Leading Light Energy

an energy blog by Terry M. Jarrett

Category Archives: Electric Grid

September 2 News Round Up

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In the news today…

Renewable Energy:

  • The Guardian reports a new study warns that steps must be taken to avoid damage to wildlife habitat from mining materials needed for clean energy technology.

Electric Grid:

  • In Real Clear Energy, former FERC Commissioner Tony Clark discusses the problem of California’s rolling blackouts and offers a warning for the rest of the country.

Nuclear:

  • WOSU Radio reports that in Ohio, Democratic lawmakers push for a swift repeal the state’s power plant bailout law, while Republican leaders say they want to avoid being “hasty and reckless.”
  • Cleveland.com reports State Rep. Larry Householder returns to the state House chamber for the first time since being charged with overseeing a bribery scandal involving the power plant bailout law, saying he will plead not guilty and that the law is “good legislation.”

Carbon Capture:

  • Bismarck Tribune reports North Dakota utility officials discussed challenges with financing carbon capture projects during a visit by U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette.

California sees rolling blackouts for second day in a row *updated*

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KCRA reports that more than 270,000 California residents experienced a second round of rolling blackouts on Saturday.

California ISO declared a Stage 3 Electrical Emergency around 6:28 p.m. due to increased demand, as well as the loss of a 470-megawatt power plant. They also cite the loss of nearly 1,000 megawatts of wind power.

Update (with comment by Terry): When you retire increasing amounts of traditional thermal generation (i.e., coal) and increase usage of renewables, things start to get volatile. Welcome to the new normal. 

FERC approves New England ISO short-term fuel security plan

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Utility Dive reports that in a 3-1 decision, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Thursday approved a proposal by the New England Independent System Operator (ISO-NE) to boost compensation for fuel resources during winter months, finding it a “reasonable short-term solution to compensating, in a technology-neutral manner, resources that provide fuel security.”

The Inventoried Energy Program would run during the winters of 2023/2024 and 2024/2025, and would be open to oil, coal, natural gas, nuclear, biomass, demand response and some hydro resources. ISO-NE estimated the program will cost between $102 million and $148 million per year.

The Utility Dive report focuses primarily on the lone dissent from Commissioner Glick, rather than the details of the actual order approved by 3 Commissioners.

 

Morning News Round Up: 4.1.20

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In the news today…

Coal:

  • Wyoming Public Media reports DHS explicitly extended essential status to the coal industry over the weekend.
  • Politico Pro reports a dozen Republican senators have called on Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to suspend or reduce federal royalty payments for oil, gas and coal production.
  • Times West Virginian carries a letter which argues that, while coal is essential in the long term, mines should close since the mines are prime targets for the coronavirus.
  • WKU reports Paringa Resources CEO has resigned.
  • Quartz reports the coronavirus pandemic is accelerating the demise of coal.
  • The Casper Star Tribune reports a newly approved mine expansion will bring jobs and coal well into 2031.

Energy Industry:

  • E&E Energywire reports many energy trade groups are nervous about weathering the novel coronavirus pandemic as fundraising events are cancelled and members’ cash dwindles.

Minerals:

  • The National Center for Public Policy Research writes American mining policy reform is needed to help prepare for health crises like our current one, particularly in regards to rare earth minerals.
  • RealClearDefense carries an op-ed which calls for the support of our vital aluminum industry.

U.S. power industry may ask key employees to live at work if coronavirus worsens

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Reuters reports the U.S. electric industry may request that essential staff members live on-site at their facilities if the coronavirus pandemic worsens, according to industry trade groups and electric cooperatives. Staff at power plants and control centers have been stockpiling beds, blankets and food  in preparation for the potential plan.

Utilities to practice crisis response, address gaps in cybersecurity planning during GridEx

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The Daily Energy Insider carries an article on the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC) fifth grid security exercise known as GridEx on Nov. 13 and 14, an event that allows utilities to test how they would respond to and recover from simulated coordinated cyber and physical threats to the electric grid.

The article mentions my recent op-ed on the threats to the U.S. power grid.

GridEx is a very important exercise for utilities, and goes a long way toward providing protection to the grid.

Afternoon News Update: 8.14.19

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News that we missed this morning…

  • Utility Dive reports that coal and nuclear could receive a boost in New England this Winter as a new Tariff goes into effect. The region’s grid operator, ISO-New England, received approval from FERC to implement  the Tariff, which will compensate power plants such as nuclear, coal-fired and oil-fired generation, that have on-site fuel storage. ISO-New England told FERC that the Tariff was needed to provide resiliency to the electric grid.