February 2021's Power Generation & Supply Market Recap is a snapshot of the data and information we curate. We share industry drivers, notable projects, recent mergers and acquisitions, interesting reads, and updates on upcoming meetings and conferences.
Industry Drivers
Our data team tracks new and updated industry drivers. Here are some recent drivers we have been following this month:
New Mexico’s Facilities For Clean Energy Generation Bill
Status: Proposed
Organization: New Mexico Legislature
Summary: On February 2, 2021, the Senate Conservation Committee passed S.B. 67. The bill would block the construction of any new electricity generating facilities that burn natural gas, only allowing developments that generate clean energy. If signed, the bill would apply to any new or replacement energy capacity constructed on or after July 1, 2021, restricting the Public Regulation Commission (PRC) from approving facilities generating power from burning coal or natural gas.
Click here for more information.
Georgia House Resolution 70 to Support Clean Energy
Status: Proposed
Organization: Georgia Legislature
Summary: On January 13, 2021, the H.R. 70 was introduced before the Georgia General Assembly. The bill is a resolution supporting a state goal of 100% clean energy by 2050, the creation of thriving-wage green jobs, and an equitable clean energy transition.
Click here for more information.
Indiana House Bill 1469 Focuses on the Closure Plan for CCR Impoundments
Status: Proposed
Organization: Indiana Legislature
Summary: On January 14, 2021, the H.B. 1469 was referred to the Committee on Environmental Affairs, after the first reading. The bill requires that a public hearing be held on the question of the approval or denial of a closure or post closure plan for a coal combustion residuals surface impoundment. The bill establishes requirements for the disposal of coal combustion residuals and the closure of a coal combustion residual surface impoundment, while also providing that an owner or operator of a coal combustion residuals surface impoundment must develop a transportation plan for the coal combustion residuals.
Click here for more information.
Indiana Senate Bill 367 Referred to the Committee on Environmental Affairs
Status: Proposed
Organization: Indiana Legislature
Summary: On January 11, 2021, the S.B. 367 was referred to the Committee on Environmental Affairs, after the first reading. The bill provides that the rules of the environmental rules board may not allow coal combustion residuals produced by the burning of coal to generate electric power to be disposed of. The bill forbids the department of environmental management from approving a plan for closure of a disposal facility for CCR located at the site where the CCR were generated. The bill requires the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) to review an electric utility's plan for closure of its CCR surface impoundment and grants to the IURC freedom to require the utility to provide an assessment of the potential cost of remediating groundwater contamination, while also permitting the IURC to allow the utility to recover the costs of closing.
Click here for more information.
Nebraska’s Lancaster County Eases Restrictions on Wind Turbines
Status: Effective
Organization: Lancaster County Board
Summary: On February 18, 2021, the Lancaster County Board in Nebraska voted 3-1 to reduce the required setbacks, raise noise thresholds and nix a requirement that protected nonparticipating, nearby vacant lots from turbine noise. This way, some of the strictest rules on wind turbines in Nebraska were eased, making it easier to develop a renewable energy source, a key component in confronting climate changes.
Click here for more information.
Guidance for Changes During Construction for New Nuclear Power Plants Licenses
Status: Effective
Organization: Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Summary: On February 25, 2021, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a regulatory guide describing a process that the NRC staff considers acceptable for implementation of changes to the design of structures, systems, and components of a facility being constructed under a combined operating license that references a certified design.
Click here for more information.
Changes to Subsequent License Renewal Guidance Documents
Status: Proposed
Organization: Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Summary: On February 25, 2021, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued three Interim Staff Guidance (ISG) documents that update aging management criteria for mechanical, structural, and electrical structures and components in the NRC's subsequent license renewal (SLR) guidance documents. This notice is effective on March 29, 2021.
Click here for more information.
