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City Water, Light and Power plant chosen as site for carbon capture technology pilot testing

May 13, 2021

by Peter Maloney
APPA News
May 13, 2021

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has chosen the University of Illinois’ Prairie Research Institute (PRI) to conduct large-scale pilot testing of a carbon dioxide (CO2) capture technology at Springfield, Ill., public power utility City Water, Light and Power’s (CWLP) Dallman Unit 4.

The DOE has allocated $47 million for the final phase of the project that will see the construction of a 10-megawatt (MW) Linde-BASF advanced post-combustion CO2 capture system to process the power plant’s flue gas. Illinois committed an additional $20 million to cost of the final phase of the project.

Dallman 4 is a 200-MW pulverized coal power plant.

In making the award, the DOE said the successful construction and operation of the Dallman Unit 4 plant would demonstrate economic carbon capture technology and help enable commercialization of the technology.

The PRI projects the construction and operation of the Dallman Unit 4 carbon capture facility will have a regional economic impact of $47.1 million and generate tax revenue of $5.6 million.

“As a publicly-owned utility, this new construction and innovative initiative will be a boost to our local economy while the energy industry as a whole will also be watching CWLP to see how this technology performs,” Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder said in a statement.

The third phase of the Dallman carbon capture test project, final design and construction, is scheduled to begin in June and includes finalizing a detailed engineering plan and acquiring equipment and modules needed for the new system. Building the system is slated to begin in June 2022 with testing expected to take place from March 2024 through to May 2026.

“The success of this project would be a model and foundation for more accessible, attainable carbon capture systems at facilities around the world,” Kevin OBrien, principal investigator for the project and director of the PRI’s Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC), said in a statement.

In addition to the carbon capture project at the Dallman plant, CWLP is working with ISTC on projects involving the use CO2 as feedstock for algae; scrubber wastewater treatment technology; beneficial reuse of coal fly ash in plastics, and a project advancing the design of a hybrid power plant and energy storage system.

“A proven and cost-effective carbon capture solution is what plants need to be able to demonstrate and transition to if a balanced, resilient and reliable energy grid is the goal,” Doug Brown, CWLP’s chief utility engineer, said in a statement. “Further, I’m pleased the University is planning spinoff projects from this work,” he added.

California community choice aggregator’s board approves 15-year geothermal energy contract

May 13, 2021

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
May 13, 2021

The Board of Directors for California’s Clean Power Alliance (CPA) recently approved a 15-year contract with Ormat Technologies Inc.’s Heber South Geothermal facility located in Imperial Valley, Calif.

Once the long-term contract takes effect January 1, 2022, the facility will add 14 megawatts of renewable energy to CPA’s energy portfolio. With an expected average annual generation of 116,508 MWh, the project will also allow CPA to further comply with the state of California’s aggressive renewable energy mandates.

CPA will pay for the output of the geothermal generation of the project at a fixed-price rate per megawatt hour for the full term of the 15-year contract. Under the contract, CPA will receive all product attributes from the facility, including energy and renewable energy credits (RECs).

In addition, the contract brings CPA closer to meeting its regulatory obligations under California’s SB 100 and SB 350, which require that 65% of Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) compliance related renewable energy supply be sourced from long-term contracts beginning in the 2021-2024 compliance period.

The Heber South project has a firm transmission agreement with California public power utility Imperial Irrigation District to deliver power to the California Independent System Operator at the Coachella Valley substation.

CPA, a community choice aggregator (CCA), serves approximately three million customers and one million customer accounts across 32 communities throughout Southern California.

According to CAISO’s website, geothermal energy accounts for 1,389 MW of the ISO’s grid as of April 11, 2021.

In January 2020, Ormat Technologies announced the signing of two power purchase agreements with Silicon Valley Clean Energy and Monterey Bay Community Power, two California CCAs.

The American Public Power Association has a category of membership for community choice aggregation programs.

Platte River Power Authority begins permitting for 150-MW solar project

May 13, 2021

by Peter Maloney
APPA News
May 13, 2021

Platte River Power Authority has initiated permitting for a 150 megawatt (MW) solar power project in Weld County, Colo.

