Alltricity Network eNews

Industry Information

Interior Announces Nearly $850M to Revitalize Aging Water Infrastructure

The funding supports 77 projects in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, and Washington. It is meant to improve water conveyance and storage, increase safety, improve hydropower generation, and provide water treatment.

Visit https://www.hydroreview.com/dams-and-civil-structures/interior-announces-nearly-850m-to-revitalize-aging-water-infrastructure/ to view the full article online.

NERC Adopts 2 New Standards to Boost Extreme Weather Reliability

The board of the North American Electric Reliability Corp. adopted two new standards focused on extreme weather reliability and three updates to standards focused on critical infrastructure protection and energy assurance.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/nerc-adopts-new-standards-to-boost-extreme-weather-reliability/735603/ to view the full article online.

NERC Warns of ‘Urgent Need’ for New Energy Resources over the Next Decade

According to NERC’s 2024 Long-Term Reliability Assessment (LTRA), “well over half” of the continent is at elevated or high risk of energy shortfalls over the next five to 10 years. The assessment highlights critical reliability challenges the power industry will face over the next decade, including satisfying rising energy growth, managing generator requirements, and removing barriers to resource and transmission development.

Visit https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/policy-regulation/nerc-warns-of-urgent-need-for-new-energy-resources-over-the-next-decade/ to view the full article online.

Solar and Battery Storage to Make Up 81% of New U.S. Electric-Generating Capacity in 2024

Developers and power plant owners plan to add 62.8 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale electric-generating capacity in 2024, according to our latest Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory. This addition would be 55% more added capacity than the 40.4 GW added in 2023 (the most since 2003) and points to a continued rise in industry activity.

Visit https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=64126 to view the full article online.

Climate-Friendly Electricity Sees Big Battery Projects Soar Again for 2024

2024 was another banner year for a source of electricity that is better for people’s lungs, better for climate change and may be reaching your home when you turn on the lights or turn up the thermostat — large banks of batteries. This ability to store large amounts of electricity in batteries was essentially nonexistent a decade ago, but the country had about 24 gigawatt-hours operating as of the end of November, up a whopping 71% over the same date in 2023.

Visit https://www.power-eng.com/energy-storage/batteries/climate-friendly-electricity-sees-big-battery-projects-soar-again-for-2024/ to view the full article online.

Texas, Utah, Last Energy Challenge NRC’s ‘Overburdensome’ Microreactor Regulations

A 69-year-old Nuclear Regulatory Commission rule underpinning U.S. nuclear reactor licensing exceeds the agency’s statutory authority and creates an unreasonable burden for microreactor developers, the states of Texas and Utah and advanced nuclear technology company Last Energy said in a lawsuit filed Dec. 30 in federal court in Texas.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/texas-utah-last-energy-nrc-overburdensome-microreactor-nuclear-regulation/736545/ to view the full article online.

Nuclear Becomes Eligible for Hydrogen Tax Credits Under Updated U.S. Rules

The final rules for the tax credit which have now been released by the US Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) "include significant changes and flexibilities that address several key issues to help grow the industry and move projects forward, while adhering to the law's emissions requirements for qualifying clean hydrogen'" the Treasury said.

Visit https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/nuclear-eligible-under-updated-us-hydrogen-credit-rules to view the full article online.

Microgrids Boost Grid Reliability, Lower Costs: Colorado Road Map

Microgrids can improve power system reliability, make isolated communities more resilient and ensure continued operation of critical infrastructure across large swaths of rural Colorado at risk of grid outages, state agencies said in a Jan. 2 road map.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/microgrids-boost-grid-reliability-lower-costs-colorado-road-map/736677/ to view the full article online.

Member Announcements

SVP and Regional Manager Selected for WAPA’s Colorado River Storage Project

The Western Area Power Administration announced the selection of Rodney Bailey as Senior Vice President and Regional Manager for the Colorado River Storage Project Management Center. Known as CRSP MC, the office oversees the marketing of approximately 5,400 gigawatt hours annually from 15 hydroelectric dams located throughout Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming and Texas.