HB 155 - A Bill to Regulate Electrical Grid for Reliability
Status: Proposed
Organization: Wyoming Legislature
Summary: On February 26, 2021, Wyoming Legislators introduced House Bill 155. The bill asks state regulators to consider the closure of the coal or natural gas power plant would increase the risk of power outages. Also, the bill guarantees that the utilities would be held responsible for damages or injuries caused by power outages.
Click here for more information.
Illinois EPA Finalizes Standards for the Disposal of Coal Combustion Residual in Surface Impoundments
Status: Proposed
Organization: Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA)
Summary: On March 30, 2020, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) filed a rulemaking, proposing new rules at 35 Ill. Adm. Code 845 concerning coal combustion residual surface impoundments at power generating facilities in the State. The Board is required to adopt new rules for 35 Ill. Adm. Code 845 by March 30, 2021.
Click here for more information.
Notable Projects
We track notable projects from proposal stage to becoming effective. Here are some of the recent notable projects we have been tracking.
$146 Million Deer River Wind Farm Project
Type: Generation - Wind
Status: Proposed
Organization: Avangrid Renewables
Summary: The proposed Project consists of the construction and operation of a commercial-scale wind power project, including the installation and operation of up to 40 wind turbines, together with the associated collection lines (below grade and overhead), access roads, meteorological towers, and operation and maintenance (O&M) building To deliver electricity to the New York State power grid. The Applicant proposes to construct a collection substation adjacent to a National Grid interconnection switching station which will interconnect with National Grid’s Lighthouse Hill to Black River 115 kV transmission line. It is expected that a 34.5 kV collection line will extend around 6 miles from the collection substation to the generation site. The Deer River Wind Farm Project will have a nameplate capacity of 100 MW, and is expected to operate at an annual net capacity factor (NCF) of about 32%.
Click here for more information.
$249 Million Grant County Solar Project
Type: Solar
Status: Proposed
Organization: Wisconsin Power and Light Company
Summary: In May, 2020, the Wisconsin Power and Light Company filed an application before the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin for a Certificate of Authority to acquire, construct, own, and operate six solar electric generation facilities, known as the North Rock Project (50 MW), Grant County (200 MW), Crawfish River (75 MW), Onion River (150 MW), Richland County (50 MW), and Wood County (150 MW) Projects. The biggest of them, the Grant County Project, will consist of about 763,000 individual solar panels and is expected to generate over 400,000 MWh of electricity every year. The project is developed by a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC with an estimated price of $249 million.
Click here for more information.
$200 Million MS Solar 5 – Golden Triangle Project
Type: Generation - Solar
Status: Proposed
Organization: MS Solar 5, LLC
Scale: 200 megawatts AC
Construction Date: October, 2022
Summary: On December 11, 2020, the MS Solar 5, LLC, filed a petition with the Mississippi Public Service Commission for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity Authorizing the Construction and Operation of a Solar Electric Generating and Storage Facility in Lowndes County, Mississippi. Petitioner intends to construct, own, and operate the Facility in Lowndes County, Mississippi. The Facility includes a 200 MWac electric generation facility. The entire electricity output generated by the Facility will be sold to the Tennessee Valley Authority power purchase agreement(PPA) with a term of 20 years. The Facility will also include a 50 MWac battery storage facility which will store electricity produced by the Facility for delivery during hours of the day which are not optional for solar electric generation. The estimated cost for this project is $200 million.
Click here for more information.
$125 Million Bridgeport Pequonnock Substation Rebuild Project
Type: Substation
Status: Proposed
Organization: United Illuminating Company
Scale: 115 kilovolts (kV) /13.8 kV
Summary: On January 8, 2021, the United Illuminating Company filed a petition with the State of Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Public Utilities Regulatory Authority for Approval of the Manner and Method of Construction and Permission to Energize the Bridgeport Pequonnock Substation Rebuild Project. The Pequonnock Project consists of the construction and operation of a new 115 kV/13.8 kV gas insulated Pequonnock Substation to be located on an about 3.7-acre site at 1 Kiefer Street in the City of Bridgeport, Fairfield County. The estimated cost for this project is $125 million.
