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☆ U.S. regulators to probe power outages during historic winter storm
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 28 (Reuters) - An inquiry will be opened into the power outages caused by extreme weather during historic winter storm Elliott, the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and other North American regulatory authorities said on Wednesday. FERC will probe operations of the bulk power system to identify performance issues and recommend solutions alongside the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and its six regional entities which encompass nearly 400 million customers, mainly in the U.S. and Canada. "This storm underscores the increasing frequency of significant extreme weather events and underscores the need for the electric sector to change its planning scenarios and preparations for extreme events,” said NERC CEO and President Jim Robb. And this was in the early weeks of a projected 'mild' winter," Robb said. Reporting by Deep Vakil in Bengaluru; Editing by David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Here's why the U.S. electric grid isn't running on 100% renewable energy yet
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +15 min

Intermittency and transmissionOne of the biggest barriers to a 100% renewable grid is the intermittency of many renewable power sources. Wind resources in the United States, according to the the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy. Solar resources in the United States, according to the the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy.

☆ California and the Midwest face 'high risk' of electricity shortages in next five years
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Projected energy shortfalls have been projected in that region since 2018, Olson said. The Southwest could also suffer when demand is high and wind energy generation is low in the region. For its annual long-term electricity security assessment, NERC looks at the coming decade, but energy and capacity risk assessment goes out for the coming five years, from 2023 to 2027. There are too many moving parts and uncertainties for a risk assessment past the next five years to be worthwhile, according to NERC. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission certified NERC to measure and enforce safety standards for the energy grid in the United States in 2006.

The recent attack on two North Carolina substations that cut power to thousands of people has raised concerns about security standards for the country’s electric grid and its numerous power stations, which have faced greater threats in recent years. Nearly 600 electric emergency incidents and disturbances were caused by suspected and confirmed physical attacks and vandalism on the electric grid in those nine years, the reports show. The incidents, which are self-reported by power companies to the federal government, provide little to no detail about what occurred. Paths forward for a new standardThose who want a new security standard said there remain significant bureaucratic headwinds against such a proposal. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation, a nonprofit originally created by the electricity industry, said it created security requirements based on risk, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

☆ To save salmon, U.S. approves largest dam removal in history
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Daniel Trotta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 17 (Reuters) - A U.S. agency seeking to restore habitat for endangered fish gave final approval on Thursday to decommission four dams straddling the California-Oregon border, the largest dam removal undertaking in U.S. history. Dam removal is expected to improve the health of the Klamath River, the route that Chinook salmon and endangered coho salmon take from the Pacific Ocean to their upstream spawning grounds, and from where the young fish return to the sea. The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued an order surrendering the dam licenses and approving removal of the dams. "The Klamath salmon are coming home," Joseph James, chairman of the Yurok Tribe, said in a statement. Climate change and drought have also stressed the salmon habitat; the river has become too warm and too full of parasites for many fish to survive.

☆ Berkshire Hathaway could boost earnings after Occidental accounting change
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 5 (Reuters) - Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRKa.N) could soon see a boost to its bottom line after changing its accounting for its big stake in Occidental Petroleum Corp (OXY.N). In its quarterly report on Saturday, Berkshire said it adopted the equity method of accounting for its 20.9% stake in Occidental, which is worth more than $14 billion. Accounting rules normally require the equity method when one company's stake in another reaches 20%, reflecting an assumption that the first company might exert significant influence. Kraft Heinz is controlled by Berkshire and Brazil's 3G Capital, and its board includes three directors from Berkshire. Some investors and analysts have said Berkshire could eventually buy Occidental, diversifying its energy portfolio.

☆ U.S. regulators want more data on Texas Freeport LNG plant before restart
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 31 (Reuters) - U.S. federal regulators have told Freeport LNG to provide information needed for the planned restart of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plant in Texas, the second-largest U.S. LNG export plant, as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for review. Freeport cannot restart without regulatory approval. At least four vessels were already lined up to pick up LNG at Freeport, according to Refinitiv data. Prism Brilliance and Prism Diversity were waiting off the coast from the plant, while Prism Courage was expected to arrive on Nov. 1 and Grace Freesia on Nov. 27. The plant's restart will provide needed fuel for heating and power as winter descends on the Northern Hemisphere.

☆ U.S. FERC says winter natgas prices will be up from recent years
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 20 (Reuters) - Natural gas prices at major U.S. trading hubs for the upcoming winter are expected to remain higher than in recent years, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) said on Thursday. Even if domestic gas production grows faster than domestic demand, "forecasts anticipate that continued growth in net exports, including from liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities, will place additional pressure on natural gas prices this winter," the agency said. "In total, the U.S. will add 43 gigawatts(GW)of net winter capacity between March 2022 and February 2023, mostly from solar and wind generation." "Natural gas pipelines in California may also face constraints this winter due to ongoing pipeline outages." The FERC warned that this winter, international markets will likely also affect the U.S. market, as they did at times last winter.

☆ U.S. natgas languishes near 7-month low after big storage build
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Oct 20 (Reuters) - U.S. natural gas futures fell to their lowest since March on Thursday, after a federal report showed a larger-than-expected storage build last week and as the market is expected to see increases in output. Front-month gas futures fell 1.9% to settle at $5.358 per million British thermal units, after sliding to $5.253 per mmBtu earlier in the session. It was also the fifth week in a row that stockpiles increased by over 100 bcf. With milder weather coming, Refinitiv projected average U.S. gas demand, including exports, would fall from 100.6 bcf per day this week to 95.5 bcf per day next week. Even though natural gas production growth will likely outpace domestic natural gas demand growth in winter 2022-2023, the continued growth in net exports and reduced natural gas storage inventories are expected to place additional upward pressure on natural gas prices this winter, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) said on Thursday.

☆ PG&E files to separate non-nuclear generation assets into standalone unit
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sept 28 (Reuters) - PG&E Corp has moved to separate its non-nuclear generation assets into a standalone unit by filing an application with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the utility said on Wednesday. The company is seeking regulatory approval to sell a stake of up to 49.9% in the new non-nuclear generation unit called Pacific Generation LLC, which would provide a source of equity financing to help PG&E fund wildfire risk mitigation and clean energy investments, it added. PG&E would maintain majority ownership in the unit. The power company has been blamed for sparking numerous wildfires, including some of the state's most deadly and destructive. The company expects to launch the minority stake sale process in first-quarter 2023 and said the deal would have no impact on PG&E customer bills.

Senator Joe Manchin's bill to speed energy permitting as a handout to fossil fuel companies, but clean energy advocates said the bill's failure would hinder the rapid expansion renewable power needs to combat climate change. Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pulled Manchin's bill from temporary government funding legislation on Tuesday after it did not gain enough support. Clean energy backers said the permitting provision could still be attached to other bills later this year that must be passed, such as a big appropriations legislation. Jesse Jenkins, a clean energy expert at Princeton University, tweeted on Tuesday that the permitting bill had been "a big mixed back for climate & the environment." "We still need to build new clean energy & transmission at unprecedented pace!"

☆ Manchin’s Permitting Bill Has a Poison Pill
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Senate may vote as early as Tuesday on Joe Manchin ’s permitting reform bill, and the West Virginian says Republicans should accept incremental progress rather than nothing. But the main problem isn’t that his changes are too modest, though they are. Some of them would do tangible harm to U.S. energy security and constitutional federalism. Though it’s received little attention, one section would rewrite how transmission lines are permitted, and not for the better. The 1935 Federal Power Act preserved state authority over transmission-line permits while the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) decides how to allocate costs.

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