One of our partners at ScottMadden, presented at the 2015 EnergyHub GenForum on the EPA’s CPP, one of the most significant environmental mandates in U.S. history. Here, he gave an overview of the requirements and impacts of the CPP. He also recapped events now unfolding in CPP litigation, politics, and legislation.
On October 12, Entergy ended speculation surrounding its embattled Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, located in Plymouth, Massachusetts, by announcing its intent to shut down the 43-year-old plant. Though the specific date for shutdown of the 680 MW plant has not been set, the company notified ISO-New England that it would no longer provide capacity into the market effective June 1, 2019. The primary factors cited by Entergy for the closure
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Introduction
Despite the many benefits of expanding distributed solar generation for our economy and environment, the challenge of addressing the role of these resources within the existing infrastructure is something utilities face every day. This is why one of the nation’s largest municipally owned electric utility engaged ScottMadden to assist with its response to an issue on the application of tariffs and rate riders for large-scale solar installations. Internal reviews uncovered a potential gap in its process for solar tariff cost of service allocation, which had resulted in a loss of revenue from a number of commercial entities. The utility determined that a new method was required to address this segment of customers.
The Florida Supreme Court approved language for a ballot initiative seeking to allow third-party sale of solar electricity. Led by Floridians for Solar Choice, the initiative must now collect 683,149 certified signatures by February 1, 2016 in order to appear on the November 2016 ballot.
When you make the decision to embark on the shared services journey or expand operations, the facility location question will be top of mind for your stakeholders and shared services operations (SSO) leader. Finding a strategic location for your SSO is an important and challenging decision that can impact your cost efficiencies and long-term talent pool. There are many criteria to consider and stakeholder preferences to manage. Thankfully, following a structured approach to selecting a geographic location provides the opportunity to gain stakeholder buy-in, which is critical to the success of your SSO.
Under the Obama Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has actively proposed numerous rules impacting Fossil Power Generation. Below is a summary of EPA action since 2009.
HR needs to position themselves to add value to the business by thinking strategically about talent and to show they understand the business’s strategy and needs. This need has driven certain HR trends, with one of them being People Analytics.
This report focuses on natural gas distribution businesses and/or executives contemplating adding natural gas distribution businesses to their current business portfolio.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is moving forward with its Clean Power Plan (CPP) despite pending litigation from more than 20 states to halt its enforcement. CPP establishes statewide carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions standards for existing fossil fuel-fired electric generating units with the goal of cutting CO2 emissions by 32% by 2030, as measured from a 2005 baseline. EPA bases its authority to promulgate such a rule using Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act. More than 20 states filed an official petition for review (i.e., taking another look at this rule) with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on October 23, 2015, with West Virginia as the lead petitioner—West Virginia et al. vs. EPA et al. (No. 15-1363). Many of the same states simultaneously filed a separate request to stay the rule (i.e., halting its implementation pending results of review).
In April 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published its final coal combustion residuals (CCR) rule. The rule regulates the disposal of CCR from active electric generating units as nonhazardous waste by establishing minimal national criteria for landfills and surface impoundments. This rule becomes effective as owners and operators have historically lacked rigorous management of CCR sites.
ERCOT recently released the results of an analysis it performed on the impact of the Clean Power Plan (CPP) to its asset generation mix in the region. The study results indicate the plan could cause at least 4,000 megawatts (MW) of coal-fired generation capacity in the ERCOT region to be retired, possibly beginning as soon as 2022. Additionally, energy prices are projected to increase at least 16% by 2030.
Sussex Economic Advisors is now part of ScottMadden. We invite you to learn more about our expanded firm. Please use the Contact Us form to request additional information.
