What's Happening in Energy highlights the most interesting findings from public utility commission filings.
.png?width=50&name=34C0AE28-DE08-4066-A0A0-4EE54E5C1C9D_1_201_a%20(1).png)
What's Happening in Energy highlights the most interesting findings from public utility commission filings.
Subscribe below to get these insights delivered straight to your inbox:
What's Happening in Energy — May 30
Powered by Halcyon
__
A look into one utility’s cost savings justifications after an acquisition: Accenture proposed cost savings via an “IT transition plan” as part of Saturn Utilities Holdco’s proposed plan to buy New Mexico Gas Company from Emera.
Docket profile
Accenture’s IT transition plan (p.34)
__
Not a utility or state regulator, but interesting nonetheless: Southwest Power Pool’s regional transmission operator Expansion Integration Study identifies potential reliability issues and a power system simulation.
RTO Expansion Integration Study (and .ppt)
__
Neighboring RTO Midcontinent Independent System Operator has updated its MISO-SPP 2024 Coordinated System Plan (CSP) to enhance interregional planning by monitoring the eastern interconnection, focusing on the southern seam of MISO and SPP, which includes Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana. The study seeks to identify transmission upgrades to improve reliability and resiliency, which is particularly relevant given Louisiana’s recent system issues.
MISO-SPP 2024 CSP Study Update
__
Back to Kentucky, where data center activity does not let up: the East Kentucky Power Cooperative proposes a new tariff called Rate DCP - Data Center Power. Eligible Data Centers are defined under Rate DCP as meeting two criteria: load size (15 megawatts (MWs) or greater) and load factor (60% or greater). Many features worth noting but in particular: data center loads exceeding 250 MWs will require “one or more dedicated resources” — that is, they need to bring their own power, or contract for it. Docket profile
Proposed tariff filing
__
If you live in North Dakota and own the land being used for the 200 megawatt Oliver Wind IV Energy Center’s transmission line effort, you can waive and refuse the option to have trees and shrubs on your property/right-of-way replanted.
Docket profiles PU-23-317 and PU-23-318
Filing: Tree and Shrub Mitigation Plan and Supplement
__
A somewhat dramatic finding from Georgia Power’s Integrated Resource Plan and Demand Side Management Plan: the state has almost no interconnection capacity in 2027, even less in 2030, and no transmission capacity to connect its best solar areas from GIPL and Southface’s demonstrative handout).
Docket profile: DGA Power Cert, De-Cert, and Amend Demand Side Mgt Plan
__
It’s Halcyon’s weekly “wow, that’s a big rate increase request” for water utilities: Arizona’s Joshua Valley Utility is asking for an additional $308,773, or 73% of total revenues (!) “due to operational losses and increased expenses for system repairs and improvements.”
From Joshua Valley Utility’s application, “Since 2014 the potable water industry producer price index has increased 96%.”
And from a telephone comment,
“This company was recently acquired by a utility owning division. The last owners had 4 employees and were able to be profitable. They are down to 2 employees now. JVU decided to install a very expensive generator project locally even though our electric company Unisource, provided one in an emergency.”
Docket profile
Rate application
__
In Wisconsin, application documents for the Mill Road-Granville Transmission Line Project include not just wire plans but also tree clearing, bat maternity seasons, and confidential redacted information about avian deterrence. The responsibilities of the wildlife rehabilitation specialist placement of nesting platforms is confidential, and redacted.
Docket profile
Data request response
__
Also in Wisconsin: A helpful itemization of costs for the $166.1 million, 92 megawatt Red Barn Wind Energy Center.
Docket profile
Final cost report
