Utilities represent one of the least diverse industries in the U.S. today, being 85% white and 80% male, according to a 2020 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey. The clarion call from policymakers, shareholders, and communities for significant social change has driven many U.S. utilities to create diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals in response. […]

The New Madrid Power Plant is an important facility in the Associated Electric Cooperative’s portfolio of assets and is fundamentally important to the company’s mission to provide affordable and reliable power to member systems. The plant and grounds cover about 3,900 acres on the Mississippi River, where approximately 175 people are employed. Originally built in […]

ERCOT market participants are grappling with the resulting financial fallout from winter storm Uri, which devastated Texas in February. Many are now familiar with actions the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUCT) took during the weather event, moves made with the intent to bring and maintain as much generation online as possible. Most notable, the commission […]

As consumer preferences continue to shift toward purchasing locally sourced and organic produce, demand is growing for commercial greenhouses, or controlled environment agriculture (CEA), as the industry is labeled. This shift in preference to locally grown food is changing the way supermarkets and restaurants source their fruits and vegetables. COMMENTARY Many restaurants throughout the country […]

Blue, green, turquoise, yellow, pink, blue, grey and brown/black. Hydrogen is currently beset by a host of colorful adjectives, but what part of the hydrogen rainbow is most likely to lead to a pot of gold (and environmental benefits)?  Elected officials across the country are more and more focused on promoting green hydrogen, which is […]

Following a 2020 summer of blackouts, the darkest since early this century, California is hoping that it can avoid replays in the future by investing in batteries. Big batteries. That are expensive. And come with significant energy storage limitations. Bloomberg News is reporting that by August, there will be 1,700 megawatts of new battery capacity […]

Concrete is an integral part of any construction project, whether you are building roads, a a ground floor in your private home, or a power plant. This is because concrete is very durable, but it can be susceptible to fractures as subsoil frosts and thaws, if it shifts, or if tree roots press upward on […]

Flexible plant operations are highly desirable in today’s power generation industry. Every plant owner desires increased ramp rates and the ability to operate at lower loads so their plants will remain “in the money” longer in today’s competitive power markets. This goal, while laudable, remains elusive. The ADEX self-tuning artificial intelligence (AI) system allows plants […]

With a global pandemic and unprecedented extreme weather, we have seen how essential our energy delivery system is to our way of life. Through collaboration and innovation, we will make the system more resilient and fulfill our commitment to reducing emissions. American Gas Association members are already leading in these areas—providing customers with reliable and […]

Two recent incidents have made the cost of not protecting our infrastructure and natural resources abundantly clear. First, there was the widely publicized SolarWinds attack that infected more than a dozen utility companies, and oil and gas manufacturing entities. Then, there was a dangerous incident in Florida, where a hacker gained access to a water […]