RMEL eNews

Industry Information

Surviving an Electric Infrastructure Renaissance

Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in November that includes $65 billion for grid infrastructure and $50 billion more for cybersecurity and climate measures.

Visit https://www.tdworld.com/overhead-transmission/article/21183172/surviving-an-electric-infrastructure-renaissance to view the full article online.

A Tesla Cofounder’s New Focus: Rock-Tunneling Robots To Protect The Grid

Ian Wright, one of Tesla’s five cofounders, is best known for developing electric cars and trucks over the past two decades but these days he’s applying his engineering skills to new ways to harden the utility grid from climate change and fire threats as tech chief for Petra.

Visit https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2021/12/09/a-tesla-cofounder-focuses-on-rock-tunneling-robots-to-protect-the-grid/?sh=3797c56f2d13 to view the full article online.

‘We are Uniting’: Long-duration Energy Storage Competitors Join Forces at COP26

Normally competitors in the quest to deploy long-duration energy storage, and replace fossil fuels with dispatchable clean energy at all hours of the day, 24 companies joined forces at the COP26 United Nations climate summit to form the Long Duration Energy Storage Council.

Visit https://www.power-eng.com/energy-storage/we-are-uniting-long-duration-energy-storage-competitors-join-forces-at-cop26/ to view the full article online.

Major U.S. Utilities Plan Nationwide Charging Network, Anticipating 22M EVs by 2030

More than 50 utilities, primarily investor-owned power companies, have banded together to install electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging infrastructure along major U.S. highway corridors by the end of 2023, the National Electric Highway Coalition (NEHC) announced Tuesday.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/major-us-utilities-plan-nationwide-charging-network-anticipating-22m-evs-b/611150/ to view the full article online.

U.S. Department of Energy Announces Intent to Fund Decarbonization and Environmental Remediation Projects Through University Training and Research

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) announced its intent to fund projects through its University Training and Research Program, which is composed of the University Coal Research (UCR) program and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Other Minority Institutions (HBCU-OMI) program.

Visit https://www.energy.gov/fecm/articles/us-department-energy-announces-intent-fund-decarbonization-and-environmental to view the full article online.

NRG Energy and Smart Energy Decisions Publish 2021 State of Distributed Energy Resources Study

NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG) in collaboration with Smart Energy Decisions published new research that shows cost savings and sustainability continue to top the list for customer needs when considering distributed energy resources (DERs).

Visit https://electricenergyonline.com/article/energy/category/ot-it/53/934173/nrg-energy-and-smart-energy-decisions-publish-2021-state-of-distributed-energy-resources-study.html to view the full article online.

U.S. Liquefied Natural Gas Export Capacity Will be World’s Largest by End of 2022

U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity has grown rapidly since the Lower 48 states first began exporting LNG in February 2016. In 2020, the United States became the world’s third-largest LNG exporter, behind Australia and Qatar. Once the new LNG liquefaction units, called trains, at Sabine Pass and Calcasieu Pass in Louisiana are placed in service by the end of 2022, the United States will have the world’s largest LNG export capacity.

Visit https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=50598 to view the full article online.

Optimized Grids and System Flexibility Critical to Reaching Net Zero

We need to drastically increase flexibility within our power systems to ensure sufficient renewables integration and achieve the world’s net-zero pledges and Paris Agreement goals.

Visit https://www.power-grid.com/smart-grid/optimized-grids-and-system-flexibility-critical-to-reaching-net-zero/ to view the full article online.

New York's Landmark Reforming the Energy Vision Remains Both Vital and Unfinished, Analysts Say

New York's 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) now dominates the state's policy debates and agenda on power system transformation, but regulators' foundational Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) initiatives and regulatory proceedings remain vital, those whose created and shaped it say.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/new-yorks-landmark-reforming-the-energy-vision-remains-both-vital-and-unfi/610015/ to view the full article online.

Member Announcements

APS Joins Communities to Brighten the Holiday Season

The 2021 holiday season will be marked by the dazzling return of electric light parades throughout the state.

Visit https://www.aps.com/en/About/Our-Company/Newsroom/Articles/APS-joins-communities-to-brighten-the-holiday-season to view the full article online.

Air Quality Controls Upgrade Saves Basin Electric $1 Million Annually

A project at Dry Fork Station near Gillette, Wyoming, increased efficiencies in the air quality control system and will save Basin Electric $1 million annually.

Visit https://www.basinelectric.com/News-Center/news-briefs/Air-quality-controls-upgrade-saves-cooperative-1-million-annually to view the full article online.

