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City of Erie, Ks., Completes Installation Of Advanced Metering Infrastructure

May 27, 2022

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
May 27, 2022

The City of Erie, Ks., has completed the installation of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) for its public power utility. 

Erie, which is a member of the Kansas Power Pool (KPP), made the commitment in December 2020 to move ahead with this advanced technology after researching various vendors and options and attending the KPP AMI Technical event held at the Kansas Municipal Utilities (KMU) Training Center earlier that year, KPP noted in its Lightning Round newsletter.

Erie decided to install the Vision Metering system, which met its goals and needs in an affordable manner, KPP noted.

With the new automated meters and technology, Erie will be able to read meters remotely from the city offices, saving time, labor, and money, and increasing safety measures for city staff, KPP’s newsletter noted.

Along with reducing operational costs, the new meters will help improve reliability. The new technology allows Erie to detect problems more quickly and to locate outages more precisely and, in some cases, the city will be able to fix the problem before customers know their power has been out, KPP said.

KPP, one of two municipal energy agencies in Kansas, was established in 2004 under Kansas statutes with the execution of an agreement creating KPP by six Kansas municipalities.

Colin Hansen became KPP’s CEO and General Manager in early 2022 after serving as executive director of KMU nearly 22 years.

Along with his role at KPP, Hansen also serves as chair of the American Public Power Association’s Board of Directors.

APPA Moves To Help Member Utilities Respond To Supply Chain Challenges

May 27, 2022

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
May 27, 2022

The American Public Power Association (APPA) is taking a number of actions to help its member utilities respond to ongoing supply chain challenges in the electric utility sector.

 [This is the final part of a three-part Public Power Current series detailing public power’s response to supply challenges].

Groups Send Letter To Energy Secretary

On May 26, APPA was joined by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) in sending a letter to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm in which the groups urged her “to exercise your authority to immediately address a serious supply chain issue facing our members which could result in electric reliability impacts for Americans as we head into the volatile summer weather months and storm season.”

The letter was signed by Joy Ditto, President and CEO of APPA, and Jim Matheson, CEO of NRECA. 

“For months, we have been calling attention to the unprecedented challenges our members are facing in procuring basic equipment needed to restore service following storms and natural disasters,” Ditto and Matheson wrote.

“Transformers pose a particularly acute problem as our members are now facing lead times of more than a year for delivery and in many cases, are being limited in the number they are allowed to purchase. In addition, transformers are critical not only to restoring service but also to extending new service to support economic growth in American communities,” Ditto and Matheson said.

“Therefore, we urge you to temporarily waive the energy conservation standard for distribution transformers to make it possible for manufacturers to increase output as much as possible until this immediate crisis has abated. By relieving manufacturers of the current requirement, raw steel materials used to make distribution transformers can be spread further and result in higher production that our members need. This is a concrete step you can take today to increase transformer availability and address a potential electric reliability issue,” the letter said.

Ditto and Matheson said that they are concerned that if this issue is not addressed quickly, “we could face instances during this upcoming storm season when timely restoration of electric service for some customers simply won’t be possible because of a lack of transformers. As such, we urge you to act without undue delay to increase output for transformers by waiving the energy conservation standard for distribution transformers.” 

APPA Develops Web Service To Facilitate Voluntary Transformer Exchange

Meanwhile, in a recent note sent to APPA members, Ditto said that APPA has developed a simple web service to facilitate voluntary transformer exchange and a policy position brief for members looking to have increased conversations in their communities.

She noted that APPA sees supply chain availability as a reliability concern, so it has decided to utilize APPA’s eReliability Tracker (eRT) web-application to address the immediate member need for information related to voluntary transformer sharing.

As a result, APPA members will be able to contact other utilities with similar voltages to discuss equipment if they have an emergency need.

Equipment sharing will be 100% voluntary, with the goal being to have a process for public power utilities to reach out to each other quickly and efficiently and for APPA to help with other parts of the sector (investor-owned utilities and cooperatives) more quickly when there is a need public power utilities can’t meet among themselves.

If a member utility is already subscribed to the eReliability Tracker service, it will be able to fill out the form when logging in using existing credentials. If a utility is not subscribed to the eReliability Tracker APPA is making the voltage based outreach component of the service free through the end of the year, and if you would like to use the request system, contact APPA Staff at Reliability@PublicPower.org.

