NERC, utilities group launch grid security partnership
WASHINGTON -- NERC's Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC) and the Multi-State Information Sharing & Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) recently formed an agreement to improve information sharing among the organizations and their members with the objective of strengthening the cybersecurity of the nation's critical electric infrastructure.
The agreement also deepens cooperation between the E-ISAC and the state and local government partners represented by MS-ISAC. The Department of Homeland Security has designated MS-ISAC as the key cybersecurity resource for state, local, tribal and territorial governments.
"In a grid security emergency, effective and efficient coordination by industry and government to speed the recovery of critical infrastructure is imperative," said Bill Lawrence, NERC vice president and chief security officer. "This agreement with the MS-ISAC broadens the set of E-ISAC relationships with visibility and expertise on the cyber and physical security threats toward all levels of industry and government."
For more information, visit www.nerc.com or call (404) 446-2560.
NorthWestern Energy plans power generation expansion
BUTTE, Mont. -- NorthWestern Energy recently released its draft 2019 Montana Electricity Supply Resource Procurement Plan to be filed with the Montana Public Service Commission after a 60-day public comment period ends.
To have adequate energy supplies by 2025, NorthWestern Energy will solicit competitive proposals from a variety of resources, including renewable- and thermal-based generation. The company will add 200 megawatts of capacity per year from 2022 to 2025.
NorthWestern Energy's current peak requirement for electric energy in Montana is roughly 1,400 megawatts, and it needs to purchase 645 megawatts on the market to meet that demand. The company forecasts that by 2025, its electric energy portfolio will be 725 megawatts of electricity short to meet peak demand. The draft plan outlines how its customers' energy needs will be met with reliable energy at the lowest possible cost.
For more information, visit www.northwesternenergy.com or call (888) 467-2669.
Brattle economists release report on grid modernization
BOSTON -- A report by economists at The Brattle Group reviews the business case and cost recovery mechanisms for grid modernization investments in the U.S.
The report reviewed 21 recent grid modernization investments and conducted 10 case studies to assess how grid modernization technologies have benefited customers and utilities.
The projects reviewed spanned five key areas: distribution infrastructure hardening and resiliency, transmission infrastructure hardening and modernization, smart grid and distribution system modernization, advanced metering infrastructure and distributed energy resources. The study showed that:
- Most grid modernization efforts were initiated in response to local or state policy requirements.
- In most cases, regulatory approvals were contingent on meeting the required threshold in a typical benefit-cost test, such as the Total Resource Cost test.
- Obtaining regulatory approvals took approximately 13 months on average.
- Most cases relied on cost recovery via general rate case filings.
For more information, visit www.brattle.com or call (617) 864-7900.
IEA stresses nuclear power's importance to energy balance
PARIS -- In an attempt to identify key issues and explore the future of nuclear power, the International Energy Agency (IEA) recently held a workshop on the role of nuclear power in a balanced energy system.
The workshop focused on the outlook for nuclear power in advanced economies, the economic position of nuclear power in mature power markets, the role of nuclear power in systems requiring more flexible resources and the investment challenges for new nuclear power.
The IEA is releasing a report titled "Nuclear Power in a Clean Energy System," which will examine these issues and develop policy recommendations, at the 10th Clean Energy Ministerial meeting in Vancouver in May.
For more information, visit www.iea.org or call +33 1 40 57 65 00.
U.S. hit record electricity generation in 2018
WASHINGTON -- U.S. net electricity generation increased by 4 percent in 2018, reaching a record high of 4,178 million megawatt hours (MWh), according to the EIA.
The previous year was the first time total utility-scale generation surpassed the pre-recession peak of 4,157 MWh set in 2007. Weather is the key driver of year-to-year fluctuations in electricity demand. The increased demand for electricity in 2018 is largely attributable to a cold winter and a hot summer.
For more information, visit www.eia.gov or call (202) 586-8800.
