I’ve just returned from two weeks in Madagascar, focused mostly on flora and fauna (including the many endemic bird species and, of course, lemurs). It’s a beautiful country, and little known to the rest of the world. But what struck me the most about this vast island nation (the fourth largest island in the world, … More Madagascar’s extreme energy poverty

With Chairman Kevin McIntyre still ill, absent, and not voting, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission today adopted a new reliability standards to get a handle on cyber security risks associated with supply chains that supply the U.S. bulk electric system. The new FERC final rule largely follows a notice of proposed rulemaking issued in January. … More FERC adopts supply chain cyber security rule

What do the large, experienced, and sophisticated nuclear power programs of the U.S. and France have in common? Answer: they can’t seem to be able to build new generations of nuclear plants. At least that’s the case for new units in western democratic countries. Two U.S. utilities have been unable to complete four Westinghouse AP1000 … More France echoes U.S. on nuclear woes

The White House Wednesday said President Trump intends to nominate conservative energy lawyer Bernard L. McNamee to the vacant Republican seat at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. He replaces Republican Robert Powelson. McNamee is currently head of the Department of Energy’s policy shop. McNamee is expected to push FERC toward administration efforts to boost the … More Trump to name Bernard McNamee to FERC

Born of great promise, an advanced nuclear power effort, severely damaged by initial overpromises, has crashed and burned. Transatomic Power has shut down operations, after MIT’s Technology Review reported that the principals, two recent MIT PhD nuclear engineering graduates, decided they did not “see a viable path to bringing its molten salt reactor to scale.” … More Transatomic Power, once a high-flyer, crash lands

Vogtle lives. After investor-owned Georgia Power and cooperative Oglethorpe Power Corp. spent hours eye-ball-to-eyeball over Oglethorpe’s push for a cost cap on the $27 billion, two unit nuclear project, Georgia Power blinked. The owners of the project agreed Wednesday afternoon to a new cost-containment deal, which would spread the impact of future cost increases, after … More Oglethorpe, Georgia Power reach a Vogtle compromise

The troubled Vogtle nuclear power construction project in Georgia, facing massive cost overruns and years behind schedule, may have survived another existential threat. But it may not. The outcome is still in doubt. Today, one major public power partner unanimously agreed to continue with the staggering nuclear project, but another major public power player offered … More Oglethorpe throws a curve ball at the Vogtle nukes

The health of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Kevin McIntyre could determine the course the agency takes in the coming weeks and months. McIntyre, who had surgery for brain cancer in Mid-2017, before his nomination to head FERC, was unable to attend today’s open commission meeting. He said, in a statement read by Commissioner Neil … More Kevin McIntyre’s health and the course of FERC

A federal appeals court last week upheld the Illinois plan to subsidize two of Exelon’s nuclear plants in order for them to bid competitively into the PJM Interconnection. The unanimous three-judge opinion gave a thumbs up to the state’s “zero emissions credits” program and rejected a challenge by the Electric Power Supply Association, the Washington … More Appeals court upholds Illinois ZEC program balancing state/federal powers

The fate of the long-troubled Vogtle nuclear plant construction project in Georgia, the only new nuclear units being built in the U.S., could now rest with the courts. Jacksonville’s municipal utility JEA has sued in Florida court to overturn what the city believes is a ruinous 20-year take-or-pay power purchase agreement with the Municipal Energy … More Vogtle nukes face a legal challenge