New APPA Supply Chain Issue Brief

APPA’s recently finalized new supply chain issue brief notes for public power utilities, the ability to provide reliable and affordable power to homes, businesses, and critical facilities is foundational to both their business model and the recovery and expansion of the U.S. economy.

APPA members can download the issue brief here.

APPA Holds Supply Chain Summit

In May, APPA convened a supply chain summit that included participation from public power utility officials who discussed their supply chain challenges and mitigation strategies.

For additional details on the summit and what speakers had to say, read the first part of this three-part series on public power and supply chain challenges.

Click here for the second part of the series.

Extended Calif. Drought Could Cut Summer Generation From Hydropower Nearly In Half

May 26, 2022

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
May 26, 2022

The extended drought in California could cut the state’s summer electricity generation from hydropower nearly in half compared with normal precipitation conditions, according to an analysis by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

EIA on May 26 said that its analysis indicates that hydropower would produce 8% of California’s electricity generation in a drought year, compared with 15% under normal precipitation conditions.

EIA expects that level of decrease in hydropower generation would lead to an 8% increase in California’s electricity generation from natural gas, a 6% increase in energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in the state, and an average 5% increase in wholesale electricity prices throughout the West given the current system configuration. 

“California has a diverse electricity fuel mix and is highly interconnected with the regional electric grid, but our study shows that a significant decrease in hydropower generation this summer could lead to higher electricity prices, among other effects,” said EIA Administrator Joe DeCarolis.

Hydropower is typically the third-largest source of electricity in California, but electricity generation from hydropower is highly reliant on snowpack that forms in the winter season.

California’s snowpack was above normal as of December 2021, but it was 40% below normal levels by April 1 of this year, according to EIA.

EIA analyzed six of California’s hydropower facilities, representing 22% of the state’s hydropower capacity, to develop its supplemental outlook. The entire report is available on the EIA website.

Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority Board Approves Purchase Of Tesla Electric Vehicles

May 26, 2022

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
May 26, 2022

The Governing Board of the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority approved a purchase contract for electric vehicles at a May 26 Board of Directors meeting.

The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority will soon receive a fleet-upgrade of eight electric Tesla SUVs worth approximately $500,000, procured entirely through an Energizing Insular Communities grant of approximately $1 million from the Department of Interior.

Kyle Fleming, chairperson of the Authority’s Board, noted that other government agencies will be purchasing additional Teslas in the coming months with the Virgin Islands’ Energy Office being awarded a similar $1.2 million grant. 

According to Fleming, who is also the director of the Virgin Islands Energy Office, having electric vehicles is part of an overall strategy to transform the Authority away from fossil fuels. Both solar and wind power generation are already a part of the Authority’s current and future generation plans with the goal of eliminating, to the fullest extent possible, reliance on fossil fuel. 

He said the Virgin Islands has a natural advantage over many stateside utilities regarding its immediate ability to utilize electric vehicles.  Due to the relatively small size of the islands and the short distances driven, range anxiety, or the concern about running out of battery charge before being able to recharge, will not be a problem, according to the Authority.

Andrew Smith, the Authority’s CEO, noted that the approximately $500,000 remaining under the grant is earmarked for acquiring hybrid bucket trucks, and that the purchase process is well underway.

The American Public Power Association’s Public Power EV Activities Tracker summarizes key efforts undertaken by members — including incentives, electric vehicle deployment, charging infrastructure investments, rate design, pilot programs, and more. Click here for additional details.

DOE, National Labs Request NAESB To Set Standards For Distributed Resources

May 25, 2022

by Peter Maloney
APPA News
May 25, 2022

The Department of Energy (DOE), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have submitted a joint request for standards development to the North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB) seeking to harmonize grid service terminology and definitions supporting distributed energy resources offered by the organized markets and distribution systems.

The aim of the request is to create standardized, technology-neutral grid service definitions that can benefit both wholesale and retail electric market interactions.

The development of NAESB standards will promote more efficient wholesale and retail electric market operations while advancing market utilization of distributed energy resources, according to the request.

The parties submitted the request in support of the DOE’s Grid Modernization Laboratory Consortium’s efforts to modernize the nation’s electric grid.

“A lack of common industry terminology regarding grid services can be a roadblock to the interoperability of distributed energy resources and the development of other standardized practices,” Richard Brown, principal investigator for the Grid Modernization Laboratory at LBNL, and Steve Widergren, co-principal investigator at PNNL, said in a statement.

