** Republican U.S. senators vote to roll back a land management plan and expand mining, drilling, and development in Alaska, Montana, and North Dakota as part of Trump’s push to expand energy production on public lands. ** The U.S. Senate confirms Federal Energy Regulatory Commission nominees Laura Swett and David LaCerte, giving Republicans a 3-2 …
Category: Solar Energy in Oklahoma
Quarter of Canceled Energy Awards Issued After Biden Loss
Oklahoma Unaffected by Federal Energy Award Cancellations Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced the cancellation of more than 300 Department of Energy financial awards made under the Biden administration. None of the canceled projects were located in Oklahoma. The state, which typically leans Republican in presidential elections, did not receive any of the original awards. Last …
Energy Briefs: Coal Sale Delay, Chevron Fire, China Controls
Coal Lease Sale Postponed After Weak Montana Auction The Trump administration has postponed a scheduled coal lease sale in Wyoming just two days after a disappointing turnout in Montana.An Interior Department spokesperson confirmed that the sale — which included 3,508 acres of federal coal reserves in Campbell and Converse counties — had been set for …
Ratepayers upset about OGE request for CWIP increases
Not only did Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners get an earful of complaints from ratepayers about the prospect of paying for utility natural gas projects while they are under construction—so did Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company, the firm first in line to ask for such a rate hike. Ten ratepayers, who took the time to …
Oklahoma Advances Nuclear Energy Feasibility Study
State Begins Work on Nuclear Energy Study Oklahoma regulators are moving forward with the state’s first comprehensive nuclear energy feasibility study. The effort follows a new law, Senate Bill 130, signed in June by Gov. Kevin Stitt, requiring the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) to evaluate whether nuclear power can play a role in the state’s …
Energy Briefs: U.S. Builds First Modular Nuclear Reactor
First-of-Its-Kind Modular Reactor Begins Construction The United States officially entered a new phase of nuclear innovation with construction underway on the nation’s first experimental extra modular nuclear reactor, according to Interesting Engineering. The reactor, known as Aalo-X, is being developed by Aalo Atomics, an American energy startup leading the next generation of compact nuclear technology. …
Energy briefs —North Dakota’s climate change while Ukraine hits more Russian oil refineries
** North Dakota will stop studying ways the state can address climate change without harming its economy under an EPA-funded program started by the Biden administration. ** Multiple Republican candidates for Iowa governor say they would support legislation that bans the use of eminent domain for carbon pipelines as the topic continues to play a …
Renewable energy company Allete sold in $6.2 billion deal
Allete, the Minnesota-based renewable energy company with at least two wind farms in Oklahoma, has a new owner. The company was sold in a $6.2 billion deal to the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Blackrock’s Global Infrastructure Partners The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on Friday unanimously approved the $6.2 billion sale of …
OGE faces opposition over request to charge ratepayers for Construction Work in Progress
The move by Oklahoma Gas and Electric to use a controversial new law allowing ratepayers to be hit with higher charges to pay for energy projects under construction has some opponents. The utility is using the Construction Work in Progress aspect of SB998 which became law without the signature of Oklahoma Gov. …
State regulators to vote on OGE’s request to raise rates due to construction projects
A move by Oklahoma Gas and Electric to take advantage of a barely month-old new law that allows utilities to charge ratepayers while construction is underway on projects will go before Oklahoma regulators on Wednesday. The utility, hoping to seize on the prospects of SB998, the bill that became law without the signature …
