RMEL eNews

Alltricity Network Member Information

Join Alltricity Network Groups on LinkedIn

The association's trusted network is accessible on LinkedIn. Working side-by-side in a cooperative manner, Alltricity Network members band together for the common goal of bettering the industry and improving service for utility customers. For more than 120 years, these key principles have proven successful and, more importantly, are tried-and-true methods for building strong business relationships.

Alltricity Network Champions is a prestigious group of Alltricity Network supporters with access to useful and beneficial promotional opportunities. Thank you, 2024 Alltricity Network Champions!

Visit https://www.alltricitynetwork.org/page/RMELChampions to view the full article online.

Industry Information

25 GW of New Solar to Boost Summer Grid Reliability, but Extreme Heat Poses Widespread Risks: NERC

NERC identified seven areas facing an “elevated risk” of shortfalls due to rising demand, generator retirements and unplanned outages, drought and the potential for low wind performance. Those areas include portions of Texas, California, New England and the Midwest.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/25-gw-of-new-solar-to-boost-summer-grid-reliability-but-extreme-heat-poses/716286/ to view the full article online.

New AI Tool to Optimize Design of Wind Farms

The tool is called Wind Plant Graph Neural Network (WPGNN), which was trained on simulations of more than 250,000 randomly generated wind plant layouts under various atmospheric conditions, plant designs and turbine operations.

Visit https://www.power-eng.com/news/new-ai-tool-to-optimise-design-of-wind-farms/ to view the full article online.

Existing, Not Advanced, Reactors Best for Companies Seeking 24/7 Clean Energy Soon: Morgan Lewis Panel

Due to high barriers for newly built advanced nuclear reactors, offtake agreements with existing conventional reactors may be a more cost-effective choice for high-load customers seeking 24/7 clean power in the near term, a panel of Morgan Lewis experts said.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/advanced-reactors-smr-microreactor-clean-energy-decarbonization/717228/ to view the full article online.

Study: US Wind and Solar are Saving Lives and Billions of Dollars

The study accounts for recent changes in the electricity system, including the continued growth of wind and solar to provide over 30% of total generation in some regions. It includes recent updates to health and climate impact research, provides a new quantitative analysis of uncertainty, and uses an approach that facilitates annual updates and replication in new regions.

Visit https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/solar/study-us-wind-and-solar-are-saving-lives-and-billions-of-dollars/ to view the full article online.

US Data Center Electricity Demand Could Double by 2030, Driven by Artificial Intelligence: EPRI

The growth is being driven by increased computing power associated with artificial intelligence. AI queries “require approximately ten times the electricity of traditional internet searches and the generation of original music, photos, and videos requires much more,” EPRI said.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/artificial-intelligence-doubles-data-center-demand-2030-EPRI/717467/ to view the full article online.

White House Announces Significant Measures to Support New Nuclear Plants

A primary goal is to reduce project risks associated with large nuclear builds. The White House announced the creation of a “Power Project Management and Delivery working group” made up of experts that would help identify opportunities to proactively mitigate sources of cost and schedule overrun risk.

Visit https://www.power-eng.com/nuclear/white-house-announces-significant-measures-to-support-new-nuclear-plants/ to view the full article online.

Our US Summer Natural Gas Consumption Forecast for Electric Power Matches 2023 Record

The EIA forecasts that the natural gas consumed for electricity generation this summer in the United States will reach near the record set last year. Despite a 3% increase in overall U.S. electricity generation this summer, the EIA does not expect natural gas consumption for electricity generation to grow. Growth in electricity generation will be largely driven by increased renewable energy production.

Visit https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=62163 to view the full article online.

Utilities Saw Fewer Q1 Ransomware Attacks Than Other Sectors. A Dragos Analyst Explains Why.

Ransomware is “the foremost widespread cybersecurity threat impacting industrial organizations worldwide,” Abdulrahman Alamri, senior adversary hunter at Dragos, wrote in a blog post analyzing global cybersecurity incidents in the first quarter. But the electric sector was relatively unscathed, notching just a single incident, compared with more than 100 attacks on the manufacturing sector.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ransomware-persistent-utility-cyber-threat-dragos/717171/ to view the full article online.

Member Announcements

Powering Dreams: El Paso Electric and Western Tech Launch Lineworker Certification Program to Cultivate Skilled Workforce

El Paso Electric (EPE) and Western Technical College (Western Tech) are pleased to announce a new partnership for the Lineworker Certification Program. Fourteen students were selected to receive a scholarship from EPE, marking the commencement of their transformative journey towards becoming talented lineworkers.