“NAESB standardization of grid service definitions could provide a foundation for a common framework that would simplify distributed energy resource integration and enable the comparison of grid service usage across the markets, leading to improved accuracy and consistency of information concerning grid service performance and metrics,” Brown and Widergren said.

According to the request, it proposes to build upon existing wholesale market structures by standardizing common grid service names, definitions, and performance characteristics that align with the market product taxonomies and definitions identified in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Electric Quarterly Reports.

Having NAESB standards for distributed energy resources would enable wholesale market operators to associate or classify existing market products with common grid services and support more efficient communications between market operators and market participants, such as generators, distribution system operators, and distributed energy resource aggregators, the request said.

Once developed, the standards applicable to the wholesale market would provide a foundation for the development of similar retail electric standards that would serve to assist emerging retail markets to integrate, with greater consistency, the flexibilities that can be realized from distributed energy resources.

Development of wholesale market standards is expected to begin on June 14, and development of retail market standards is expected to begin later this year.

Palo Alto, Calif., Seeks Renewable Energy Supply Proposals That Can Include Energy Storage

May 25, 2022

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
May 25, 2022

The City of Palo Alto, Calif., is seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide electric power generated by renewable resources — with or without energy storage capacity — to meet the city’s long-term electric supply portfolio needs.

The utility will consider all California renewable portfolio standard (RPS)-eligible renewable resources.

 These resources include, with some limitations:

In addition, the city will accept proposals from zero-carbon resources that are not RPS-eligible (e.g., large hydroelectric).

If a bidder chooses to include an energy storage system in a proposal, the facility should have a duration of four hours, although proposals may include pricing for longer-duration configurations as well.

Proposals must be received by June 28, 2022.

The RFP is available here.

NOAA Forecasters Predict Above-Average Hurricane Activity This Year

May 25, 2022

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
May 25, 2022

Forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center are predicting above-average hurricane activity this year, which would make it the seventh consecutive above-average hurricane season.

NOAA’s outlook for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, which extends from June 1 to November 30, predicts a 65% chance of an above-normal season, a 25% chance of a near-normal season and a 10% chance of a below-normal season.

For the 2022 hurricane season, NOAA is forecasting a likely range of 14 to 21 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 6 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher). NOAA provides these ranges with a 70% confidence.

The increased activity anticipated this hurricane season is attributed to several climate factors, including the ongoing La Niña that is likely to persist throughout the hurricane season, warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, weaker tropical Atlantic trade winds and an enhanced west African monsoon.

An enhanced west African monsoon supports stronger African Easterly Waves, which seed many of the strongest and longest-lived hurricanes during most seasons, NOAA said.

Texas Generator Brings 260-Megawatt Battery Storage Project Online

May 25, 2022

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
May 25, 2022

Texas-based power generator Vistra on May 23 announced that its DeCordova Energy Storage Facility in Granbury, Texas, is now online. The 260-megawatt/260 megawatt-hour battery energy storage project is the largest of its kind in Texas, according to Vistra.

Jim Burke, Vistra president and chief financial officer, said that the facility “offers a unique value proposition — not only can this battery system provide instantaneous full power to the grid with the flip of a switch, but it is also co-located on the same site as our quick-start DeCordova natural gas-fueled power plant.”

He said that this pairing “means we essentially have a large, one-hour battery system with dispatchable, reliable generation, leading to continuity of operation and resiliency of the grid. In addition, these gas-fueled generation units have seven days of diesel backup in the event of any disruption of natural gas supplies, which is yet another example of the resiliency aspect of the Decordova site.”

First announced in September 2020, DeCordova is the second of seven new zero-carbon projects Vistra is bringing online in Texas over the next few years as part of its growing Vistra Zero portfolio. These new power generation facilities represent a nearly $1 billion capital investment by the company within the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) market.

DeCordova Energy Storage Facility utilizes lithium-ion technology housed in containers that, in addition to project inverters, were supplied by Sungrow, the project integrator. Mortenson provided engineering and construction expertise.

Project construction began in June 2021 and was finished in less than a year.

Along with DeCordova and Brightside Solar Facility, Vistra is also completing the 108-MW Emerald Grove Solar Facility in Crane County ahead of summer.

