North America News

Latest news and developments from North America region

• EPRI working closely with NYPA on thermal energy storage pilot project

  June 18, 2021
  The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is working closely with the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to explore the use of crushed rock thermal energy storage (TES).

• FERC, NARUC to establish Joint Federal-State Task Force on transmission, US

  June 17, 2021
  The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) recently announced the formation of a joint federal-state task force on electric transmission, which FERC has established through a recent order issued.

• US grid operators brace for record heat wave, power demand spikes

  June 17, 2021
  US electric grid operators and utilities from the Plains to Pacific Ocean are bracing for record temperatures and spiking power demand amidst a regionwide heat wave forecast to create tight capacity conditions.

• MCK becomes strategic partner to Hydro-Québec on transmission project, US

  June 17, 2021
  The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK), governing body for the Kahnawà:ke Mohawk territory in Quebec, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Canadian vertically integrated power utility Hydro-Québec on the Hertel─New York Interconnection Project which aims to export renewable energy from Canada to New York City.

• LG Energy Solutions reveals supply of BESS for commissioned Moss Landing facility

  June 17, 2021
  The South Korean battery and energy storage system manufacturer,LG Energy Solutions, recently revealed that it was the supplier of battery energy storage systems (BESS) and equipment to Vistra Energy’s recently commissioned Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility—which is the world’s largest BESS.

• TransWest Express launches solicitation for Wyoming─Nevada transmission line

  June 11, 2021
  TransWest Express LLC (a wholly-owned affiliate of The Anschutz Corporation, a privately-held company based in Denver) has recently launched an open solicitation for the initial capacity allocation process for the Wyoming─Nevada transmission line.

• Transmission project moves ahead in New Mexico to boost clean power exports

  June 11, 2021
  Federal land managers are moving forward with the SunZia Southwest Transmission Project, which could bring renewable electricity from rural New Mexico to markets in Arizona.

• Colorado legislators direct transmission utilities to join organised wholesale market by 2030

  June 10, 2021
  Recently, the Colorado legislation passed a bipartisan Bill requiring all state transmission utilities to join an organised wholesale market by 2030.

• SCE completes West of Devers Upgrade Project [free access]

  June 10, 2021
  Southern California Edison (SCE) has recently completed the West of Devers Upgrade Project—significantly increasing the transmission capacity to accommodate the influx of renewable energy from desert areas in the eastern part of California to the population centres of the Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley.

• Texas Senate approves legislation for major grid reforms

  June 9, 2021
  The Texas Senate recently approved legislation that would require weatherisation of critical energy facilities and completely overhaul the management of the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which oversees the state electric grid.

• Nevada Governor signs Bill to accelerate USD2 billion grid expansion project

  June 4, 2021
  The Governor of the state of Nevada recently signed a Bill, which is expected to accelerate the construction of the USD2 billion, 525 kV Greenlink transmission network for accessing remote renewable energy (RE) resource areas.

• New England offshore wind could shift Canada–US power trade balance

  June 4, 2021
  A flood of cheap power generated by planned US offshore wind projects could soon find its way onto Canada's power grid, reversing a long-standing trend of mostly one-way trade with massive exports of Canadian hydropower to the US.

• New England state utility regulators call for ISO-NE governance reforms

  June 3, 2021
  At Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) second technical conference held recently, aimed at modernising the wholesale electricity markets, the New England state utility regulators called for governance reforms in Independent System Operator-New England (ISO-NE).

• Pattern Energy and Uniper sign long-term PPA for US wind project

  June 3, 2021
  The German-based Uniper Technologies (UTG) and Pattern Energy—a subsidiary of US-based Pattern Development—recently announced that they have signed a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for up to 219,000 MWh per year of wind energy in New Mexico, USA.

• Mayflower acquires interconnection queue position from Anbaric [free access]

  June 3, 2021
  Mayflower Wind—a 50-50 joint venture (JV) between energy companies Shell New Energies, US and the newly-formed US arm of Ocean Winds (a JV between EDP Renewables and ENGIE)—recently acquired a 1.2 GW interconnection queue position from independent grid operator Anbaric at the retired Brayton Point coal-fired power plant site south of Boston, Massachusetts.

• Agilitas Energy acquires Boston-based New England Battery Storage (NEBS)

  June 3, 2021
  Agilitas Energy—a distributed energy developer—recently acquired Boston-based New England Battery Storage (NEBS)—a private energy storage developer focused on utility-scale battery storage.

• PJM Interconnection to throw roadblock in Biden’s decarbonisation plan

  June 2, 2021
  PJM Interconnection, which serves nearly 20 per cent of the US population, is set to throw a roadblock at President Biden’s plan to decarbonise the electricity sector.

• Canada invests CAD1 billion in renewable energy, grid modernisation

  June 2, 2021
  The Government of Canada has recently launched a CAD964 million programme to support smart renewable energy (RE) and grid modernisation projects that will lower emissions by investing in clean energy technologies such as wind, solar, storage, hydro, geothermal and tidal energy.

• Transmission advocates outline policy priorities at US House hearing

  May 31, 2021
  Transmission developers and utility industry representatives advocated a suite of policy changes related to planning, cost allocation and permitting for new power lines, during a May 20 hearing before the US House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.

• NYPA Board of Trustees approve joint development agreement with National Grid

  May 31, 2021
  The New York Power Authority (NYPA) Board of Trustees have recently approved a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) with National Grid, an electricity, natural gas and clean energy delivery company in the US, to rebuild approximately 110 miles (177 km) of transmission lines in the North Country and Mohawk Valley areas.