Visit https://www.wapa.gov/svp-regional-manager-selected-for-colorado-river-storage-project/ to view the full article online.

CPS Energy Secures 120 MW of Battery Energy Storage with San Antonio-Based Developer of Clean Energy Projects, OCI Energy

CPS Energy, the largest municipally owned electric and natural gas utility in the United States, has entered into a long-term storage capacity agreement (SCA) with OCI Energy for a 120 megawatt (MW) – 480 megawatt-hour (MWh) – battery energy storage project called “Alamo City ESS LLC” which will be located in south Bexar County, Texas.

Visit https://newsroom.cpsenergy.com/cps-energy-battery-storage/ to view the full article online.

Pinnacle West and APS Announce Leadership Succession

Pinnacle West Capital Corp. (NYSE: PNW) announced that Pinnacle West and Arizona Public Service (APS) Chairman and CEO Jeff Guldner will retire as Chairman of the Board, CEO and board member on March 31, 2025, after 5 years of leading the company. APS President Ted Geisler will assume the roles of Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pinnacle West and APS effective April 1, 2025.

Visit https://www.aps.com/en/About/Our-Company/Newsroom/Articles/Pinnacle_West_and-APS_Announce_Leadership_Succession to view the full article online.

Xcel Energy’s Monticello Nuclear Plant Receives Federal Approval to Extend Operations

The federal approval allows the plant to operate an additional 20 years, through 2050, provided the plant’s extended operation is also approved by state regulators. Monticello’s continued operation will ensure that nuclear energy plays a foundational role in Xcel Energy’s transition to 100% carbon-free electricity.

Visit https://corporate.my.xcelenergy.com/s/about/newsroom/press-release/xcel-energy-s-monticello-nuclear-plant-receives-federal-approval-to-extend-opera-MCJUO44CSYL5EC7GVEIXYC3NJRVQ to view the full article online.

OPPD Named No. 1 in Residential Customer Satisfaction by J.D. Power Among Midwest Electric Utilities

OPPD ranked number one overall in the Midwest Midsize segment in 2024 and also topped the list in the subcategories of billing and payment, price and communication. The J.D. Power U.S. Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study surveys customers to measure residential customer satisfaction across six categories: power quality and reliability; price; billing and payment; communications; corporate citizenship; and customer care.

Visit https://www.oppd.com/news-resources/news-releases/2024/december/oppd-named-no-1-in-residential-customer-satisfaction-by-jd-power-among-midwest-electric-utilities/ to view the full article online.

Deriva, Tri-State Announce Start of Commercial Operations at Spanish Peaks Solar Projects 

Deriva Energy, a Charlotte-based renewable generation developer, owner and operator, and Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, a not-for-profit wholesale power supply cooperative, have announced the start of commercial operations for the 140-megawatt (MW) Spanish Peaks Solar projects in Las Animas County, Colo., which will provide energy to Tri-State’s members under two long-term power purchase agreements.   

Visit https://tristate.coop/deriva-tri-state-announce-start-commercial-operations-spanish-peaks-solar-projects to view the full article online.

White Paper

So You Want to Build a Solar or Wind Farm? Here's How to Decide Where

A new study shows the benefits of coordinating the siting of solar farms, wind farms, and storage systems, taking into account local and temporal variations in wind, sunlight, and energy demand. This approach maximizes the utilization of renewable resources and reduces costs.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241206111936.htm to view the full article online.

Step Forward in Generating Solar-Powered Hydrogen

Another advance has been made by experts in nano-scale chemistry to propel further development of sustainable and efficient generation of hydrogen from water using solar power. Experts have now identified a novel solar cell process to potentially use in future technologies for photocatalytic water splitting in green hydrogen production.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241217201514.htm to view the full article online.

Training Solar Panels to Dance with the Wind

Researchers propose a unique numerical decision-making framework for solar panel protection against extreme weather conditions. The framework combines advanced wind simulations with machine learning to optimize individual solar panel angles under strong winds. Unlike previous methods, this new method treats panels as independent decision-makers and identifies creative, data-driven solutions to reduce stress, significantly outperforming current safeguards.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241217130902.htm to view the full article online.

Rocky Mountain Electrical League