Visit https://www.epelectric.com/company/news/powering-dreams-el-paso-electric-and-western-tech-launch-lineworker-certification-program-to-cultivate-skilled-workforce to view the full article online.

OPPD Welcomes Clean Capacity Collaboration as Part of its Reliable Growth Plans

The collaboration will allow OPPD to access 600 megawatts (MW) of wind capacity from NextEra Energy Resource’s High Banks Wind Energy Center. The High Banks Wind Energy Center, which is owned and operated by a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, has been online since December of 2023 as a part of Google’s long-term clean energy portfolio.

Visit https://www.oppd.com/news-resources/news-releases/2024/may/oppd-welcomes-clean-capacity-collaboration-as-part-of-its-reliable-growth-plans/ to view the full article online.

Basin Electric Named a Top 10 Workplace by Young Professionals Network

Basin Electric has been named one of the top 10 places to work in Bismarck and Mandan, Noth Dakota by the Young Professionals Network (YP Network). This marks the 11th time Basin Electric has received this award in 17 years. The YP Network is a not-for-profit organization of professionals, ages 21-40, that is dedicated to professional development, entrepreneurship, community service and networking.

Visit https://www.basinelectric.com/News-Center/news-briefs/Basin-Electric-named-a-top-10-workplace-by-Young-Professionals-Network to view the full article online.

Construction Begins on Kentucky’s Newest Solar Energy Center

State officials, local leaders, stakeholders and landowners joined executives from NextEra Energy Resources, LLC and Nucor Corporation to celebrate breaking ground on Kentucky’s newest solar energy project – the Sebree Solar Energy Center. Sebree Solar, LLC, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from the sun and wind, and a world leader in battery energy storage, will have a capacity of up to 250 megawatts of American-produced energy.

Visit https://newsroom.nexteraenergy.com/Construction-begins-on-Kentuckys-newest-solar-energy-center?l=12 to view the full article online.

CPS Energy Wins Award for Natural Gas Operational and Safety Excellence

The American Public Gas Association (APGA) presented CPS Energy with the APGA System Operational Achievement Recognition (SOAR) for excellence in operating its natural gas utility. Out of approximately 750 APGA members, CPS Energy was selected for SOAR level bronze by its peers on the APGA Operations and Safety Committee.

Visit https://newsroom.cpsenergy.com/cps-energy-wins-award-for-natural-gas-operational-and-safety-excellence/ to view the full article online.

TEP Posts Top-Tier Reliability for 11th Consecutive Year

TEP continues to rank among the most reliable electric service providers in the nation, thanks to the safe, steady service our 447,000 customers have come to expect. Since 2012, we have consistently achieved top-quartile reliability scores when compared to other energy providers, based on the System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI).

Visit https://www.tep.com/news/tep-posts-top-tier-reliability-for-11th-consecutive-year/ to view the full article online.

White Paper

The Price Tag of Phasing-Out Coal

Coal phase-out is necessary to solve climate change, but can have negative impacts on workers and local communities dependent on coal for their livelihoods. Researchers have studied government plans for coal phase-out around the world and discovered that more than half of such plans include monetary compensation to affected parties.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240513105146.htm to view the full article online.

Carbon-Capture Batteries Developed to Store Renewable Energy, Help Climate

Researchers are developing battery technologies to fight climate change in two ways, by expanding the use of renewable energy and capturing airborne carbon dioxide. Researchers recently created and tested two different formulations for batteries that store renewable energy; when the energy is later used, an electrochemical reaction converts industrial carbon dioxide emissions into a solid form that has the potential to be used in other products.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240515164330.htm to view the full article online.

Wind Farms Can Offset Their Emissions Within Two Years

After spinning for under two years, a wind farm can offset the carbon emissions generated across its entire 30-year lifespan, when compared to thermal power plants.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240516122608.htm to view the full article online.

Can Coal Mines be Tapped for Rare Earth Elements?

A team of geologists analyzed 3,500 samples taken in and around coal mines in Utah and Colorado. Their findings open the possibility that these mines could see a secondary resource stream in the form of rare earth metals used in renewable energy and numerous other high-tech applications.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240520155549.htm to view the full article online.

Rocky Mountain Electrical League