower-bundle-initiative-with-solar-firming-and-storage-additions/ to view the full article online.

Wärtsilä Energy to Provide Engines for Pioneer Generation Station Phase IV

Basin Electric has chosen the technology group Wärtsilä to provide the generating capacity for Pioneer Generation Station Phase IV the cooperative’s largest single-site electric generation project since the 1980s. Pioneer Generation Station Phase IV will generate up to 583 megawatts of natural gas electricity near the existing Pioneer Generation Station, northwest of Williston, North Dakota.

Visit https://www.basinelectric.com/News-Center/news-briefs/Wartsila-Energy-to-provide-engines-for-Pioneer-Generation-Station-Phase-IV to view the full article online.

Rawhide Named 2023 Plant of the Year

The Coal Users’ Group (CUG) during their annual meeting held earlier this week in Orlando, Florida named Platte River Power Authority’s (Platte River) Rawhide Energy Station the 2023 Plant of the Year.

Visit https://www.prpa.org/news-releases/rawhide-named-2023-plant-of-the-year/ to view the full article online.

LES Continues to Rank High in Affordability, Reliability

LES’ annual Competitive Market Study determined that the utility ranked 3rd best for the lowest residential all-in price and 16th best for the lowest average all-in price among 87 cities surveyed nationwide when including all retail sectors, said Joe Cocklin, manager, LES Rates & Analytics.

Visit https://www.les.com/company/news/les-continues-rank-high-affordability-reliability to view the full article online.

SRP Issues 2023 All-source RFP for New Power Generation Resources

To help meet projected demand and ensure SRP can maintain reliable electric service for customers beginning in summer 2026, SRP is issuing an All-Source Request for Proposals to seek additional power resources that can provide at least 200 megawatts (MW) during the summer peak to be online as early as May 1, 2026, and at least an additional 300 MW by May 1, 2027.

Visit https://media.srpnet.com/srp-issues-2023-all-source-rfp-for-new-power-generation-resources/ to view the full article online.

EV Plan Gets Green Light

Tucson Electric Power got the green light from state regulators to move ahead with a three-year Transportation Electrification Implementation Plan, which provides a roadmap for preparing the grid for extra energy loads, driving EV adoption and building an equitable charging infrastructure.

Visit https://www.tep.com/news/ev-plan-gets-green-light/ to view the full article online.

White Paper

'Game-Changing' Findings for Sustainable Hydrogen Production

Hydrogen fuel could be a more viable alternative to traditional fossil fuels, according to University of Surrey researchers who have found that a type of metal-free catalysts could contribute to the development of cost-effective and sustainable hydrogen production technologies.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/02/230208125135.htm to view the full article online.

Salt Could Play Key Role in Energy Transition

A common ingredient -- salt -- could have a big role to play in the energy transition to lower carbon energy sources. A study describes how large underground salt deposits could serve as hydrogen holding tanks, conduct heat to geothermal plants, and influence CO2 storage. It also highlights how industries with existing salt expertise, such as solution mining, salt mining, and oil and gas exploration, could help.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/02/230221180104.htm to view the full article online.

New Design for Lithium-Air Battery Could Offer Much Longer Driving Range Compared with the Lithium-Ion Battery

Scientists have built and tested for a thousand cycles a lithium-air battery design that could one day be powering cars, domestic airplanes, long-haul trucks and more. Its energy storage capacity greatly surpasses that possible with lithium-ion batteries.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/02/230222210559.htm to view the full article online.

Rocky Mountain Electrical League