North America News

Latest news and developments from North America region

• Fugro secures contract for cable route survey for offshore wind in Maine

  February 19, 2021
  The Netherlands-based offshore and onshore geotechnical and survey services company Fugro, has secured a contract from the New England Aqua Ventus, LLC (NEAV)—a joint venture between Diamond Offshore Wind (subsidiary of the Mitsubishi Corporation) and RWE Renewables—to conduct a cable route survey for the New England Aqua Ventus I floating wind project off the coast of Maine.

• Anbaric to participate in upcoming offshore wind competitive solicitation in New Jersey

  February 18, 2021
  Anbaric Development Partners, an American electric power transmission and microgrid development company located in Wakefield, Massachusetts, is set to participate in an upcoming competitive solicitation process for an offshore wind transmission solution in New Jersey.

• New York approves transmission buildout, community clean energy incentives

  February 17, 2021
  The New York Public Service Commission (NYPSC) and Governor Andrew Cuomo have announced final approvals to build the state’s ‘green energy transmission highway’, along with a first-of-its-kind developer-funded programme (Host Community Benefit Program) to directly pay residents of communities that host large renewable energy (RE) projects.

• WEC Energy to build 310 MW solar and battery storage project in US

  February 16, 2021
  Milwaukee-based Wisconsin Energy Corporation (WEC) has recently announced the construction of a 310 MW solar and battery storage project in Wisconsin, USA. Invenergy LLC will develop the project.

• US DoE to provide USD100 million for low carbon energy technologies

  February 12, 2021
  The White House recently announced that the US Department of Energy (DoE) will offer USD100 million in funding to support low-carbon energy technologies, and form a working group to aid their development and sale.

• CAISO Board approves first Native American tribe as transmission owner

  February 11, 2021
  The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) Board of Governors approved its first Native American tribe as a participating transmission owner.

• NTE Energy plans to develop 5 GW of clean energy projects over next five years

  February 11, 2021
  NTE Energy—a power generation developer, investor and operator—has announced its plans to develop 5 GW of clean energy projects over the next five years, across the US.

• French-based Total acquires solar, storage projects in Texas [free access]

  February 11, 2021
  French-based Total SE—an integrated oil and gas company—has recently acquired a development pipeline of 2.2 GW of solar projects and 600 MW of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in Texas, from SunChase Power—a renewable energy company, developing utility-scale solar energy projects and MAP RE/ES—the renewable energy business of a private energy investment firm, MAP Energy.

• Iowa Board approves new transmission line in Madison County

  February 9, 2021
  Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) recently issued an Order approving a petition filed by the MidAmerican Energy Company, where the company requested a franchise to construct, operate and maintain 3.53 miles (5.68 km) of 161 kV transmission line near the city of Cumming in Madison County, Iowa.

• Leyline partners with Momemtum Energy for battery storage development across US

  February 5, 2021
  Renewables investor and financier—Leyline Renewable Capital—has plans to provide financial support to Ohio-based Momentum Energy Storage Partners, which would develop up to 2 GW of battery projects across the US.

• El Paso Electric signs agreement with CAISO to join Western Energy Imbalance Market

  February 4, 2021
  El Paso Electric Company—an investor-owned Texas-based public utility company involved in generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in west Texas and southern New Mexico— signed an agreement with the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) to join the Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM) in 2023.

• Xodus completes inter-array cables installation study for Equinor’s Empire Wind Project

  February 4, 2021
  Xodus Group—a global energy consultant—has recently completed a study on inter-array cables installation for Equinor’s 816 MW Empire Wind Phase I offshore wind project, currently under development.

• NYPA authorises upgrade and life extension of generation, transmission assets

  February 3, 2021
  The New York Power Authority (NYPA) Board of Trustees has authorised several initiatives advancing multi-year programmes designed to upgrade and extend the operating life of its generation and transmission assets.

• Work begins on 409 MW/900 MWh Florida battery project

  February 3, 2021
  The Florida Power & Light Company (FPL)—a subsidiary of major power producer NextEra Energy—recently began construction work on the world’s largest solar-charged battery storage project.

• FERC approves NV Energy’s stake purchase in 500 kV transmission line

  February 2, 2021
  The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on January 29, 2021 approved the Nevada utility, NV Energy Inc.’s proposed purchase of a 20 per cent limited upstream ownership stake in the 500 kV DesertLink transmission project.

• FlexGen partners with Kansas Power Pool for battery storage project

  January 29, 2021
  FlexGen—an energy storage technology company—is partnering with the Kansas Power Pool (KPP) to design, build and operate the Solomon Energy Storage Center in Minneapolis, Kansas.

• US AES energises 400 MWh battery storage facility in California [free access]

  January 27, 2021
  The US-based AES Corporation has recently energised a 100 MW/400 MWh Alamitos battery storage facility in Long Beach, California.

• SPP Board recommends construction approval of 138 kV line, Evergy plans to seek restudy

  January 26, 2021
  The Board of Southwest Power Pool (SPP) has recently recommended the approval for construction of a new 138 kV transmission line between the existing Butler and Tioga substations in Kansas, which would replace the 100-year-old Butler to Altoona line.

• FERC seeks more information on hybrid resource participation in power markets

  January 25, 2021
  The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on January 19, 2021 asked the nation’s grid operators to submit detailed information about hybrid resources (commonly comprising of a solar panel array or wind turbine paired with a battery) that operate on their systems.

• CMP’s NECEC project gets final permit, court orders to stop construction for 54-mile stretch

  January 21, 2021
  The proposed New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) project, being developed by Central Main Power (CMP)—a subsidiary of Avangrid Networks Inc.—has recently secured the Presidential Permit from the US Department of Energy (DoE).