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☆ PG&E Seeks Approval to Sell Stake in Its Power Operations
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Ivan Penn | More About Ivan Penn | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Pacific Gas & Electric announced plans on Tuesday to sell a minority stake in its power-generation business, part of its strategy to reduce electricity rates, continue wildfire prevention and further develop clean energy. The exclusive deal with the global investment firm KKR is part of PG&E’s plan to transfer its nonnuclear power generation to a newly formed subsidiary, Pacific Generation. The proposals for the subsidiary and the KKR stake require approval by the California Public Utilities Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. KKR, which manages $59 billion in assets, operates a global infrastructure business with expertise in the utility and renewable energy industry. PG&E said in a statement that the investment firm’s access to capital gave it the ability to take a long-term approach in its strategies.

Persons: ” Carolyn Burke Organizations: Gas & Electric, KKR, Pacific, California Public Utilities Commission, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

☆ How a climate tech founder is growing his advisory board, including Larry Summers
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Ian Thomas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

But meeting that lofty challenge is increasingly not just a function of Kemper's gained expertise in renewables and clean technology from stints at the UN and financing clean energy projects in developing countries before founding Palmetto, he told us recently. Building the proper sounding board is critical for any leader, especially as challenges and opportunities for business are emerging quicker than ever. For Kemper, his approach has been to build a network around him where "the world is kind of one degree away." Kemper said Summers' expertise will be crucial as the company looks to navigate the continually murky waters of economic policy moving forward. Decarbonization is not only vital for environmental sustainability but also for stabilizing global long-term economic growth," Summers said in a statement.

Persons: Chris Kemper, Kemper, Kemper's, You've, Neil Chatterjee, Nirav Tolia, Monica Williams, Larry Summers, Bill Clinton's, President Obama, Summers, Larry, there's Organizations: Palmetto, UN, U.S . Federal Energy Regulatory, Equity, National Economic Council, President, World Bank

☆ New data centers require billions of dollars in utility system upgrades. You may end up paying for it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Daniel Geiger | Ellen Thomas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

A record surge of data center construction is underway to provide the computing and storage that underpins society's fast-expanding digital footprint and powers artificial intelligence. In areas of the country where data centers have clustered, utilities have unveiled plans to spend billions of dollars to keep up. asked David Springe, the executive director of the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates. "Then you have the data centers that are having exponential load growth," Nelson said. Data centers also don't deliver the number of long term jobs – a key yardstick for public benefits – that other industries do.

Persons: Mike DeWine, David Springe, they're, Ryan Augsburger, Augsburger, Ron Nelson, Strategen, ratepayers, Nelson, Steve Helber, That's, PJM, David Lapp, Lapp, Jeffrey Shields, Shields, Kantele Franko, Shelby Moore, Meta, behemoth Blackstone, QTS, John Gavan, Daniel Tait, Tait Organizations: Amazon, Ohioans, Business, Wall, Boston Consulting Group, National Association of State, Consumer, Ohio Manufacturers ' Association, Web Services, Energy, Dominion Energy, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Tech, Wall Street titans, American Electric Power, Buckeye Power, AEP, Buckeye, AEP Ohio, Staff, Intel, Policy Institute Locations: Ohio, ratepayers, Chester , Va, Virginia, PJM, Chicago, New Jersey, New York City, Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Columbus , Ohio, Denver, New Albany , Ohio, Minnesota, Columbus, Mississippi

☆ Opinion | America’s Energy Needs and Climate Goals
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

To the Editor:Re “Energy Appetite in U.S. Endangers Goals on Climate” (front page, March 18):The projected new growth in power demand does present new challenges, but we have the policy tools to address them and still achieve U.S. climate goals. New power sector standards from the Environmental Protection Agency and a long-needed new transmission rule from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will help the grid become more resilient and reliable. Utilities, regional grid operators and federal energy agencies need to plan ahead and better assess future power needs. And it’s not just power demand challenging the power sector: Climate change is posing unprecedented challenges to the reliability and resilience of the grid. Climate will remain at the center of the challenges facing the grid in the 21st century, and it must remain at the center of our solutions, too.

