Dominion’s Millstone Nuclear Plant Moves Closer to Subsidy as Connecticut Regulators Accept 'At-Risk' Status

Dominion’s Millstone Nuclear Plant Moves Closer to Subsidy as Connecticut Regulators Accept ‘At-Risk’ Status

EnerKnol Pulse

The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority issued an interim decision on Dec. 5 finding that Dominion Energy Inc.’s 2,100-megawatt Millstone nuclear plant is “at risk of retirement,” a determination that could allow the facility to compete for long-term contracts with zero-carbon resources such as wind, solar and hydropower. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental…

ApAppalachian Ethane Hub Wouccccld Provide Competitive Advantage for U.S. in Global Petrochemical Marketpalachian Ethane Hub Wouccccld Provide Competitive Advantage for U.S. in Global Petrochemical Market

Appalachian Ethane Hub Would Provide Competitive Advantage for U.S. in Global Petrochemical Market: DOE

EnerKnol Pulse

The establishment of an ethane storage and distribution hub in Appalachia benefit the broader petrochemical and plastics industries, according to a Dec. 4 report from the U.S. Energy Department. The report, prepared at the request of Congress, examines the feasibility of developing an ethane hub, based on the abundant low-cost resource from the Marcellus and…

Texas Faces Tighter Power Reserves Amid Growing Demand for Oil, Gas Drilling, Cancelled Generation Projects

Texas Faces Tighter Power Reserves Amid Growing Demand for Oil, Gas Drilling, Cancelled Generation Projects

EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Top News, Wholesale Power

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas unveiled a report on Dec. 4, which forecasts planning reserve margin for summer 2019 to be 8.1 percent, which is 2.9 percent lower than the previous projection issued in May. The Capacity, Demand and Reserve report contains five-year projections for planning reserve margins – the difference between the total…

District of Columbia Updates Renewable Portfolio Standard Rules to Increase Clarity

District of Columbia Updates Renewable Portfolio Standard Rules to Increase Clarity

Breaking News, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Solar, Wind

The Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia issued an update to its renewable energy portfolio standard policy revising the generator certification and eligibility requirement, eliminating redundancies, deleting obsolete sections and generally clarifying the commission’s rules, according to a Dec. 5 order. On Nov. 27, the Council of the District of Columbia voted unanimously to advance a…

Pennsylvania Anticipates Modest Increase in Winter Heating Costs Due to Rising Energy Prices

Pennsylvania Anticipates Modest Increase in Winter Heating Costs Due to Rising Energy Prices

EnerKnol Pulse

Pennsylvania’s winter reliability reports, released by the major gas distribution companies and the Energy Association, anticipate “little change” in natural gas usage compared to last year’s heating season. An average natural gas heating customer can expect a $30 increase in costs this winter, according to the Energy Association’s readiness report. The reports describes preparations to…

U.S. Energy Department Examines Value of Pumped Hydro Storage for Grid Resilience Amid Growing Renewable Generation

U.S. Energy Department Examines Value of Pumped Hydro Storage for Grid Resilience Amid Growing Renewable Generation

Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse

The U.S. Energy Department selected two pumped-storage hydropower projects to conduct techno-economic studies in a bid to examine their long-term value, according to a Dec. 3 news release. The department said that the continued growth of variable renewable generation is having an impact on the value these projects provide to the grid. Pumped hydro projects…

Trump Administration Approves Seismic Tests for Atlantic Offshore Oil Drilling

Trump Administration Approves Seismic Tests for Atlantic Offshore Oil Drilling

EnerKnol Pulse

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Nov. 30 issued authorizations to five companies proposing to conduct geophysical surveys for oil and gas exploration in the Atlantic Ocean. The agency said that the authorization permits the companies to “incidentally, but not intentionally, harass marine mammals” as part of their seismic testing. Several states have expressed…

Oklahoma Announces $3.1 million Grants for EV Chargers Using Volkswagen Settlement Funds

Oklahoma Announces $3.1 million Grants for EV Chargers Using Volkswagen Settlement Funds

Electric Vehicles, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse

The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality is soliciting proposals under its ChargeOK Grant Program aimed to build out the state’s light-duty electric vehicle charging stations, according to a Nov. 29 news release. The agency will award grants a competitive basis for the purchase, installation, and operation of publicly accessible charging stations. The grant will reimburse…