Photo Courtesy of Southern Co. Fukushima response Per NRC mandate, U.S. nuclear sites are installing disaster-resistant domes. Photo Courtesy of Southern Co. Related Links: TVA Moves Ahead to Make Fukushima Upgrades at Nuclear Power Plants Offshore Wind-Power Prototype Advancing at Fukushima Southern Nuclear and Georgia Power were the latest nuclear energy providers to install a federally mandated disaster-resistant, concrete-dome equipment-storage facility designed to mitigate the loss of power in the event of an "extreme" natural phenomena. Unveiled at the utilities' Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, near Waynesboro, Ga., the so-called FLEX Dome was designed to withstand 360-mph winds—sufficient for
Related Links: Hawaiians Fear Utility Sale Will End Rooftop Solar Choice Hawaiian Utilities Balk at Speed of Solar Panel Adoption Gov. David Inge (D) has signed a bill to make Hawaii the first U.S. state to commit to generating 100% of its power from renewable sources. The June 17 action to reach the goal by 2045 follows by days NextEra Energy shareholder approval to acquire Hawaiian Electric Industries.Florida-based NextEra is the largest U.S. solar energy developer. The firm says the $4.3-billion deal, which still needs state regulators' approval, would provide the utility with resources and access to expertise to meet
Photo Courtesy of Southern Co. Contractors have made notable progress, officials noted, but construction completion was below as of April. Related Links: Construction Monitor Will Jacobs Provides Key Insights on Critical Vogtle Project Vogtle Nuke Plant Builders Face Rising Cost Pressures With construction delays, financing and related costs continuing to mount, time is starting to put "significant" strain upon the Plant Vogtle nuclear expansion project's economics, according to recent testimony presented to the Georgia Public Service Commission by Georgia Power, state monitors and others. As a result, considerable discussion at the June hearings focused on whether completing the nuclear project
Photo Courtesy of Xcel Energy Solar panels sited near substations will avoid generation losses. Related Links: Minnesota Law Judge Favors Solar Over Gas In PUC Opinion U.S. Renewables Sector Soars, With Help From Tax Credits Construction is expected to start this summer on Minnesota's largest solar-energy project, 100 MW total in distributed photovoltaic arrays sited near utility substations. The state's Public Utilities Commission approved the $250-million project's site permit last month and the developer says the operator is seeking bids for construction.Minnesota PUC approved 21 sites for the Aurora Distributed Solar Energy project on May 28, concluding a process that
Related Links: Southern Co. Refuels Coal Fleet With Gas Mississippi Energy Co-Op Pulls 15% Stake in $6B gasification power projectMississippi Power is "still evaluating" next steps after the South Mississippi Electric Power Association, a statewide energy cooperative with 11 member utilities, said it will halt its plan to buy a 15% interest in the 582-MW Kemper County integrated gasification combined-cycle project, a spokesman said on June 1.SMEPA directors voted on May 20 "to end pursuit" of its stake in the project, whose estimated cost has doubled to more than $6 billion and whose likely commercial operation has stretched two years,
Fishermen’s Energy, which seeks to develop a 25-MW wind farm off the New Jersey coast, is expected to appeal to the state’s court a May 29 lower court decision that upheld a state regulator’s veto of the estimated $200-million project, say company officials.The wind farm, which began some construction in December, has won some state permits to five wind turbines about three miles offshore, as well as a $47-million U.S. Dept. of Energy grant.But the state Superior Court appellate division sided with New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities in its denial to build the turbines because of questions of economic
Related Links: U.S. Renewables Sector Soars, With Help From Tax Credits A Texas-based alternative-energy firm seeks expedited approval to build a 150-MW utility-scale solar-power project in southeastern Maryland after its plan to build a $200-million wind farm met with strong opposition from military officials and politicians who claimed turbine blades up to 500 ft high could interfere with operations at a nearby naval base. Local officials, who supported the project's economic and environmental benefits, now are battling with state politicians over a proposed permanent ban on wind projects in Maryland's eastern shore.The original plan by Pioneer Green Energy, Austin, to
Enlarge Click image to enlarge. Related Links: ARTBA Puts Gas Tax-Rebate Plan on the Table Construction Groups Fight Proposal to Slash Federal Gas Tax Nebraska is the latest state to raise its gas tax, with the state Legislature overriding Gov. Pete Ricketts' (R) veto of a bill that adds 6¢ per gallon over the next four years.Originally approved by Nebraska's unicameral Legislature by a 26-15 vote in early May, the measure increases Nebraska's current 25.6¢-per-gallon gas tax in yearly 1.5¢ increments, beginning on Jan. 1, 2016. Once fully implemented, the increase is expected to generate $76.2 million in additional revenue
PM Office India Indian Prime Minister Narender Modi (left) and French President Francois Hollande signed agreements to develop the world's largest nuclear reactor park. AREVA signed two agreements with its Indian partners for the preparation of the 9,900-MW Jaitapur European Pressurized Reactors (EPR) project and outlined the importance of the project. Jaitapur is in the western state of Maharashtra. The nuclear-reactor park, which will comprise six 1,650-MW nuclear reactors, is expected to be the world’s largest. AREVA signed the agreements in the presence of Indian Prime Minister Narender Modi, during his visit to France, and French President François Hollande.AREVA designed
What is being called a first-of-its-kind community microgrid is taking shape in upstate New York. A partnership comprising two universities, a national laboratory, one of the world's leading electrical manufacturers, the region's electric utility and several other participants is working through the issues to create the innovative microgrid in the village of Potsdam, N.Y.New York's North Country, where Potsdam is located, is no stranger to harsh weather. A 1998 ice storm hammered the area for four days, paralyzing cities and cutting power to 130,000 people. Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 struck neighboring Vermont, flooding nearly every river and stream, isolating
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