Platte River Power Authority is undertaking the Black Hollow Solar project with BHS Solar, a subsidiary 174 Power Global. The public power utility intends to use the electrical output from the solar project to replace its share of the output from the coal-fired Craig Unit 1, which is scheduled to retire in 2025.

The solar project, if approved by Weld County planners and commissioners, would be located northeast of Black Hollow Reservoir and span between 1,000 and 1,400 acres, with the final location and layout determined through a review of physical, environmental and land-use constraints and feedback from numerous stakeholders, including neighbors, state agencies, and county leaders.

The solar project would provide work for an estimated 320 full-time workers during construction and up to 450 workers during the peak of construction and then require eight to 10 permanent positions to manage the solar farm after it enters service.

Under the agreement with Platte River, 174 Power Global will build, own and operate the Black Hollow Solar project and sell the electricity under a long-term power purchase agreement to Platte River beginning in 2023. Energy would be delivered to Platte River’s owner communities in Colorado’s north Front Range through a substation to be built adjacent to existing Platte River transmission lines.

Platte River Power Authority serves Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland, Colo. 

“The addition of the Black Hollow Solar project will take us approximately halfway toward our goal of providing 100% noncarbon energy,” Jason Frisbie, general manager and CEO of Platte River Authority, said in a statement. “This is one of many significant steps we’re taking to achieve our Resource Diversification Policy, and we’re excited to move forward with construction.”

When the Black Sparrow Solar project is completed, it will give Platte River Power Authority more than 200 MW of solar capacity when combined with its 30-MW Rawhide Flats solar project, which entered service in 2016, and its 22-MW Rawhide Prairie Solar installation, which began operation – along with 2 megawatt hours of battery storage –in March.

Platte River also receives about 230 MW of wind energy under long-term power contracts.

Ditto, Sargent named to GridWise Alliance advisory council formed to support call for investments in power system

May 12, 2021

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
May 12, 2021

Joy Ditto, President and CEO of the American Public Power Association (APPA), and Jackie Sargent, general manager of Texas public power utility Austin Energy, have been named to a GridWise Alliance Grid Infrastructure Advisory Council (GIAC) to support the alliance’s call for at least $50 billion in federal spending to modernize the nation’s electric power transmission and distribution systems.

Formation of the 30-member council was announced by GridWise Alliance Board Chair Gil Quiniones on April 26. Quiniones, who is President and CEO of the New York Power Authority, will lead the GIAC.

After the announcement regarding the formation of the GIAC, the White House recognized the launch of the council in a Fact Sheet on the Biden Administration’s plan to advance the expansion and modernization of the electric grid.

“GridWise Alliance’s new Advisory Council will be a vital asset as we work to build support in Congress and throughout the country for grid modernization and for President Biden’s ambitious and potentially historic infrastructure plan—the ‘American Jobs Plan,’” Quiniones said in a statement.

He noted that the council includes leaders from the electric utility industry, environmental groups, labor unions and other interested parties in the public and private sectors.  “It is diverse, but also united in its firm belief that the power grid must be significantly upgraded,” Quiniones said.

The GridWise Alliance praised the Biden Administration on the infrastructure plan’s proposed $100 billion investment in upgrading the electricity grid and promoting clean energy and $50 billion for resilient infrastructure, Quiniones said.

He noted that this complements the Alliance’s Grid Investments for Economic Recovery initiative, launched earlier this year, which focuses more specifically on urging a $50 billion federal investment in modernizing and upgrading the transmission and distribution networks.

The purpose of Ditto’s participation is to ensure public power is well represented on the group.

“A reliable power supply depends upon having a robust and modern transmission and distribution system,” said Ditto. “I am honored to be able to serve as a voice for public power on GridWise Alliance’s Advisory Council, and I look forward to working with my fellow council members,” she said.   

