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EIA Analysis of Southwest Hydropower Generation Shows Record Lows and Slow Recovery

LCG, November 13, 2026--The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) today issued an "In-Brief Analysis" highlighting the record lows for hydropower generation in the Southwest this summer. The prolonged drought conditions affecting the Colorado River Basin caused record low hydropower generation this summer in the Southwestern electricity supply region, which includes Arizona, New Mexico, and small parts of Nevada and California. Hydropower generation from April through August 2026 was a full 28 percent lower than the 10-year average and 19 percent lower than during the same period last year.

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NRC Issues Construction Permit for Long Mott High-Temperature, Gas-Cooled Reactor in Texas

LCG, November 11, 2026--The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) announced on November 9 that it has approved the Construction Permit Application ("CPA") for the Long Mott Generating Station in Texas. Long Mott Energy, LLC (LME) must obtain a separate operating license from the NRC before loading fuel or operating the reactors.

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Industry News

Shell Valuation of Power Agreements Too Optimistic, Former Manager Says

LCG, July 18, 2002--A former manager at the energy trading unit of Royal Dutch Shell ("Shell") in Houston who was dismissed in August 2001 told the Financial Times and Reuters that the company's valuation of options it held on power purchases relied on overly optimistic assessments of future power prices.

Shell's agreements with independent power producers require it to make capacity payments of $7.4 billion over 20 years. The power producers run plants using natural gas from Shell, which may exercise options to sell power from the plants should power prices rise. The agreements were sealed three years ago, when power prices in the U.S. were about 50% higher than they are currently. The manager, George Namur, claimed that "We knew what our capacity payments would be and then had to use highly optimistic power price forecasts and other creative items to exceed the 15 per cent return rate." The forecasts used in valuation of such options are potentially wide-ranging.

A statement by Shell indicated that "rigorous due diligence and evaluation processes" were undertaken prior to the company's completing the deals, which are not uncommon in the energy industry. Shell stated that 2001 accounting recognized profits from the deals as the agreements progressed. Most payments for the "tolling" agreements will be due in 2007.
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