ICC Demands ComEd Cut Consumption More Commonwealth Edison must do more for energy efficiency than it has proposed, the Illinois Commerce Commission ruled, requiring the utility to save 25,000 MWh a year more than it currently plans. Even so, ComEd would not come close to the 2% consumption cut that...

Joseph Rigby Pepco Holdings Inc. Chairman and CEO Joseph Rigby announced yesterday he will step down as chief executive this year after a turbulent tenure marked by criticism over the company’s reliability. Frank Heintz, lead independent director of the Pepco board, said the company has hired executive search firm Russell...

Chicago Building Efficiency Project OKd The Chicago City Council approved a $13 million, 62-building retrofit project, the first and only one stemming from Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s Chicago Infrastructure Trust initiative, which aims to make city buildings more energy efficient. The cost is only 11% of what was envisioned when the...

Zion Fuel-Rod Removal to Begin A critical part of the years-long Zion nuclear plant decommissioning is set to begin in January with removal of the spent-fuel rods. The work is vital to EnergySolutions, the company that obtained the Nuclear Regulatory Commission license from plant owner Exelon in order to undertake...

DuPont Activates Solar Facility DuPont started up a 548-kW solar installation on a former Superfund landfill site in Newport. The project, developed by Tangent Energy Solutions and owned by Greenwood Energy, had its solar panels supplied by DuPont Apollo, a DuPont subsidiary. More: DuPont ILLINOIS Midwest Gen Coal Ash Suit...

Big Rivers Laying Off 165 Big Rivers Electric Corp. said it will lay off 165 workers when it idles two generating plants in response to loss of the two Century Aluminum smelter customers. It expects to idle the 417-MW Wilson plant in February and the 443-MW Coleman plant by June.

Court Challenge Slows Wood Plant EcoPower Generation, developer of a 58 MW wood-burning plant in Perry County, hopes to begin construction this year and qualify for tax credits. The Public Service Commission approved the sale of power from the plant to Kentucky Power, but its order is being challenged by...

Large-Eddy Simulation results. (Source: Cristina Archer, PhD; University of Delaware) Stagger Turbines to Raise Output A University of Delaware researcher says more generous spacing and staggered arrangement of turbines could raise a wind farm’s output by 13% to 33% over conventional arrangements. The issue is pertinent to the state, where...

Exelon, Groups Agree on Renewables Pact   Exelon and environmental groups have agreed in principle on a bill that could increase the building of solar projects in Illinois. The bill includes a financing mechanism that could benefit Exelon while increasing costs for its competition. More: Crain’s Chicago Business MARYLAND BGE...