Organizations: Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

☆ How Hedge Funds Are Betting on Electricity and the Changing Power Grid
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Alex Morrell | Bradley Saacks | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +19 min

A onetime commodities backwater, congestion trading has become a growing business in recent years as the demand for electricity and volatility on the power grid in the US has soared. The financial category, which includes specialized power-trading companies, banks, hedge funds, and large proprietary trading firms, dominates the market, in part because the physical power firms typically operate in only one or two regions. He launched three congestion trading teams for the firm, including in California and Texas after those states introduced congestion trading in 2008 and 2010, respectively. Citadel, along with Susquehanna International Group and Tower Research, has been involved in FTR trading since the market's infancy. Volatility has been increasing on the power grid, in part because of changing weather patterns, Jeev added.

Persons: Kumar Jeev, Jane Street, Richard Roseblade, who's, There's, Roseblade, Bill Clark, Jeev, DC Energy's Tyler Kuhn, DRW, California Al Seib, Brevan Howard, Jane, Stephanie Staska, Staska, couldn't, Joe Biden's, It's, Meredith Angwin, Angwin Organizations: Business, Capital, Midwest, Citadel, Tower Research, Yes Energy, Energy, Anadolu, Getty, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC, Nasdaq, York Stock Exchange, Nvidia, Johns Hopkins University, DC Energy, Wayfair, Squarepoint, Appian, Boston Energy, Susquehanna International Group, DC, Bloomberg, Commodities, Traders, Wall Street, Workers, GreenHat Energy, JPMorgan, Hill Energy Resource & Services, P, Grid, & $ Locations: Wall, East Coast, DRW, Susquehanna, FTRs, New York, Canada, Texas, Virginia, California, Berlin, Chicago, Oregon, California Al, Ukraine, Russian, Uri, Northern Virginia

☆ Biden Taps Phillips as Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chair
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

The Political Peril of the Biden ProbeAn unredacted report on Biden’s handling of classified materials recommended closing the case without charges. But the political consequences from its blunt portrayal of the president are likely far from over.

Organizations: Biden

☆ A Goldman Sachs-backed electricity firm is making a play to reach more Americans’ homes
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Hugh Son | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

That covers energy networks, mostly in the Northeast, that provide electricity for 190 million Americans, according to federal data. It also gets Goldman into an industry, albeit through an intermediary, that critics have called a hotbed of consumer abuse. The startup, which began offering retail energy plans to Texans in 2021, avoids the teaser rates and hidden fees of rivals, it has said. "Many of those companies operate businesses that serve retail customers. Private equity firms have transformed the energy landscape in the nation's largest power markets.

Persons: Omar Marques, Goldman Sachs, Goldman, watchdogs, James Bride, Marcus, David Solomon, Dennis Wamsted, Tyson Slocum Organizations: Lightrocket, Getty, Energy, CNBC, Texans, U.S . Energy Information Administration, New, Institute for Energy Economics, Utilities, Federal Energy Regulatory, Street, Public Citizen Locations: Texas, Houston, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland

☆ Your energy costs could become a lot more unpredictable
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

For more than a decade, Americans could rely on cheap natural-gas prices to heat their homes and power businesses. Prices shot up exponentially, and homeowners, renters, and businesses are still seeing the ripple effects on their utility bills — even though natural-gas prices have since fallen. Just six years later, the US surpassed Qatar to become the world's leading exporter of natural gas. Slocum added that natural-gas exports put upward pressure on prices, citing recent reports by the US Energy Information Administration and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission . The higher costs between 2021 and late 2023 are due to the energy crisis in Europe and "cannot explicitly be linked" with greater US gas exports, the spokesperson said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Tyson Slocum, Goldman Sachs, Slocum, Mike Sommers Organizations: Service, Business, LNG, US Energy Information Administration, Federal Energy Regulatory, American Petroleum Institute, CNBC, Energy, Consumer Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Europe, Texas, New Mexico, Qatar

☆ Biden pauses approval of new LNG export projects in win for climate activists
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

President Joe Biden paused pending approvals of exports from new liquefied natural gas projects on Friday, a move cheered by climate activists that could delay decisions on new plants until after the Nov. 5 election. Biden said in a statement: "During this period, we will take a hard look at the impacts of LNG exports on energy costs, America's energy security, and our environment." "We are committed to strengthening energy security here in the U.S. and with our allies," Granholm said. The last review of LNG export projects was in 2018 when export capacity was 4 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd). But the commission's panel of three regulators, which almost always approves LNG projects, could approve it as soon as February, which would then put its approval in the hands of the DOE.

