Power - Energy News

Governor vetoes bill that would upgrade electric grid

Mon, 06 May 2013 23:40:18 +0000

Gov. Pat Quinn vetoed legislation Sunday that would have increased utility bills and helped Commonwealth Edison improve its electrical grid.

But the bill passed the General Assembly by healthy margins, and legislators could override the veto this month.

Quinn, a Democrat, cited practicality and precedent as he slammed the black ink of his veto stamp onto the bill at a news conference in Chicago. The governor said families and businesses can't afford a rate increase, and he expressed concern about a "very disturbing process" in which ComEd sought relief in the legislature after a disagreement with its regulator, the Illinois Commerce Commission.

Improving the grid is important, Quinn said, but legislated rate increases are the wrong way to do it.

"We cannot allow big utilities to take over and run roughshod over families and businesses," Quinn said before stamping the bill with so much gusto that he sent a pen on the table tumbling to the floor. "We're not going to let the utilities run Illinois."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-quinn-utility-bill-veto-0506-20130506,0,1600384.story

Canadians Build Power Lines Using Helicopters

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 01:29:05 +0000

Helicopters are being used to assist in the construction of a major overhead power line project in the Canadian province of Alberta.

The CA$596 million Heartland Transmission Project promises to connect the region’s key “heartland” industrial hub, situated to the northwest of Fort Saskatchewan, with the Ellerslie Substation via high capacity overhead transmission lines.

To complete the huge infrastructure project, Edmonton utilities company EPCOR has enlisted the help of helicopters to help connect the electrical wires between transmission towers.

“We’re using a helicopter to string ropes from tower to tower, which will be used eventually to pull electrical wires from tower to tower,” said EPCOR representative Tim Leriche.

The helicopters will be employed intermittently over a period of several months as work on the project progresses. According to Leriche, they provide key advantages in terms of safety and speed.

“You reduce the fatigue factor for ground crews having to go from tower to tower, it’s quicker and just overall, it’s just a safer way for us to do things,” he said.

http://designbuildsource.com.au/canadians-build-power-lines-using-helicopters

2nd Southwest power line to carry wind power

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 23:15:48 +0000

Two industry partners are proposing to carry wind-generated electricity from Wyoming's southwest corner to the Las Vegas area on a 950-mile transmission line.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports ( http://bit.ly/11F8omd) that Duke Energy and American Transmission Co. are teaming up to build the $3.5 billion Zephyr Project power line through Utah.

The companies are working with Pathfinder Renewable Wind Energy, which is seeking to build hundreds of wind turbines on 234 square miles near Chugwater, Wyo., and export the power.

American Transmission says it hasn't sought regulatory approvals yet.

Most of the corridor would cross federal land alongside the TransWest Express Transmission Project, another 3,000-megawatt power line expected to carry Wyoming's wind power to the Southwest.

American Transmission says the Zephyr line would tap into a grid in the Eldorado Valley south of Las Vegas.

http://www.laramieboomerang.com/articles/2013/04/23/ap-state-wy/ut_western_power_line_.txt

NY commission OKs power line from Canada to NYC

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 02:33:00 +0000

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York's Public Service Commission has approved a plan to build an electricity transmission line from Canada to New York City.

The 330-mile power line from Quebec to Queens would run mostly under Lake Champlain and the Hudson River. It still needs federal approvals.

The $2 billion Champlain-Hudson Power Express is proposed by Albany-based Transmission Developers Inc. and has been two years in the making. The aim is to ease bottlenecks and lower the cost of electricity into power-thirsty New York City.

It is opposed by some upstate lawmakers who say it will make New York dependent on Canada for electricity and cost some jobs here.

And the Independent Power Producers of New York trade group favors updating New York City power stations instead of installing the transmission line.

http://online.wsj.com/article/AP273769d921b44122a1a15bb1ba215c4a.html

Transmission line may pass through Albany County

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 02:02:03 +0000

A proposed 3,000-megawatt transmission line that would connect a wind energy development near Chugwater with an electrical grid near Las Vegas could pass through northern Albany County.

The Zephyr Power Transmission Project, planned by Duke-American Transmission Company, has been proposed to conduct power generated at Pathfinder Renewable Wind Project, located south of Wheatland, with California markets. It would be 850 miles long and pass through Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and Nevada, carrying enough power to supply 1.4 million homes.

Duke-American is seeking public input in a series of open houses in 18 counties along the proposed route. The goal is to initiate federal and state right-of-way permitting this year and begin construction in 2017.

Project director Chris Jones said Pathfinder has the rights to about 70 percent of the capacity of the high-voltage DC line, which would feed renewable energy demands in southern California.

“That’s the big market,” he said.

DC lines are about five percent more efficient than AC lines, especially over long distances, according to Duke-American.

The proposed route heads west from Chugwater, passing through Albany County just north of Wheatland Reservoir No. 2. In Carbon County, it would pass north of Medicine Bow before turning south and passing just south of Hanna.

It would cross Interstate 80 between Walcott and Sinclair, run parallel to the interstate until Creston, and then turn south again, passing in to Colorado near the Carbon County-Sweetwater County border. The route would swing through northwestern Colorado and head southwest across Utah.

