News

Dynegy to Acquire Ameren Energy Resources

Submitted by aburr on Thu, 2013-03-28 20:54

Dynegy subsidiary Illinois Power Holdings agreed to acquire Ameren Energy Resources and its subsidiaries Ameren Energy Generating, AmerenEnergy Resources Generating, and Ameren Energy Marketing. Upon closing, Dynegy will own more than 8,000 MW of generating capacity in Illinois, and nearly 14,000 MW nationally. The AER retail and marketing businesses and the following plants are included in the transaction: Duck Creek, Coffeen, E.D. Edwards, Newton, and Joppa. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2013.

Georgia Power Pours Concrete for New Vogtle Reactor

Submitted by aburr on Thu, 2013-03-28 20:53

Georgia Power completed placing basemat structural concrete for the nuclear island at its Vogtle Unit 3 nuclear project. The utility is building two new reactors at the Plant Vogtle site near Waynesboro, Ga. The full outlines of both nuclear islands have been completed to grade level. The first components for erecting the Unit 3 containment vessel are completed and staged for installation once the basemat concrete has cured, including the Unit 3 containment vessel bottom head.  

Abengoa and BrightSource Plan World’s Largest Solar Towers

Submitted by aburr on Thu, 2013-03-28 20:47

Abengoa and BrightSource Energy signed an agreement to jointly develop, build, and operate what the companies say will be the world’s two largest solar power towers at a site in California. The companies expect jointly to permit and finance the 500-MW Palen Solar Electric Generating System. Abengoa will build the plants as the engineering, procurement, and construction contractor, and will lead the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the plants once online. BrightSource will provide the solar field technology and plant design.

Washington UTC Slashes Avista Rate Hike

Submitted by aburr on Thu, 2013-03-28 20:33

In a rate case largely resolved by settlement, the Washington Utilities & Transportation Commission authorized Avista Utilities to increase its electric revenues by $13.65 million and its natural gas revenues by $5.3 million for 2013. The utility had petitioned for an electric rate hike of $41 million and a natural gas rate increase of $10.1 million.

South Carolina PSC Puts Pension Costs in Rider

Submitted by aburr on Thu, 2013-03-28 20:31

In an electric rate proceeding, the South Carolina Public Service Commission accepted a memorandum of understanding (MOU) under which South Carolina Electric & Gas was awarded a net increase in electric rates of $97 million and a ROE of 10.25 percent. The lower ROE value negotiated in the MOU also had a substantial impact on the utility’s authorized revenue requirement, reducing its rate request by a significant amount.

Oregon Halves PacifiCorp Rate Request

Submitted by aburr on Thu, 2013-03-28 20:30

Pursuant to a partial stipulation, the Oregon Public Utility Commission granted PacifiCorp dba Pacific Power a mere 0.5-percent increase in its base rates, or $20.7 million. The utility had asked for $41.2 million in rate relief, an increase of 3.5 percent. The parties to the settlement had been unable to agree on specific values for the company’s cost-of-capital components, but listed in the stipulation a “notational value” of 9.8 percent for ROE.