Persons: Joe Biden, Jennifer Granholm, Biden, Granholm, Ben Jealous, Sempra, CP2 Organizations: US Department of Energy, Department of Energy, DOE, Energy, Companies, U.S, Sierra, Sempra Infrastructure, Commonwealth LNG, Venture, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Venture Global Locations: Washington ,, Europe, Asia, U.S, wean, Russia, Ukraine, Louisiana, Alaska, Calcasieu, United States, Germany

☆ New York’s Near Zombie Apocalypse
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Journal Editorial Report: The week’s best and worst from Kim Strassel, Allysia Finley and Dan Henninger. Images: AP/Zuma Press Composite: Mark KellyImagine if nearly half of New York City lost heat for months during the winter. That’s not the plot of a new survival drama. Such a catastrophe nearly occurred last Christmas, according to an alarming recent report by energy regulators that deserves more attention. It was the fifth time in 11 years that power plant failures caused by cold weather jeopardized grid reliability.

Persons: Kim Strassel, Allysia Finley, Dan Henninger, Mark Kelly, Elliott Organizations: Zuma, New York, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC, North American Electric Reliability Corporation Locations: New, New York City

DETROIT (AP) — The former owner of a Michigan dam is on the hook for roughly $120 million sought by the state for environmental damage when the structure failed after days of rain in 2020, a judge said. But it's not known how the state will ever collect: Lee Mueller has filed for bankruptcy protection in Nevada. After three days of rain, the Edenville Dam collapsed in May 2020, releasing a torrent that overtopped the downstream Sanford Dam and flooded the city of Midland, located about 128 miles (206.00 kilometers) northwest of Detroit. Wixom Lake, a reservoir behind the Edenville Dam, disappeared. The state insists that the Edenville Dam collapsed as a result of poor maintenance and a lack of critical repairs.

Persons: it's, Lee Mueller, ”, Troy Fox, Paul Maloney, Mueller, Phil Roos, Ed White Organizations: DETROIT, District, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Locations: Michigan, Nevada, Sanford, Midland, Detroit, Wixom Lake

☆ North American grid regulator tests physical, cyber security preparedness
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 16 (Reuters) - The North American Electric Reliability Corp (NERC) said on Thursday it has concluded a two-day simulation with power sector entities to stress-test their emergency response and recovery plans for physical and cyber security attacks. We must continue to be vigilant," said NERC senior vice president Manny Cancel, who leads its Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC). The E-ISAC's GridEx, the biggest grid security exercise in North America, took place on Nov. 14-15 with more than 250 participants, including electric and natural gas companies government agencies. NERC warned of evolving cyber threats to the electric grid, "guided by geopolitical events, new vulnerabilities, changes in technologies, and increasingly bold cyber criminals and hackers." In an August report, NERC pushed to develop standards for the power sector on mitigating risk from cloud adoption and artificial intelligence technologies, along with cyber security training for the workforce.

Persons: NERC, Manny Cancel, GridEx, David Gregorio Our Organizations: North American Electric Reliability Corp, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, U.S . Department of Energy, Thomson Locations: Maryland, North Carolina, Washington, South Carolina, North America, Bengaluru

☆ Make America Build Again
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +37 min

America is the sixth-most-expensive place in the world to build subways and trolleys. The solutions will cost trillions of dollars and require a pace of building unseen in America since World War II. Perhaps the single most pressing question we face today is: How do we make America build again? "For this class of projects, federal environmental laws are more the exception." The prospect of overhauling our hard-won environmental laws might feel like sacrilege to anyone who cares about the Earth.

Persons: Anne, Marie Griger's, Griger, —, They're, Obama, I'm, we've, We've, I'd, It's, Matt Harrison Clough, Jamie Pleune, AECOM, Joe Biden's, There's, David Adelman, David Spence, Spence, James Coleman, NECA, Coleman, everyone's, Danielle Stokes, Nobody, Bill McKibben, Mother Jones, McKibben, Michael Gerrard, Columbia University —, they've, David Pettit, it's, Zachary Liscow, That's who's, Adam Rogers Organizations: RES Group, Environmental, Infrastructure Investment, Jobs, Land Management, Forest Service, University of Utah, Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, Brookings, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, White, University of Texas, Greenpeace, Natural Resources Defense Council, Act, NEPA, Berkeley, University of California, University of Southern, Southern Methodist University, Ecosystems Conservation, GOP, Biden, Motorola, Telecommunications, Conservatives, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC, University of Richmond, UC Berkeley, USC, Star, Sabin, Climate, Columbia University, Natural Resources Defense, Republicans, Democrats, Management, Budget, Yale Law School Locations: Panama, Colorado, . California, Los Angeles, San Francisco, China, America, Washington, , Wyoming, Nantucket, New England, San Francisco ., University of Southern California, California, New York, Florida, Southern California, Las Vegas

