News

The Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday declined to reconsider a ruling that voided a permit to build the John W. Turk., Jr. power plant—the nation’s first ultrasupercritical pulverized coal power plant. Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO) now says it will continue construction of the plant that is 28% complete under an option to sell power in other markets.

President Obama’s meeting with 23 senators of both parties at the White House on Tuesday appears not to have moved either side on comprehensive energy and climate legislation. But from various reports, a new bill being drafted by Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), which seeks to limit a cap-and-trade program to just the utility sector, seems to gaining traction in Washington.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) last week introduced legislation to promote the domestic production of rare earth elements—metals and their compounds that are used in high-temperature superconducting technologies, windmills, and battery technologies. China currently controls a majority of that market.

A new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) that examines the future of natural gas through 2050 from the perspectives of technology, economics, and politics concludes that natural gas will play a leading role in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the next few decade if older, inefficient coal plants are replaced with modern combined-cycle gas generation.

China’s Guangdong Nuclear Power Group (CGNPC) plans to start commercial operation of a nuclear reactor at the Ling Ao II nuclear power plant this October. The reactor will be the 12th to supply power to China. A second unit is set to begin operation in 2011.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced final disapproval of the flexible permit program that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) had submitted for inclusion in its clean-air implementation plan, saying that the program “does not meet several national Clean Air Act requirements.” The move is the latest in an escalating dispute between the federal agency and the state over air pollution rules.

Regional grid operator PJM Interconnection last week told developers of the Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline (PATH) that the 275-mile, 765-kV project was the most “robust and effective” means to ensure long-term reliability of the Mid-Atlantic grid, and that it was imperative it be placed into service by June 1, 2015.

A solid organic electric battery based on treated potatoes that was introduced by researchers at Hebrew University of Jerusalem promises to provide an inexpensive solution for parts of the world lacking in electrical infrastructure.

The past week brought varied reports from Washington on the status of comprehensive climate change and energy bills. Unable to gain votes to pass the much-publicized American Power Act, Senate Democrats are considering scaling back the economy-wide bill to just the utility sector. Meanwhile, individual senators are stepping up efforts to push one bill that restrains the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gases from stationary sources and another that establishes a so-called “cap-and-dividend” program.

The Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) on Monday issued an order denying Baltimore Gas & Electric Co.’s (BGE’s) application to deploy smart meters to all its customers because ratepayers would be saddled with financial and technological risks. The move “deeply disappointed, frustrated, and frankly surprised” the utility, because the smart grid project had received a $200 million federal stimulus grant from the Department of Energy last October—the largest amount awarded to a utility.

Southern Co. on Friday said it had agreed to terms with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for $8.3 billion in loan guarantees to build two AP1000 nuclear reactors at the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant in Burke, Ga. The conditional commitment could accelerate the start of construction for the first U.S. nuclear plant in more than 30 years.

The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) underwent an overhaul at a meeting last week in Accra, Ghana. Transformative changes reflect global developments that have occurred since the partnership was established in 2007, and include a new name—the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation—and a new mission statement.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on Thursday took several actions to boost effective planning and cost sharing for new transmission lines. Measures included issuance of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) for open access transmission reforms by establishing a closer link between regional electric transmission planning and cost allocation to help ensure that needed transmission facilities are actually built.

The FIFA World Cup 2010—a month-long soccer tournament that is arguably the biggest sports event on the planet—officially kicked off on Friday in South Africa. As grid operators and utilities all over the globe braced for power consumption surges, some governments went to lengths to enable fans to enjoy uninterrupted coverage of the matches.

Burning forest trees for power can result in an initial “carbon debt” because it releases more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere per unit of energy than oil, coal, or natural gas, before it reduces carbon dioxide, sometimes over decades, according to a six-month-long study commissioned by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER).

Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) on Tuesday released the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) economic analysis of their American Power Act (APA), a bill that would establish a multi-sector cap-and-trade program. The analysis finds that the bill would keep allowance prices low while keeping household costs to a minimum.

Last week the U.S. Senate defeated by a 47–53 vote a resolution submitted by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) that disapproved of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) finding that greenhouse gas emissions threaten public health and welfare.

A deluge of rain in the Northwest is forcing hydropower turbines in the Columbia River system to work overtime. During the past few days, the 31 federally operated dams in the region have been running at full capacity—12,000 MW—generating 144% more than normal. The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), asking regional utilities to back generation down, has been giving power away almost for free since Wednesday.

Nuclear energy will be key to combating climate change, and nearly 25% of global electricity could be generated from nuclear reactors by 2050, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its Nuclear Energy Technology Roadmap, released today.

A U.S. District judge on Tuesday allowed a lawsuit filed by environmental groups that challenges a permit for Southwestern Electric Power Co.’s (SWEPCO’s) John W. Turk plant to stand.

A new rule for sulfur dioxide (SO₂) set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Thursday sets a new one-hour health standard, changes monitoring requirements, and modifies the Air Quality Index. Full implementation of revised primary National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for SO₂ by 2020 could cost the electric power industry nearly $700 million a year, the agency said.

A report released last week by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) identifies cyber attacks, pandemics, and electromagnetic disturbances as “high-impact, low-frequency” (HILF) risks that could significantly affect the reliability of the North American bulk power system.

The ability to detect and track the movement of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in underground geologic storage reservoirs—an important component of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology—has been successfully demonstrated at a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) New Mexico test site.

Geothermal developer AltaRock Energy and Davenport Newberry, a company specializing in the development and management of geothermal opportunities, announced plans this week to conduct a demonstration of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) technology at a site located near Bend, Ore.

The U.S. market for small wind turbines expanded by 15% in 2009 and accounted for about half of the units sold globally, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).

PPL Corp.’s Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Luzerne County, Pa., is the nation’s largest boiling water reactor (BWR) in terms of thermal power and generating capacity, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The plant’s Unit 1, which recently completed equipment and system upgrades during a recent scheduled refueling and maintenance outage, boasts 3,952 MWth and 1,300 MWe when operating at full capacity.

CMS Energy subsidiary Consumers Energy last week announced that it is deferring the development of an 830-MW coal-fired power plant planned for Hampton Township. State regulators had last year approved an air permit for the $2 billion-plus project on the condition that it use stringent emission controls and that it was ready for carbon capture and sequestration when the technology was feasible.

Mississippi Power Co. on Thursday said it would proceed with plans to build a 582-MW integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) plant as proposed in Kemper County after the Mississippi Public Service Commission (MPSC) relaxed restrictions it had placed on the project.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Friday dismissed without rehearing, on procedural grounds, a controversial climate change “public nuisance” case in which 14 individuals had filed a class-action lawsuit against insurance, coal, and chemical companies, seeking relief for property damages resulting from Hurricane Katrina.

Depressed power demand due to a slow economic recovery will continue to be a major driver affecting bulk power system reliability during the summer months, the North American Reliability Corp. (NERC) said last week in its annual summer reliability assessment report.