Click here for more information.
$160 Million Liberty County Solar Facility
Type: Generation - Solar
Status: Proposed
Organization: Entergy Texas, Inc.
Scale: ~100 megawatts (MW)
Construction Dates: in service by 2023
Summary: In September, 2020, Entergy Texas, Inc. (ETI) filed an application before the Public Utility Commission of Texas to amend ETI's Certificate of Convenience and Necessity to acquire a nearly 100 MW Liberty County Solar Facility (LCSF) and a determination that ETI's acquisition of the LCSF through a tax equity partnership is in the public interest. Entergy Texas, Inc. filed an application with the Commission requesting approval of a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity permitting ETI to construct a nearly 100 MW solar photovoltaic electric generation facility in Liberty County, Texas. As part of its long-term electric supply resource plan, ETI has determined that it needs additional generating resources in the near future. The overall investment for this facility is around $160 million with a May 2023 commercial operation date.
Click here for more information.
Notable M&A
The following M&A transactions in the Power Generation and Supply Industry stand out in the month of February:
- January 28, 2021, GIC agreed to acquire 19.9 percent interest in Duke Energy Indiana for $2.05 billion.
- February 2, 2021, Brookfield Infrastructure agreed to sell its North American district energy business, Enwave through two separate transactions for $4.1 billion.
What We Are Reading
Here are some recent articles our team has been reading:
- The end of an era: Alliant Energy announces retirement dates for Columbia Energy Center
- Alliant, Duke announce generator shutdowns, accelerating nation's transition to coal-free status
- Developer NTE Energy has a 5-GW pipeline of solar and storage projects
- California’s three largest utilities invest billions into wildfire safety efforts
- NIPSCO wind farms replacing coal operations
- Microgrid Aims to Propel Pennsylvania Airport
- The US added 16.5 GW of PV in 2020
- Utilities seek $19.2 million pollution control for Columbia coal plant, set to close by 2025
- Public Utility Commission of Texas Issues Emergency Order Limiting Outage Durations
- Ameren Missouri customers benefit from cleaner energy and more reliable service with newly updated Smart Energy Plan
- NiSource to shut down 900 MW of coal as it accelerates energy transition
Meeting Planner
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Organizations have shifted their event strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are tracking these changing meeting plans.
Meetings in March and April 2021
- Engineering & Operations Conference, Mar. 23 - Mar. 24, 2021
- Legislative Rally - 2021, Mar. 1 - Mar. 2, 2021
- AWEA Wind Project Siting and Environmental Compliance Conference 2021, Mar. 16 - Mar. 18, 2021
- International Biomass Conference & Expo - 2021, Mar. 16 - Mar. 17, 2021
- American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers Annual Meeting - 2021, Apr. 13 - Apr. 14, 2021
- Pipeline, Control Room And Cybernetics Conference - Apr. 20 - May 20, 2021
- EGSA Spring Conference - 2021 - Apr. 18 - Apr. 20, 2021
- CxEnergy - 2021 - Apr. 20 - Apr 23, 2021
Call for Papers Deadline
- Event: Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo
Dates: Jul. 13 - Jul. 15, 2021
Date Call for Paper: Mar. 12, 2021 - Event: National Brownfields Training Conference
Dates: Sep. 27 - Sep. 30, 2021
Date Call for Paper: Mar. 8, 2021
Early Birds Registration
- Event: International Oil Spill Conference - 2021
Dates: May 10 - May 14, 2021
Date for Early Registration: Apr. 2, 2021 - Event: Advancing AECO Technology Transformation
Dates: Jul. 26 - Jul. 28, 2021
Date for Early Registration: Mar. 26, 2021 - Event: International Electric Machines & Drives Conference
Dates: May. 17 - May. 20, 2021
Date for Early Registration: Apr. 4, 2021