☆ BP, Edison, Shell ask US, EU to intervene in Venture Global LNG dispute
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Venture Global LNG has said the Louisiana plant is not fully operational due to faulty power equipment that is being repaired. Their appeals sought to get The Hague and Washington to pressure Venture Global LNG on the contracts. In its letter, Shell accused Venture Global LNG of diverting resources into building a second LNG export plant rather than completing repairs to its first plant. Officials from the EU and U.S. indicated they view the dispute as "a contractual matter between commercial parties," a Venture Global LNG spokesperson said on Saturday. Venture Global LNG is operating the Calcasieu Pass plant at capacity, it has told U.S. regulators.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Carol Howe, Michael Sabel, Robert Pender, Gary McWilliams, Diane Craft Organizations: BP, REUTERS, Rights, Edison, Shell, Venture Global LNG, U.S, EU, Force, Energy Security, Venture Global, Global, Reuters, Venture Global Co, Energy Regulatory, Thomson Locations: Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada, U.S, EU, Arlington , Virginia, Louisiana, Hague, Washington, Calcasieu, Europe

☆ Two-thirds of North America could face power shortages this winter -NERC
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

In its 2023-24 winter outlook, the regulatory authority warned that prolonged, wide-area cold snaps threaten the reliability of bulk power generation and availability of fuel supplies for natural gas-fired generation. "Recent extreme cold weather events have shown that energy delivery disruptions can have devastating consequences for electric and gas consumers in impacted areas," NERC said. It put the U.S. Midwest, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and South, along with some Canadian provinces, at the highest risk for electricity supply shortages this winter. NERC also found that load forecasting in winter is growing in complexity, and underestimating demand is a risk to reliability in extreme cold temperatures. Flows of gas into pipelines were reduced during Elliott, while demand for the fuel for heating and power generation increased, dramatically lowering line pressures.

Persons: Greenlee Beal, NERC, John Moura, Storm Elliott, Elliott, Anjana Anil, Scott DiSavino, Leslie Adler, Marguerita Choy Organizations: PIKE Energy, REUTERS, North American Electric Reliability Corp, U.S ., PJM, Reliability Corp, Texas, Federal Energy Regulatory, Storm, Consolidated Edison, Thomson Locations: Texas, San Antonio , Texas, U.S, Canada, U.S . Midwest, Northeast, South, New England, MISO , New York, New York City, Bengaluru, New York

☆ How shipping more US natural gas to Europe helped fuel CO2 pollution
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Tim Mclaughlin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The administration approved five U.S. LNG export licenses to serve the European market following Russia's invasion, having approved none beforehand. U.S. special climate envoy John Kerry told Reuters last year that greenhouse gas emissions were an inevitable "downside" to increasing LNG exports to European allies. CO2 emissions from the energy-intensive process of liquefying gas for export mark only one stage in the industry's overall climate impact. Critics argue that it is unclear whether the U.S. gas export boom to Europe is displacing coal or delaying a transition to renewables like solar and wind. NextDecade Corp has said its proposed terminal near Brownsville, Texas, could remove more than 90% of its expected 6.4 million tons per year of carbon emissions.

Persons: Arathy, Biden, John Kerry, Robert Fee, Critics, Alexandra Shaykevich, Sempra, Susan Richardson, Tim McLaughlin, Richard Valdmanis, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: Reuters, Cheniere Energy, United, U.S . Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Energy Regulatory, Biden White, LNG, The Energy Department, FERC, U.S, Energy Information Administration, Reuters Graphics, Washington, Venture Global, CCS, SEC, Talos Energy, NextDecade, Thomson Locations: Freeport, U.S, Freeport , Texas, United States, Russia, Ukraine, Europe, Texas, Cameron, Louisiana, Brownsville , Texas

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Federal regulators have approved the expansion of a natural gas pipeline in the Pacific Northwest over the protest of environmental groups and top officials in West Coast states. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission gave it the green light in a vote on Thursday. The pipeline belongs to TC Energy of Calgary, Canada — the same company behind the now-abandoned Keystone XL crude oil pipeline. The agency’s final environmental assessment revised that number downward by roughly half in calculations contested by environmental groups. In a joint letter to the federal agency the day before its vote, Democratic U.S.