“I am honored to have been asked to serve on the Grid Infrastructure Advisory Council,” said Jackie Sargent, Austin Energy General Manager. “This is an important and exciting challenge and I am looking forward to working with this diverse group to reimagine our electric grid.”   

The GIAC and GridWise Alliance will work collaboratively with the Biden Administration to define areas where investment in the electric grid would be most beneficial to the economy and the communities in most need, a GridWise Alliance news release noted. The council will amplify the best practices of alliance members, put a spotlight on key policy and appropriations recommendations and utilize its utility executives, grid equipment manufacturers, and vendor members to advocate funding for grid modernization.

The GridWise Alliance represents stakeholders that design, build, and operate the electric grid.

Colorado Springs Utilities to join Southwest Power Pool’s Western Energy Imbalance Service Market

May 12, 2021

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
May 12, 2021

Public power utility Colorado Springs Utilities on May 12 said it will join Southwest Power Pool’s (SPP) Western Energy Imbalance Service (WEIS) Market in April 2022 and join other western utilities in evaluating membership in SPP’s regional transmission organization (RTO).

“Our current portfolio of solar compliments SPP well,” said Colorado Springs Utilities CEO Aram Benyamin in a statement. “We expect to save customers money by optimizing the dispatch of different utilities’ generating resources within each hour of the day. Our employees will also benefit from increased market intelligence, better integration of our new solar projects and being one step closer to meeting our clean energy goals.”

In June 2020, the Colorado Springs Utilities Board approved a new sustainable energy plan, which calls for Colorado Springs Utilities to reduce carbon emissions at least 80% by 2030 and 90% by 2050. Additionally, the plan increases renewable energy and incorporates storage resources. It benefits customers by maintaining competitive and affordable rates and advances energy efficiency, the utility notes.

SPP launched its WEIS market Feb. 1, 2021. The wholesale electricity market balances regional supply and demand of electricity in real-time. Colorado Springs Utilities will join eight other western utilities already participating in the WEIS.

SPP is already coordinating an effort by several western utilities — all current participants in the WEIS market — that are evaluating membership in its RTO, and Colorado Springs Utilities will join this effort too.

While SPP administers the WEIS market on a contract basis to non-members, it provides RTO members an entire suite of valuable services including market administration, transmission planning, reliability coordination and more. A recent SPP-Brattle study estimated the WEIS participants’ move to RTO membership would produce $49 million in benefits and those would grow with additional western members.

Colorado Springs Utilities plans to work with the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA), a current SPP WEIS participant, to act as its balancing authority.

A balancing authority is required to enter WEIS as they are responsible for operating a transmission control area. They match generation with load and maintain consistent electric frequency to the grid, even during extreme weather conditions or natural disasters.

The evaluation of membership is expected to conclude in early 2022, with the terms and start dates of any interested parties’ membership agreement to be announced then.

WAPA’s Colorado River Storage Project to explore membership in SPP

SPP recently received a letter from WAPA’s Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP) expressing interest in evaluating membership in the organization.

In November 2020, Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Deseret Power Electric Cooperative, the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, and WAPA’s Upper Great Plains-West and Loveland Area Projects notified SPP of their intent to evaluate membership in the RTO.

The entities’ letters indicate they will work with SPP to evaluate the terms, costs and benefits of putting western facilities under the RTO’s tariff.

Glenwood Springs and Aspen in Colorado ramp up plans for EV charging stations

May 11, 2021

by Peter Maloney
APPA News
May 11, 2021

The Colorado communities of Glenwood Springs and Aspen are collaborating to increase the number of charging stations needed in their region to support the growth of light and heavy duty electric vehicles.

The collaboration includes a focused effort to be more strategic in advancing EV charging infrastructure in their communities.

“Being a local hub for the Western Slope [of the Rocky Mountains], we feel it’s important to be able to provide appropriate numbers of charging stations along with the private stations that are available to the public,” Matt Langhorst, public works director for Glenwood Springs, said in a statement. “We see the future of electric vehicles coming and plan to be prepared for it.”

