2020 starts with a clouded vision for nuclear power around the world. The year ended with bad news for nuclear. World Nuclear News reported that 2019 ended with more shutdowns than start-ups. “Six power reactors were added to the grid last year and construction of three large reactor projects started, while nine units were permanently … More 2020’s clouded nuclear vision
“Action Now!” radicalism has destroyed the slow moving, 2016 consensus based Paris Agreement. It is not just COP 25 that failed; the UN climate change machinery has collapsed. This is good news, even though the reason is bad news. I have been writing about the climate alarmism movement tearing itself apart for months now. For example … More COP 25: Paris Accord destroyed
The rise of distributed energy resources poses challenges to the U.S. electric transmission system, according to the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC). In a report – 2019 Long-Term Reliability Assessment – released Thursday (Dec. 19), the nation’s reliability watchdog said, “Distributed energy resources (DERs) and storage are increasingly offering electricity customers an option to … More NERC examines reliability implications of changing power mix
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Thursday (Dec. 19) adopted a long-awaited rule on the restructuring of the PJM capacity market to deal with state subsidies for preferred generation that many critics have seen as causing an anti-competitive price war in the giant regional wholesale market. A divided commission voted 2-1 for the order, which stems … More FERC acts on PJM capacity market rules
In poker, if you are dealt a hand with a card missing that is a misdeal and the dealer must shuffle the deck and start again. The European Union’s so-called “Green Deal” (GD) is just like that. What’s missing is any hint of a plan. The proponents of this plan-free nonsense gleefully admit they have … More EU Green Deal is a reality misdeal
Virginia-based powerhouse Dominion Energy is facing serious a serious challenge from the state legislature and the governor, in complete control of Democrats for the first time in decades. While the Richmond-based, vertical and horizontal multi-state utility has long been the most significant corporate political player in the state, it is now challenged by forces it … More Dominion Energy rate deal faces serious opposition
“Loss and Damage” (L&D) is the name of the hugely dangerous issue whereby developed countries would compensate the developing world for damages caused by things like bad weather and rising seas, in the name of climate change. It has been slowly inching forward at every COP since the first in 1995. “COP” has little to … More COP 25: “Loss and Damage” inches on, toothless and homeless
Under the leadership of Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, Maryland has adopted an ambitious renewable energy goal: 100% by 2040. But he’s getting pushback from some local governments. The Democratic legislature earlier this year adopted an ambitious goal of 50% renewables by 2030. Maryland is among the bluest states in the country, but Hogan, recently reelected … More Maryland renewables plan hits local opposition
Once the paragon of nuclear power, the French program is exhibiting the same blind staggers that characterized the U.S. in the late 1970s and the 1980s. In no particular order: * The Flamanville 3 advanced pressurized water reactor (EPR), designed and partially constructed by France’s AREVA and now under Electricity de France management and construction … More What’s the matter with France?
Robert C. Odle, Jr., 75, who retired as a partner in the Washington law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges in 2015 after 30 years, died early last month at his home in Alexandria, Va. The cause of death was brain cancer. I knew Rob Odel in the1980s, when he was the Reagan Administration’s Department … More Rob Odle, former DOE lobbyist and minor Watergate figure, is dead