Jones said about 60 percent of the proposed route is on federal land, with one-third on private land and the rest on state land.

http://www.laramieboomerang.com/articles/2013/04/14/news/doc516a23fada93d699068797.txt

Emergency Alert to Conserve Energy After PG&E Substation Vandalize

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 01:05:10 +0000

About 10,000 gallons of oil leaked Tuesday morning from a transformer at a San Jose PG&E substation, which authorities said was vandalized, most likely damaged by gunfire.

The damage prompted the California Independent Service Operator to issue a "Flex Alert" Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. because of the heavy damage at the substation on Metcalf Road.

The agency asked everyone in Northern California, but especially in Silicon Valley, to conserve energy as crews worked to fix the substation's damaged equipment. Power was rerouted as the work is being done.

PG&E spokesman JD Guidi said "it does appear that there were gunshots to our facility." In addition to the leak, at least five transformers were damaged.

The gunshots were reported at 1:46 a.m. near Monterey and Blanchard roads.

911 Calls Down From Land Lines in South Santa Clara County

Two hours after the gunfire was reported, PG&E called the sheriff's office to report that their security fence had been "breached" in the 100 block of Metcalf Road near U.S. Highway 101, according to Santa Clara County Sheriff's Det. Kurtis Stenderup.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Gunshots-Vandalism-at-PGE-Substation-in-San-Jose-203200601.html

New plan proposed to speed up undergrounding of power lines in San Die

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 15:23:39 +0000

SAN DIEGO - A new plan to speed up the process of moving overhead power lines in some of San Diego’s older neighborhoods underground has been proposed.

Many residents in some neighborhoods like Point Loma were promised years ago that overhead power lines would be placed underground, but those promises changed. In some neighborhoods, most residents won't be alive when the lines are finally undergrounded.

"They're absolutely everywhere and something we have to live with every single day," said lifelong Point Loma resident Ellie Ambler.

Power lines stretch right across Ambler's front yard.

As in other older neighborhoods, residents in Ambler’s area were told more than 20 years ago that the power lines would be put underground in just a few years.

However, they're still here.

"I've just been so disappointed over the decades of thinking we were going to have the power lines underground," said Point Lomas resident Jim Peugh.

Both Ambler and Peugh are constituents of City Councilman Kevin Faulconer, who has been working on a new plan to speed up the process of putting the power lines underground.

"We shouldn't be looking at … we're just going to do one neighborhood in one council district, one in another council district. We should be looking at how do we bring these all together and bring in more neighborhoods all at once?" Faulconer said.

http://www.10news.com/news/new-plan-proposed-to-speed-up-undergrounding-of-power-lines-in-san-diego-041113

PUC scales back Xcel Energy rate increase request

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 14:20:39 +0000

The overall increase for customers will be 9.06 percent. The company sought an increase of 11.53 percent.

The new charges, which include a 6.86 percent increase in base rates and a 2.2 percent increase to help the company recover costs for infrastructure and property taxes, will take effect May 1. Next year, rates will be 1.44 percent higher because of the infrastructure rider.

Xcel agreed that it would not seek an increase in base rates that would go into effect before 2015.

The increased rates will allow the company to bring in $15.3 million in additional revenue this year.

http://www.argusleader.com/article/20130412/BJUPDATES/130412015/PUC-scales-back-Xcel-Energy-rate-increase-request?nclick_check=1

FortisBC takes over Kelowna electric utility assets

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 01:41:09 +0000

FortisBC completed the purchase of the City of Kelownas electrical utility assets on March 29, 2013 after the successful completion of public approval processes by both the BC Utilities Commission (BCUC) and the City of Kelowna through its alternative approval process. For the past decade, FortisBC has operated and maintained the City of Kelownas electrical utility assets. The completion of this transaction allows FortisBC to directly serve the approximate 15,000 customers formerly served by the City of Kelowna.

The successful transfer of the Citys electrical utility to FortisBC is great news for the taxpayers of Kelowna and our utility customers, said Mayor Walter Gray. Taxpayers will benefit from the long-term financial earnings resulting from the reinvestment of the proceeds and customers will receive safe and reliable electricity from an experienced owner and operator.

This transaction provides benefits to our new customers in the City of Kelowna and our existing customers throughout FortisBCs service territory by mitigating future rate increases and providing continuity of service in the Kelowna area, said John Walker, President and CEO of FortisBC.

http://hqkelowna.com/home/local/news/local/news/v/Local/164131/FortisBC-takes-over-Kelowna-electric-utility-assets

Rural dagger

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:21:20 +0000

A LATE bill introduced into the Colorado Senate could send electric power rates skyrocketing for rural residents and businesses.

Senate Bill 252 would create a renewable energy standard of 25 percent by 2020 for Tri-State Generation and Transmission customers, which include San Isabel, San Luis Valley and Southeast Colorado Power electric co-ops. Right now distribution cooperatives have a 10 percent standard by 2020 that was put in place in 1997, with the support of co-ops.

But now this more than doubling of renewable energy capacity would force Tri-State to comply with a Colorado-only standard, which could be unachievable. This would cost Tri-State billions of dollars to reach.

Tri-State would be forced to construct many new plants, both utilizing renewables and probably natural gas generators to balance out intermittent supplies typical of renewables.

Of course, the end users would have to foot the bill. This is a direct assault on rural Colorado.

This legislation had no input from rural constituencies. It was written behind closed doors with the environmental special interests.

http://www.chieftain.com/opinion/editorials/rural-dagger/article_647dc4f4-9e55-11e2-aec7-0019bb2963f4.html