TRC Acquires Utility Support Systems

TRC Companies acquired Georgia-based Utility Support Systems (USS), a professional engineering company primarily supporting the power/utility market. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. USS reported net revenues of $11.5 million in 2012. TRC expects the transaction to be earnings accretive in fiscal 2014.

SCE Serves Formal Notice of Dispute to Mitsubishi over Defective Steam Generators at SONGS

Southern California Edison (SCE) served a formal notice of dispute on Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Mitsubishi Nuclear Energy Systems (together, Mitsubishi) which seeks to hold Mitsubishi accountable for designing and manufacturing defective replacement steam generators (RSGs) at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). Although Mitsubishi warranted the generators would operate reliably for 20 years, SCE was required to take SONGS offline in January 2012 when one of the Mitsubishi RSGs experienced a radioactive coolant leak after less than a year of operation.

Midwest Energy Emissions to Demonstrate Mercury Removal Technology

Midwest Energy Emissions signed agreements with two U.S. electric utility companies to perform demonstrations of Midwest Energy Emissions' technology that removes mercury from coal-power plant emissions. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Mercury and Air Toxic Standards (MATS) rule requires that all coal- and oil-fired power plants in the U.S., larger than 25 MW, must remove roughly 90% of mercury from their emissions by April 16, 2015. 

Geronimo Energy Signs Wind Energy Purchase Agreements Totaling 400 MW with Xcel Energy

Geronimo Energy signed two long-term wind energy purchase agreements with Xcel Energy for a total of 400 MW of wind energy to be generated at the Courtenay Wind Farm and Odell Wind Farm. The Courtenay Wind Farm is a 200-MW wind energy facility in Stutsman County, North Dakota. The project will consist of up to 125 wind turbines to be constructed across 25,000 acres of leased land from over 60 landowners. The Odell Wind Farm is a 200-MW wind energy facility in Jackson, Watonwan and Cottonwood counties, Minnesota.

RES Americas to Develop and Construct 200-MW Wind Project for Xcel Energy

RES America Developments, a subsidiary of Renewable Energy Systems Americas (RES Americas), is working with Xcel Energy to construct the 200-MW Pleasant Valley Wind Farm. The project is near Austin, Minnesota, adjacent to the Grand Meadow wind project owned by Xcel Energy. Once the project is complete, RES Americas will transfer ownership of Pleasant Valley to Xcel Energy, who will own and operate the project.

Big Data, Big Change

Analytics chart a path for industry transformation.

“Without integrating operational data with traditional IT data, I don’t think the industry would be any further along than it was five or 10 years ago.” ~Steve Ehrlich, Space Time Insight

Bargain or Bonanza

Is discounted cash flow (DCF) still a reliable tool for determining equity cost?

The time-honored discounted cash flow method for determining appropriate utility returns falls short when interest rates are low. Inadequate ROEs ultimately increase cost of capital and wipe away any temporary savings.

Toward a Self-healing Smart Grid

Advanced distribution management technology promises to revolutionize operations.

Building blocks of the self-healing grid are taking shape. End-to-end integration will enable the grid to achieve 21st-century resilience.