Persons: Senators Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell, Washington, ”, Audrey Leonard, Leonard, fracking Organizations: —, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, TC Energy, Keystone, Federal Energy Regulatory, Democratic U.S, Senators, Columbia Locations: PORTLAND, Pacific Northwest, West Coast, Idaho , Washington and Oregon, Calgary, Canada, Kootenai County , Idaho, Walla Walla County , Washington, Sherman County , Oregon, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Washington , Oregon, California , Oregon

[1/3] Brett Isaac, founder and co-CEO of Navajo Power, attends the first annual Tribal Energy Equity Summit in Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S., May 22, 2023. Tribes cannot access key incentives for larger clean energy projects until they secure an agreement to connect to the regional electrical grid. That could jeopardize a "once in a lifetime opportunity,” according to Cheri Smith, president of the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy, a nonprofit that is helping tribes develop clean energy. The Standing Rock Sioux have so far spent $3 million on technical studies and fees to remain in the queue, with no guarantee of approval. A NEW DAYThe Standing Rock Sioux tribe's development authority, called SAGE, proposed the 235MW wind farm three years ago.

Persons: Brett Isaac, Sarah Arnoff Yeoman, Cheri Smith, Smith, Joe McNeil, McNeil, Eileen Briggs, Greg Anderson, Alliance's Smith, Jeremiah Baumann ,, Willie Phillips, Alliance’s Smith, Celeste Miller, It’s, ”, Valerie Volcovici, Richard Valdmanis, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: Navajo Power, Tribal Energy Equity Summit, REUTERS, Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy, Reuters, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Energy Information Administration, SAGE, Dakota, Interior Department, Southwest, Sierra Club Foundation, Wallace Global Fund, Bush Foundation, Moapa, Tesla, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Energy, Interior, Infrastructure, DOE, FERC, Thomson Locations: Navajo, Saint Paul , Minnesota, U.S, Sioux, North, South Dakota, United States, Phoenix, Bismarck , North Dakota, philanthropies, Paiute, Nevada, Las Vegas, St, Paul , Minnesota

Hawaiian Electric CEO Shelee Kimura received a cash bonus in 2022 based on her performance against 10 measures including profit and customer satisfaction. Wildfire risk mitigation was not on the list, according to the utility’s pay disclosures. Wildfire risk had been a concern for several years before the blaze ripped through Lahaina, a historic resort town in Maui. Idacorp declined to comment on its pay practices and how they relate to wildfire mitigation. “You don’t want a wildfire disaster to be the catalyst for a change in public policy,” said Glazer, who supports linking executive pay to wildfire mitigation.

Persons: Mike Blake, ”, Alison Silverstein, Shelee Kimura, Kimura, “, Michael Cerasoli, Michael Underhill, Brian Buckham, ” Buckham, Idacorp, Larry Glazer, Glazer, Tim McLaughlin, Tom Hals, Peter Henderson, Noeleen Walder, Rich Valdmanis, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Workers, REUTERS, Hawaiian Electric, U.S . Federal Energy Regulatory, Electric, Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, San Diego Gas &, Global Renewable Energy Income Fund, Reuters, Capital Innovations, SEC, Portland General Electric Co, Boston’s Mayflower Advisors, Thomson Locations: Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, U.S, California, Honolulu, Maui ., Idaho , Oregon, Washington, Idaho

☆ Biden administration officials think that Joe Manchin, a key player in crafting the Inflation Reduction Act, has sometimes misinterpreted stipulations of the law, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Biden admin officials feel that Joe Manchin has sometimes misinterpreted provisions of the IRA. Manchin sees the law as one focused on energy and says Biden wants it to be centered on climate. "This was about energy security and we have not heard a word about energy security out of their mouths since it was passed. His criticism of the White House can only serve to boost his standing in deep red West Virginia, as Biden remains unpopular in the state. But Manchin isn't pumping the brakes on his frustrations with Biden over the implementation of the law.

