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To find earlier stories in Public Power Current, browse by popular topics or contact us at News@PublicPower.org.
Bills and Rates
by Kevin Kelly, Manager (retired), Groton Electric Light Department, Massachusetts GELD’s mission statement is “to provide our customers with reliable power and excellent service at affordable prices.” In pursuit of that mission, GELD received a Gold Public Power Customer Satisfaction Award in 2023
Generation
FirstLight on Aug. 6 announced a new power purchase agreement with Burlington Electric Department, a Vermont public power utility. Through the agreement, which kicked off in July, FirstLight will deliver Burlington, Vermont over 54 gigawatt hours of hydropower and associated VT-1 renewable energy credits through 2025 from FirstLight’s Shepaug Generating Station in Connecticut.
Energy Storage
The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority on July 24 said that the remobilization of the Wärtsilä Phase 2 New Generation project at the Randolph Harley Power Plant and the completion of the final battery module installation for a battery energy storage system.
Generation
Chelan PUD customer-owners recently weighed in on how the Washington State PUD should evaluate requests for large amounts of power.
Distributed Energy Resources
Renewable energy provider Pivot Energy on Aug. 8 announced a five-year framework agreement with Microsoft to develop up to 500 megawatts alternating current (MWac) of community-scale solar energy projects across the United States between 2025 and 2029.
Electricity Markets
The PJM Interconnection’s Board of Managers has authorized changes to its Regional Transmission Expansion Plan. The Board on Aug. 7 approved several new baseline reliability projects; scope and cost changes to four existing projects; and the cancellation of three baseline projects that are no longer required.
Reliability
Nebraska-based Richard’s Electric of North Platte has been awarded a $2.3 million bid for the upgrade of two Dawson Public Power District substations.
Distributed Energy Resources
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission is accepting proposals for the supply of renewable energy supplies and stand-alone energy storage for its CleanPowerSF program.