Suzlon Could End Up With Big Sky Wind Farm Wind turbine manufacturer Suzlon Group could wind up owning the 240 MW Big Sky wind farm if negotiations between Midwest Generation and NRG Energy do not resolve a debt issue concerning the facility. Bankrupt Midwest Gen is selling assets, including Big Sky,...

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...

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...

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.

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...

State Site Removes ‘Pro-Coal’ Material The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity took coal-education material off its website after objections that it was unduly pro-coal. The website sections, intended to educate children about energy, sparked a grassroots campaign demanding that the pages be taken down. (Source: IL Dept. of...

 Delmarva Proposes Four-Year Rate Plan Delmarva Power filed a proposed four-year rate plan with the Public Service Commission that would add $2.40 a month to average customer bills. Rather than the company seeking reimbursement for past expenses, the “forward-looking” plan would create a budget for future spending. More: WHYY; Delaware...

Public to Weigh in on Delmarva Rate Hike The Public Service Commission scheduled public comment sessions for Oct. 3 and 16 in its investigation into Delmarva Power’s request to spend $397 million over five years for infrastructure and reliability projects. The PSC staff expressed concern over the request, noting that...