Last year, Glenwood Springs added three dual cord, Level-2 ChargePoint stations and a similar unit in a downtown parking garage. There are also several publicly available private charging stations such as Tesla stations close to Interstate 70.

In the near future, Glenwood Springs intends to increase its level of collaboration with Aspen, which is in the process of developing an electric vehicle infrastructure masterplan that would serve as a blueprint for Aspen’s public charging stations over the next five years. The plan would provide recommendations on where, when and how Aspen should install public charging stations and how it should manage its existing stations. The plan would address policy issues such as when to begin paid charging and how rates might compare across the regional charging network.

Aspen currently owns and operates eight publicly available electric vehicle charging stations, six of which are dual cord, Level-2 ChargePoint stations and two are direct current fast charging stations that serve one vehicle at a time. The city also operates several Level 2 charging stations for its administrative fleet of light duty electric vehicles.

There are also eight electric buses that operate within Aspen and in the 70-mile stretch between Aspen and Glenwood Springs as part of the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority’s (RFTA) Battery Electric Bus (BEB) Pilot Project.

RFTA, based in Aspen and Glenwood Springs, integrated electric buses into its fleet of 120 buses in 2019. The buses use Level 2 chargers to replenish their batteries overnight to take advantage of lower off-peak rates. Overall charging time for the buses is approximately three to four hours.

Langhorst said he hopes Aspen’s EV Infrastructure Masterplan will serve as a guide and a tool for other regional stakeholders with electrification plans.

Aspen and Glenwood Springs were among the first communities in the United States to achieve their individual 100 percent renewable energy goals. Aspen reached that goal in 2015, Glenwood Springs in 2019.

Aspen and Glenwood Springs are members of NMPP Energy and the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska, the wholesale power supply organization of NMPP Energy, based in Lincoln, Neb.

The Nebraska Municipal Power Pool (NMPP), part of NMPP Energy, provides a variety of energy and management services to nearly 200 member municipalities in six Midwest and Rocky Mountain states.

TVA, Kairos Power to collaborate on low-power demonstration reactor

May 11, 2021

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
May 11, 2021

The Tennessee Valley Authority and Kairos Power recently announced plans to collaborate on deploying a low-power demonstration reactor at the East Tennessee Technology Park in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

As part of this agreement, TVA will provide engineering, operations, and licensing support to help Kairos Power deploy its low-power demonstration reactor, named Hermes, TVA noted on May 6.

California-based Kairos Power states on its website that its fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor is a novel advanced reactor technology that aims to be cost competitive with natural gas in the U.S. electricity market and to provide a long-term reduction in cost.

Kairos Power has chosen Albuquerque, N.M., as its home for a new engineering center to support the development of its advanced reactor technology. The facility will be located in Albuquerque’s Mesa del Sol master-planned community in an existing building on 32 acres of land for future expansion.

Jeff Lyash, President and CEO of TVA, discusses the Kairos Power news in an upcoming episode of the American Public Power Association’s Public Power Now podcast. Click here on Monday, May 17 to access the podcast episode.

TVA generates more than 40% of its electricity from nuclear power and has the third largest nuclear fleet in the U.S. 

In April 2020 it was disclosed that the University of Tennessee and the Tennessee Valley Authority had signed a memorandum of understanding to evaluate the development of a new generation of cost-effective, advanced nuclear reactors, such as small modular reactors, at TVA’s 935-acre Clinch River Nuclear Site in Roane County.

TVA signed a similar agreement with Oak Ridge National Laboratory in February 2020 to explore advanced reactor designs as a next-generation nuclear technology with potential for improved safety and increased flexibility.

Biden Administration approves first major offshore wind project in U.S. waters

May 11, 2021

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
May 11, 2021

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on May 11 announced the approval of the construction and operation of the Vineyard Wind project, the first large-scale, offshore wind project in the U.S.

The 800-megawatt Vineyard Wind energy project, which will contribute to the Biden Administration’s goal of generating 30 gigawatts of energy from offshore wind by 2030, will be located approximately 12 nautical miles offshore Martha’s Vineyard and 12 nautical miles offshore Nantucket in the northern portion of Vineyard Wind’s lease area.  

