California

Southern Company Subsidiary Acquires 200-MW California Solar Project

Southern Company subsidiary Southern Power, acquired a controlling interest in the 200- MW Tranquillity Solar Facility in California from Recurrent Energy, a subsidiary of Canadian Solar Inc. Recurrent Energy is constructing the facility and will retain the remaining interest in the project. Construction began in July, with Signal Energy Constructors managing the engineering, procurement and construction of the facility. The project is expected to enter commercial operation in the fourth quarter of 2016.

E.ON Solar's Maricopa West Facility Starts Construction

E.ON Solar, a subsidiary of E.ON SE, announced that Maricopa West, a 20-MW solar project in Kern County, California, has entered the construction phase. Maricopa West occupies land in Southern California purchased by E.ON Solar from Maricopa Orchards. The solar park will utilize a single-axis tracking system and consist of 89,000 PV panels. It will be fully operational later this year.

Southern California Edison Customers Participate in Demand Response Program

Southern California Edison (SCE) integrated an estimated 1,118 MW of demand response resources into California's wholesale energy markets. These programs serve SCE's residential, commercial and industrial customers who, in exchange for bill reductions, have agreed to reduce their energy consumption when called upon to do so.

Constellation and Bloom Energy to Develop 40 MW of Fuel Cell Projects

Constellation and Bloom Energy plan to develop 40 MW of Bloom Energy fuel cell projects for commercial and public sector customers in California, Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. Under the agreement, Constellation will provide equity financing and own a majority equity interest in Bloom Energy Servers at more than 170 sites for customers, including AT&T, the City of Hartford, Conn., and Walmart among others. Constellation and Bloom Energy plan to complete the installations in phases by the end of 2016.

Regional Economic Benefits

Why are they ignored in transmission planning?

Why is there is there so much controversy about investments in transmission and distribution? We suggest it’s because the benefits are poorly understood – or even ignored.

Becoming Customer-Centric

Two utilities embrace technology and innovation.

Today the rise of customer-centric technology and innovation has created a whole new set of challenges. Advances have occurred in energy efficiency, demand response, distributed solar, energy storage, and electric vehicles, as well as smart grid infrastructure and analytics. Electric utilities have two basic choices: react to the agendas of the special interests or chart a path forward to create the most value for stakeholders and customers.

Distribution Optimization: Ready for Takeoff

Part 2: Key choices on the way forward.

Integrated Distribution Planning (IDP) – much like its bulk power system cousin, Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) – provides a useful starting point for regulators and utilities to begin thinking about how to optimize the distribution system.

Smart Gas Investment

As a bridge to a low-carbon future, natural gas can’t – and shouldn’t – meet every need.

Some describe natural gas generation as the “Swiss army knife” of technologies, as it can meet a variety of electric system needs. Yet while a Swiss army knife can prove handy, we don’t often use it when we have access to a well-equipped toolbox. It can introduce unnecessary costs and unacceptable risks.

NRG Yield Enters into Agreement to Acquire Interest in Largest Operating Solar Farm in North America

NRG Yield, through its subsidiary NRG Yield Operating, entered into an agreement with GE Energy Financial Services to acquire its 25 percent interest in the Desert Sunlight Solar Farm in Riverside, CA for $285 million, subject to customary working capital adjustments, plus the assumption of $287.4 million of non-recourse project level debt.