North America News

Latest news and developments from North America region

• Canadian Hydro Québec approves Appalaches–Maine Interconnection

  April 22, 2021
  Canadian Hydro Québec has recently approved the Appalaches–Maine Interconnection Line Project.

• Canadian Hydro Québec’s subsidiary to deploy 20 MWh BESS during power line work

  April 21, 2021
  Canadian Hydro-Québec’s subsidiary—EVLO Energy Storage Inc. (launched in December 2020)—that designs, sells, and operates safe, efficient and sustainable energy storage systems, recently announced that it will deploy a 4 MW/20 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) on the Hydro-Québec grid, based on the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery technology.

• FERC confirms New York Transmission Owners’ Right of First Refusal [free access]

  April 20, 2021
  The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) recently confirmed that the New York Transmission Owners (NYTOs) have a federal right of first refusal (ROFR) under the Independent System Operator’s (ISO) tariff and FERC’s Order 1000, to build and recover the costs of upgrades to their transmission facilities, even if the upgrades are part of another developer’s project selected by the ISO for cost allocation.

• AEP set to restart plan to upgrade power line in Henry County

  April 16, 2021
  Appalachian Power—a unit of American Electric Power (AEP)—is planning to restart a project to upgrade the 15-mile (24-km) Fieldale–Ridgeway power transmission line in Henry County, Georgia.

• CIB and ITC Investment Holdings sign agreement for Canada–US connection

  April 15, 2021
  The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) and ITC Investment Holdings (ITC) have recently signed an agreement to invest USD1.7 billion in the Lake Erie Connector Project.

• NYPA officials detail work on Northern New York Priority Transmission Project

  April 15, 2021
  The New York Power Authority (NYPA) has started detailing work on the Northern New York Priority Transmission Project.

• Canadian SaskPower to spend CAD272 million to renew aging grid infrastructure

  April 15, 2021
  Saskatchewan Power Corporation (SaskPower)—an electric utility in Saskatchewan, Canada—plans to spend a record CAD272 million on upgrading its infrastructure in fiscal year 2021-22, in a bid to prevent power outages occurring in the Saskatchewan province since the last few years.

• FERC proposes reforms to Electric Transmission Incentives Policy

  April 14, 2021
  The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) proposes to modify its March 2020 plan to revise its electric transmission incentives policy meant to stimulate infrastructure development to support the US electric grid.

• US Congress introduces Electric Power Infrastructure Improvement Act

  April 13, 2021
  US Congress senators have recently introduced the Electric Power Infrastructure Improvement Act in both chambers of Congress.

• Ormat kickstarts operation of Vallecito BESS storage facility in California

  April 8, 2021
  US-based Ormat Technologies Inc. recently announced the commercial operation of the 10 MW/40 MWh Vallecito battery energy storage system (BESS).

• NYPA approves Northern New York Priority Transmission Project Plan

  April 8, 2021
  The New York Power Authority (NYPA) has recently announced the approval of the Northern New York Priority Transmission Project (NNYPTP) Plan—a major transmission line rebuild, which will harden the resilience of New York's power grid and accelerate movement towards meeting New York State's clean energy goals.

• Wartsila selected by RWE for 80 MWh BESS project

  April 7, 2021
  Finnish energy solutions provider Wärtsilä has bagged a contract to supply a 40 MW/80 MWh DC-coupled solar plus storage system to the Hickory Park Solar project in Georgia, USA, from RWE Renewables.

• Ontario directs grid operator to negotiate contract for battery storage

  April 7, 2021
  The Ontario government has directed the Canadian grid operator Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), to start negotiations to explore a ten-year contract with Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation and NRStor Inc., for the development of the Oneida energy storage project—Canada's largest electricity storage facility.

• IESO requests Hydro One to construct new 230 kV transmission line [free access]

  April 6, 2021
  Canadian grid operator—Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO)—has requested Canadian Hydro One Inc., Ontario's largest electricity transmission and distribution (T&D) company, to develop a new 230 kV power line between the Chatham and Lambton regions in Canada.

• White House asks Congress to invest USD100 billion in transmission system

  April 2, 2021
  The White House on March 31, 2021, asked Congress for a massive infusion of funding to overhaul the nation’s power grids and expand renewable energy (RE), in a bid to address climate change and expand jobs.

• FERC receives industry feedback on power line ratings rule

  April 1, 2021
  The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) received a wave of feedback on a proposed rule to improve the nation's electric transmission capacity by extracting better performance out of existing power lines.

• Appalachian Power plans line upgrades in Lynchburg, Bedford counties

  March 31, 2021
  Appalachian Power—a unit of American Electric Power (AEP)—is planning transmission line upgrades along a 12-mile (19-km) stretch in Lynchburg and Bedford counties in Virginia.

• FERC approves sale of GridLiance to NextEra Energy Transmission [free access]

  March 30, 2021
  The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) recently approved the sale of GridLiance Holdco, LP and GridLiance GP, LLC (together, GridLiance) to NextEra Energy Transmission (NEET), LLC—a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Inc.

• PUCN approves NV Energy’s Greenlink Nevada initiative [free access]

  March 26, 2021
  The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) has approved NV Energy Inc.’s proposed Greenlink Transmission Initiative, which intends to build nearly 600 miles (966 km) of transmission lines to support the expansion of renewable energy (RE) resources, both in the state and regionally.

• Construction commences on USD180 million power line in Niagara, Erie counties

  March 25, 2021
  Construction has commenced on the USD180 million, 345 kV Empire State Line, with an aim to upgrade the energy transmission system serving Western New York.