The American Public Power Association’s Public Power Energy Tracker is a resource for association members that summarizes public power energy storage projects that are currently online. The tracker is available here.

ISO New England Sees Electrification Driving Demand By 14% Over The Next 10 Years

May 25, 2022

by Peter Maloney
APPA News
May 25, 2022

Electrification is projected to increase annual net electricity use in ISO New England by 14 percent over the next decade, according to a report by the ISO.

The report, 2022-2031 Forecast Report of Capacity, Energy, Loads, and Transmission (CELT), looks at the long-term forecast for energy consumption and peak demand, including 10-year forecasts accounting for the impacts of energy efficiency and behind-the-meter solar generation, as well as capacity with supply obligations and total generating capability. The report also breaks down the region’s generating plants by fuel type.

The ISO develops a gross long-term forecast for electricity demand using state and regional economic forecasts, years of New England weather history, and forecasts for energy demand to power electric vehicles (EVs) and air-source heat pumps. The results of the ISO’s energy efficiency and behind-the-meter solar power forecasts are deducted from the gross forecast to arrive at a net demand forecast.

The report projects gross electric demand of 164,965 gigawatt hours (GWh) in 2031 compared with 140,536 GWh in 2022, and net demand of 140,805 in 2031. Electric vehicles are expected to account for 5,934 GWh of demand in 2031, while air-source heat pumps are expected to account for 3,056 GWh of demand that year. The ISO forecasts energy efficiency will reduce demand by 16,468 GWh in 2031 and behind-the-meter solar installations will reduce demand by 7,692 GWh by 2031.

Assuming average weather conditions, the report projects peak summer demand at 29,519 megawatts (MW) gross and 25,322 MW net in 2031, compared with 27,743 MW and 24,686 MW gross and net, respectively, in 2022.

If weather is hotter than usual, the report estimates peak summer demand of 31,336 MW gross and 27,139 MW net by 2031, compared with 29,472 MW gross and 26,416 MW net in 2022.

Under average weather condition, the ISO forecasts peak winter demand at 25,880 MW gross and 22,852 net in 2031, compared with 22,031 MW gross and 20,009 MW net in 2022.

Under average weather condition, the ISO forecasts peak winter demand at 25,880 MW gross and 22,852 net in 2031, compared with 22,031 MW gross and 20,009 MW net in 2022.

If weather is colder than average, the ISO estimates gross winter demand of 26,725 MW and net demand of 23,696 MW in 2031, compared with 22,717 MW gross and 20,695 MW net in 2022.

The demand forecast report is the primary source for assumptions used in the ISO’s system planning and reliability studies.

CPS Energy Reaches Agreement For 300-Megawatt Solar Project

May 24, 2022

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
May 24, 2022

Texas public power utility CPS Energy has reached agreement with Consolidated Edison Development Inc. for a 300-megawatt (MW) solar project that will be located in Goliad County, Texas.

The project, dubbed Peregrine Solar, is expected to increase CPS Energy’s total solar capacity to 852 MW once it comes online.

The project is the first part of the San Antonio-based utility’s “FlexPOWER Bundle” initiative. 

Construction is scheduled to begin next year and is expected to add 250–300 temporary jobs with priority hiring from the San Antonio area. As part of the partnership agreement, Con Edison Development will contribute $500,000 over a 10-year period to support one of CPS Energy’s community priorities of supporting customers and education.

Con Edison Development also will hire up to eight positions from Greater San Antonio and maintain $750,000 in annual spending with local suppliers and vendors through the life of the 25-year agreement. This will result in a $19 million local investment for Bexar and Goliad counties.

The FlexPOWER Bundle initiative aims to further diversify CPS Energy’s power generation mix, adding up to 900 MW of solar, up to 50 MW of energy storage and up to 500 MW of firming capacity.

Launched in November 2020, a request for proposals for the FlexPOWER Bundle resulted in over 650 proposals from 100 companies across the U.S. and ten other nations, including Japan, England and South Korea.

CPS Energy expects to finalize and award all FlexPOWER Bundle contracts within the next few months with the next solar selections expected in the coming weeks.

Consolidated Edison Development is a subsidiary of Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses, Inc., which will be solely responsible for the construction, operation, and maintenance costs of the project.

CPS Energy will acquire the solar energy produced at Peregrine through a 25-year power purchase agreement.