The May 11 Record of Decision (ROD) grants Vineyard Wind final federal approval to install 84 or fewer turbines off Massachusetts as part of an offshore wind energy facility.

According to the ROD for the project, the project would deliver power to the New England energy grid to contribute to Massachusetts’s renewable energy requirements—particularly, the Commonwealth’s mandate that distribution companies (IOUs) jointly and competitively solicit proposals for offshore wind energy generation.

The ROD is jointly signed by and addresses permitting decisions by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the National Marine Fisheries Service within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Prior to construction, Vineyard Wind must submit a facility design report and a fabrication and installation report. These engineering and technical reports provide specific details for how the facility will be fabricated and installed in accordance with the approved construction and operations plan.

In addition to the May 11 announcement, since January 20, the Department has initiated the environmental review of two other offshore wind projects, and pursued additional leasing opportunities in the New York Bight.

The Departments of Interior, Energy and Commerce on March 29 announced a shared goal to deploy 30 GW of offshore wind in the U.S. by 2030.

At a White House forum, Interior announced the final Wind Energy Areas (WEA) in the New York Bight, an area of shallow waters between Long Island and the New Jersey coast.

The goal of the Department’s area identification process is to identify the offshore locations that appear most suitable for wind energy development, taking into consideration coexistence with ocean users, Interior noted.

The WEAs are adjacent to the greater metropolitan Tri-State area of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

Interior’s BOEM has identified nearly 800,000 acres as WEAs in the New York Bight. The BOEM will initiate an environmental review, with public input, on these areas in federal waters for potential offshore wind leasing.

In addition, Interior in March 2021 said it was initiating an environmental review of the third commercial scale offshore wind project by announcing a notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for Ocean Wind LLC’s proposed project offshore New Jersey.

Ocean Wind has proposed an offshore wind project with a total capacity of 1,100 MW.

 N.Y. stakeholders, including LIPA, adopt plan for power line for offshore wind farm

A group composed of the New York State Public Service Commission and more than a dozen stakeholders, including the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), recently agreed to and adopted a plan to build a transmission line that would link a proposed offshore wind farm to the state’s power grid.

In a recent episode of Public Power Now, Tom Falcone, CEO of LIPA, discussed offshore wind.

In August 2019, the New York Power Authority shared key results from a study of European offshore wind transmission models that will help guide New York State as it moves aggressively towards its offshore wind goal by and inform regional and national offshore wind development.

TVA Board of Directors approves move to establish series of decarbonization milestones

May 10, 2021

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
May 10, 2021

The Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) Board of Directors on May 6 approved a resolution that endorses a document establishing a series of decarbonization milestones over the next three decades for TVA.

At its quarterly business meeting, the TVA board approved a resolution endorsing TVA’s Strategic Intent and Guiding Principles.

TVA said that by 2030, it will focus on growing its current 63% carbon reduction to 70% by:

Specific plans to achieve this milestone, including any decisions affecting existing or new facilities, will be developed over the coming months and will include detailed environmental assessments that will seek public input before any actions are taken, TVA said.

TVA said it has a path to an 80% reduction by 2035 with up to 10,000 MW of solar capacity online and continued investment in extending the lives of its current nuclear and hydro fleets, as well as the integrated systems needed to support the energy system of the future, while moving toward an aspirational goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

TVA noted that since 2005, it has reduced carbon emissions by 63% primarily through the creation of a diverse generation portfolio, which includes adding 1,600 MW of new nuclear capacity, an additional 1,600 MW of wind and solar capacity, retiring 8,600 MW of coal capacity that was at the end of its useful life by the end of 2023 and investing more than $400 million to promote energy efficiency.

Key U.S. energy pipeline company hit by ransomware attack

May 9, 2021

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
May 9, 2021

Colonial Pipeline on May 7 learned it was the victim of a cybersecurity attack and it has since determined that this incident involves ransomware.

