Xcel Energy

Minnesota Public Utilities Commission Selects Geronimo's Distributed Solar Proposal

Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) ruled in favor of solar as a cost-competitive energy source for Xcel Energy. Geronimo Energy's Aurora Solar Project was selected by the PUC to fill a portion of Xcel's future generation needs. The Aurora Solar Project is a 100-MW distributed solar generation project that will utilize solar arrays ranging in size from 2 MW to 10 MW across Xcel's service territory.

Invoice Enclosed

Having lost Entergy to MISO, the Southwest Power Pool seeks its pound of flesh.

Welcome to the age of RTO competition: region vs. region, grid vs. grid. It could well outdo the choice wars between retail energy suppliers that we thought were in our future.

The Ultimate CEOs: Wayne H. Brunetti, Xcel Energy

The CEO Power Forum: Not all utility CEOs are created equal...

“People have approached us to outsource our call centers to India. I’m just not going to do that. To me the face of our company is our call centers. That’s our principle contact with our customers.”

Digest

ABB commissions microgrid on Portuguese island; Panda orders Siemens generating units for 829-MW plant; Burlington Electric Department enters 54-MW PPA with First Wind; Tantalus and Itron contract for smart metering and smart grid system in Washington; EdF orders 220 MW of wind turbines from Vestas; MidAmerican orders 1,050 MW of wind turbines from Siemens; plus contracts and announcements from GE, PSEG, Arizona Public Service, Dominion, Entergy, Xcel, PSE&G, and others.

People (February 2014)

Nick Akins becomes chairman of AEP board; Dominion names Diane Leopold president of Dominion Energy, and Robert Blue president of Virginia Power; Leila Vespoli becomes chief legal officer at FirstEnergy; PG&E promotes Gregg Lemler to v.p. of electric transmission; plus personnel changes at Consumers Energy, Xcel, Southern Nuclear, ITC, CenterPoint, and others.

Xcel Energy Starts Work on New Substation in Wisconsin

Xcel Energy began work on a new substation in the town of Brunswick, Wisconsin. The substation will tie into an existing transmission line. Xcel Energy received all state regulatory approvals in early November, and construction work began in late November. The substation is scheduled to be in service by April 2014 and is estimated to cost $4 million.

Digest

ComEd selects GE for 4 million smart meters; Duquesne contracts Itron for 625,000 smart meters; Consumers Energy plans 700-MW combined-cycle plant; Phoenix Solar contracts for 39-MW PV plant; NRG starts operation at two 20-MW PV plants in California; Edison files suit against Mitsubishi for SONGS defects; FirstEnergy plans 2 GW of coal-plant shutdowns; FERC approves PacifiCorp tie-in with Cal ISO; PSEG commissions EV-charging facilities; plus announcements and contracts involving Toshiba, Direct Energy, Alstom, and others.

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.

Transactions (June 2013)

Atlantic Power sells 800 MW of generating capacity in Florida and Texas; Goldman Sachs buys Imperial Valley project from FirstSolar; Duke acquires two solar plants in California; Southern Company and Turner Renewable Energy buy Campo Verde project; plus other deals and issues totaling more than $2 billion.