EnergyOnline
Services

RSS FEED

EnergyOnline.com rss

News

In Memory of Rajat Deb: Inspiring Man of Ideas and Remarkable Silicon Valley Archetype

By Anjuli Deb -- With deep sadness and profound appreciation, we share the passing of LCG's founder, Dr. Rajat K. Deb. He was our president and one of the first entrepreneurs in the computer revolution. He was also our friend, our teacher and mentor, and for a few of us, our father and grandfather.

Read more

Avantus and Clean Power Alliance Sign PPA for 200-MW Solar Plus Storage Facility for Southern California Communities

LCG, July 13, 2026--Avantus, an independent power producer (IPP), and Clean Power Alliance (CPA) today announced a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for the Rexford 2 solar and storage project in Tulare County, California. The project will deliver 200 MWac of solar power combined with a 200 MW/800 MWh of battery energy storage system (BESS) to the California grid. The project is scheduled to commence construction in 2027 and achieve operations in late 2028. Commercial operations under the PPA are scheduled to start in May 2029. Avantus plans to own and operate facility.

Read more

Industry News

SMUD Considers Pumped Storage

LCG, September 4, 2003—Sacramento MunicipalUtility District is considering building a pumped storage plant to supply electricity during peak demandhours.

SMUD may apply for a federal license for pumpedstorage along with a renewal application for its 11dams and eight power plants along the American River.The plant would pump water uphill during times ofoff-peak demand and use the water’s potentialenergy to generate electricity during peak demand.

While pumped storage is, after all, energy-inefficient (since energy is always lost in the process), it can serve as a sort of giant battery togive an energy provider greater flexibility whenpower is produced. Cheap electricity produced at nightcan be stored by using that electricity to pump wateruphill, and then the same water can be allowed to falldownhill and through turbines during peak demand hoursto provide electricity.

The project will require extensive environmentalreview because it will affect fish and wildlife, aswell as recreation. So far, SMUD engineers havecontemplated blasting out a hillside next to theAmerican River in order to construct part of theplant; this underground network would connect to thesummit of Iowa Hill, where a new lake would becreated.

Several government agencies have warned SMUD thatthere is not sufficient time between now and the 2005deadline to fully investigate the project, and SMUD issure to meet opposition from local fisherman,residents, and farmers, who already feel SMUD has toomuch control over the American River’s water.

If the project passes environmental review andmakes it past local opposition, it willtake about four years to construct. The plant isexpected to generate 400 megawatts.

Copyright © 2026 LCG Consulting. All rights reserved. Terms and Copyright
UPLAN-NPM
The Locational Marginal Price Model (LMP) Network Power Model
Uniform Storage Model
A Battery Simulation Model
UPLAN-ACE
Day Ahead and Real Time Market Simulation
UPLAN-G
The Gas Procurement and Competitive Analysis System
PLATO
Database of Plants, Loads, Assets, Transmission...
CAISO CRR Auctions
Monthly Price and Congestion Forecasting Service