Persons: Joe Manchin, Manchin, Chuck Schumer, Biden, Sen, Joe Biden's, —, Virginia lawmaker's, Janet Yellen, Hannity, Richard Glick Organizations: Service, West Virginia Democrat, Democratic, White House, Washington, Fox News, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Democratic officeholder, Democratic Party, West Locations: Wall, Silicon, Virginia, West Virginia

☆ A Bottleneck on the Grid Threatens Clean Energy. New Rules Aim to Help.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Brad Plumer | More About Brad Plumer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Federal regulators on Thursday approved new rules to speed up the process for connecting wind and solar projects to the electric grid, in an attempt to reduce the growing delays that have become one of the biggest obstacles to building renewable energy in the United States. Energy companies are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in wind farms, solar arrays and batteries, spurred on by federal tax breaks and falling costs. But these projects face a severe bottleneck: It is getting harder and taking longer to connect new power plants to the power lines that carry electricity to homes and businesses. More than 10,000 energy projects — mostly wind, solar and batteries — were seeking permission to connect to electric grids at the end of 2022, up from 5,600 two years earlier. The new rules by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which oversees electricity markets, aim to streamline that approval process, known as the interconnection queue.

Organizations: United States . Energy, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Locations: United States

☆ Lindsey Graham and Elizabeth Warren: We Must Regulate Big Tech - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Lindsey Graham | Elizabeth Warren | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Big Tech companies also prey on ordinary users. It’s time to rein in Big Tech. In 1975 the Nuclear Regulatory Commission took on nuclear power, and in 1977 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission took on electric generation and transmission. We need a nimble, adaptable, new agency with expertise, resources and authority to do the same for Big Tech. Our legislation would guarantee common-sense safeguards for everyone who uses tech platforms.

Organizations: Big Tech, Big, Interstate Commerce, Federal Trade Commission, Federal Communications Commission, Regulatory, Energy Regulatory, Consumer Protection, Google Locations: China, Big Tech

☆ BP settles US natgas market manipulation case for $10.75 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) alleged that BP violated the Natural Gas Act by manipulating the next-day gas market at Houston Ship Channel from mid-September through Nov. 30, 2008. BP paid a civil penalty of $24,356,686 in December 2020 and disgorgement of unjust profits of $250,295 in January 2021 in the case. FERC said under the settlement BP will not seek return of the $250,295 of disgorgement it has paid. The case related to actions by BP traders to take advantage of market dislocations around the time Hurricane Ike smashed into the Houston area in September 2008. FERC's Office of Enforcement alleged BP traders made uneconomic physical gas sales to suppress the Houston Ship Channel Gas Daily index and boost the value of BP's financial position.

Persons: Ike, Scott DiSavino, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Bp, BP, U.S . Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Houston Ship Channel, U.S ., Appeals, Fifth Circuit, FERC, U.S . Court, Federal, FERC's, Enforcement, Houston Ship Channel Gas, Thomson Locations: U.S, Houston

☆ Activist Starboard prepares the groundwork to reduce leverage and build value at Algonquin Power
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Kenneth Squire | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Business: Algonquin Power is a renewable energy and utility company that provides energy and water solutions and services in North America and internationally. Algonquin Power is a utility company based in Canada with most of its assets in the United States. Instead, the acquisition would have added to an already over-leveraged balance sheet, putting Algonquin Power in an even less stable financial position. So, companies like Algonquin Power will close facilities and retire equipment and build new facilities and buy new equipment that can be added back into the rate base. Algonquin Power is a holding in the fund.

Persons: Arun Banskota, Ken Squire, Squire Organizations: Algonquin Power, Algonquin Power's, Kentucky Power, Federal Energy Regulatory, JPMorgan, 13D, Algonquin Locations: Algonquin, North America, Canada, United States, EBITDA

☆ Why the U.S. Electric Grid Isn’t Ready for the Energy Transition
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Nadja Popovich | Brad Plumer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +13 min

Power lines 100KV 345kV 500kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. Power lines 100KV 345kV 500kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. Power lines 100KV 345kV 500kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. Power lines 100KV 345kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. Power lines 100KV 345kV 500kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. That makes it hard to build the long-distance power lines needed to transport wind and solar nationwide. To make the plan work, the nation would need thousands of miles of new high-voltage transmission lines — large power lines that would span multiple grid regions. Utilities are sometimes wary of long-distance transmission lines that might undercut their local monopolies. “The grid is already a critical element of our energy system,” said Matteo Muratori, an analyst at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

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