“In response, we proactively took certain systems offline to contain the threat, which has temporarily halted all pipeline operations, and affected some of our IT systems,” the company said on May 8 in a statement.

“Upon learning of the issue, a leading, third-party cybersecurity firm was engaged, and they have launched an investigation into the nature and scope of this incident, which is ongoing. We have contacted law enforcement and other federal agencies,” Colonial Pipeline said.

Georgia-based Colonial Pipeline said it is taking steps to understand and resolve this issue.

Colonial Pipeline is the largest refined products pipeline in the United States, transporting more than 100 million gallons of fuel daily to meet the energy needs of consumers from Houston, Texas to the New York Harbor.

The company transports 2.5 million barrels per day of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other refined products through 5,500 miles of pipelines linking refiners on the Gulf Coast to the eastern and southern United States, Reuters noted in a story about the attack.

“At this time, our primary focus is the safe and efficient restoration of our service and our efforts to return to normal operation. This process is already underway, and we are working diligently to address this matter and to minimize disruption to our customers and those who rely on Colonial Pipeline,” Colonial Pipeline said in the statement.

Over the past 48 hours, Colonial Pipeline personnel have taken additional precautionary measures to help further monitor and protect the safety and security of its pipeline, it said on Sunday, May 9.

“The Colonial Pipeline operations team is developing a system restart plan. While our mainlines (Lines 1, 2, 3 and 4) remain offline, some smaller lateral lines between terminals and delivery points are now operational. We are in the process of restoring service to other laterals and will bring our full system back online only when we believe it is safe to do so, and in full compliance with the approval of all federal regulations,” it said.

Biden declares emergency

The White House declared a state of emergency on Sunday tied to the ransomware cyberattack, the BBC reported. The emergency status enables fuel to be transported by road, the BBC said.

A number of media outlets reported that the attack was carried out by DarkSide. “The cyberextortion attempt that has forced the shutdown of a vital U.S. pipeline was carried out by a criminal gang known as DarkSide that cultivates a Robin Hood image of stealing from corporations and giving a cut to charity, two people close to the investigation said Sunday,” the Christian Science Monitor reported.

On CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” Secretary Gina Raimondo on May 9, said that “This is what businesses now have to worry about, and I will be working very closely with Ali Mayorkas on this. It’s a top priority for the administration. Unfortunately, these sorts of attacks are becoming more frequent,” she said. “They’re here to stay and we have to work in partnership with businesses” to secure networks, “to defend ourselves against these attacks. As it relates to Colonial, the president was briefed yesterday. It’s an all hands on deck effort right now. And we are working closely with the company, state and local officials to, you know, make sure that they get back up to normal operations as quickly as possible and there aren’t disruptions in supply.”

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) “is monitoring the ransomware incident affecting Colonial Pipeline. Every organization must be vigilant and strengthen its cybersecurity posture against ransomware and other types of cyber-attacks,” said Alejandro Mayorkas, DHS Secretary, said in a May 8 tweet.

“We are engaged with the company and our interagency partners regarding the situation. This underscores the threat that ransomware poses to organizations regardless of size or sector. We encourage every organization to take action to strengthen their cybersecurity posture to reduce their exposure to these types of threats,” said Eric Goldstein, Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which is part of the DHS.

“This incident highlights that ransomware continues to be a significant issue facing all critical infrastructure sectors. While this incident did not involve an electric utility, the relevance to the electricity subsector cannot be understated,” said Sam Rozenberg, Senior Director of Security and Resilience at the American Public Power Association.

Ransomware is a very familiar threat to the public power segment of the industry and APPA held a webinar on April 21st of this year, with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The slide deck and the recording can be accessed here. Additionally, the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC) in February of this year released a report labeled Ransomware Trends for Utilities and APPA encourages public power utilities to review this resource.

APPA continues to stress the importance of public power utilities joining the E-ISAC for timely and actionable sharing of threats to the electricity subsector. To learn more about the E-ISAC and how to join, visit the E-ISAC website or contact E-ISAC Member Services.

Any questions can be directed to: cybersecurity@publicpower.org.