Month: September 2020

UK’s staggering nuclear power program suffers another blow

September 23, 2020

Japanese conglomerate Hitachi, which owns the GE’s boiling water reactor franchise, has pulled the plug on plans to build a new nuke station on the coast of North Wales, citing the estimated cost of $20.5 billion. Tokyo-based Hatachi’s UK firm Horizon Nuclear Power, originally a German E.ON and RWE venture, had been trying to develop… More UK’s staggering nuclear power program suffers another blow

FERC’s Danly on DER rule: “imprudent.”

September 21, 2020

Dissenting from last week’s Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on distributed energy resources, Commissioner James Danly said the regulators went “too far in declaring the extent of its own jurisdiction and because the commission should not encourage resource development by fiat.” Danly, who was FERC general counsel before appointed to a Republican vacancy, argued that FERC… More FERC’s Danly on DER rule: “imprudent.”

Strangely bipartisan, FERC approves rule on distributed energy resources

September 17, 2020

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Thursday (Sept. 17) ruled that aggregators of distributed energy resources can compete in competitive wholesale electricity markets. The ruling, Order 2222, was not a surprise What was surprising was the nature of the 2-1 vote approving the new rule. Chairman Neil Chatterjee, a Republican Trump administration appointee, and Commissioner Richard… More Strangely bipartisan, FERC approves rule on distributed energy resources

Illinois, Ohio begin to address nuke bribery scandals

September 7, 2020

Moves to curb nuclear power political corruption in the Midwest are in motion. The outcomes are unclear so far. In Illinois, dominant utility Commonwealth Edison, an Exelon subsidiary, has admitted to federal charges that it bribed important state legislators, including the Democratic speaker of the House, and agreed to a $200 million fine. The admission… More Illinois, Ohio begin to address nuke bribery scandals