El Paso Electric Gets Green Light on Expanding Electric Vehicle Infrastructure and Outreach across Southern New Mexico

The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (NMPRC) has approved EPE’s Transportation and Electrification Plan (TEP) and authorized El Paso Electric (EPE) to move forward on investing more than $1.2 million in electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, and education and outreach across its Southern New Mexico service territory.

Visit https://www.epelectric.com/company/news/el-paso-electric-gets-green-light-on-expanding-electric-vehicle-infrastructure-and-outreach-across-southern-new-mexico to view the full article online.

Paragould, Evergy Commemorate Solar Project Now Online

On Monday Nov. 8, Paragould, Ark., Light Water & Cable, the city’s Economic Development Corporation, and the Chamber of Commerce officials were joined in Paragould by representatives of Evergy for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the city’s solar array.

Visit https://investors.evergy.com/news-releases/news-release-details/paragould-evergy-commemorate-solar-project-now-online to view the full article online.

Platte River offers scholarship

Students interested in pursuing careers in the electric energy industry are encouraged to apply for Platte River Power Authority’s Roy J. Rohla Memorial Scholarship. The annual $3,000 scholarship is offered through the RMEL Foundation and applications are due by Feb. 25, 2022.

Visit https://www.prpa.org/news-releases/platte-river-offers-scholarship-3/ to view the full article online.

a Recommended Decision was issued that would potentially allow PNM to exit coal seven years early and save customers millions of dollars. PNM is appreciative of this recommendation because it aids in New Mexico’s transition to clean energy and helps achieve the goals of the Energy Transition Act, New Mexico’s landmark energy policy statute.

Visit https://www.pnm.com/documents/396023/440009/NEWS+RELEASE-+RECOMMEND+DECISION+RECOMMENDS+PNM%27s+EXIT+FROM+COAL.pdf/f3c04b7b-58df-21ed-15c4-1665abbdb40e?t=1637168209126 to view the full article online.

Southern Power’s Glass Sands Wind Facility in Oklahoma is Operational

Southern Power, a leading U.S. wholesale energy provider and subsidiary of Southern Company, announced that the 118-megawatt (MW) Glass Sands Wind Facility in Murray County, Oklahoma, is now operational.

Visit https://www.southerncompany.com/newsroom/clean-energy/southern-power%E2%80%99s-glass-sands-wind-facility-in-oklahoma-is-operational.html to view the full article online.

SRP Employee Earns U.S. Energy Storage Association’s 2021 ESA Annual Award

The U.S. Energy Storage Association, the national trade association for the American energy storage industry, announced the 2021 ESA Annual Award recipients. Each year ESA recognizes companies and individuals from across the industry for their outstanding commitments to excellence in innovation, diversity and inclusion, and forward-thinking leadership.

Visit https://media.srpnet.com/srp-employee-earns-us-energy-storage-associations-2021-esa-annual-award/ to view the full article online.

Tri-State to advance energy services as Reg Rudolph named Chief Energy Innovations Officer

Wholesale power supply cooperative Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association announced Reg Rudolph will join its senior leadership team in the newly created role of Chief Energy Innovations Officer.

Visit https://tristate.coop/tri-state-advance-energy-services-reg-rudolph-named-chief-energy-innovations-officer to view the full article online.

Automated Devices for Better Reliability

United Power’s outage restoration system is among the most advanced and innovative in the country.

Visit https://www.unitedpower.com/automated-devices-better-reliability to view the full article online.

A Powerful Vision for the Future

Susan Gray assumed leadership of Tucson Electric Power at a critical point in our clean energy transition, as we resolved to retire our remaining coal-fired power plants and reduce carbon emissions 80% by 2035. It was also at the peak of a pandemic that forced a similar revolution in the way we work.

Visit https://www.tep.com/news/leading-the-way-to-a-cleaner-greener-grid/ to view the full article online.

WAPA names new Chief Strategy Officer

Kerry Whitford has been selected as Western Area Power Administration’s chief strategy officer by Administrator and CEO Tracey A. LeBeau. Whitford assumed the role on November 21.

Visit https://www.wapa.gov/newsroom/NewsReleases/2021/Pages/wapa-names-new-chief-strategy-officer.aspx to view the full article online.

Xcel Energy Launches Electric Vehicle Charging Pilot for Multifamily Buildings

Xcel Energy announced a new pilot offering in Minnesota that will provide easy and affordable ways for building owners and landlords to bring electric vehicle charging and access to their properties.

Visit https://co.my.xcelenergy.com/s/about/newsroom/press-release/xcel-energy-launches-electric-vehicle-charging-pilot-for-multifamily-buildings-20Y2R000000bm1fUAA to view the full article online.

Rocky Mountain Electrical League