EnergyOnline
Services

RSS FEED

EnergyOnline.com rss

News

LCG Publishes 2024 Annual Outlook for Texas Electricity Market (ERCOT)

LCG, October 10, 2023 – LCG Consulting (LCG) has released its annual outlook of the ERCOT wholesale electricity market for 2024, based on the most likely weather, market, transmission, and generator conditions.

Read more

LCG Publishes 2024 Annual Outlook for Texas Electricity Market (ERCOT)

LCG, October 10, 2023 – LCG Consulting (LCG) has released its annual outlook of the ERCOT wholesale electricity market for 2024, based on the most likely weather, market, transmission, and generator conditions.

Read more

Industry News

Xcel Energy Files Proposed Settlement for Colorado

LCG, December 7, 2004--Xcel Energy filed a settlement agreement with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for its Least-Cost Plan (LCP) on Friday. Under the agreement, Xcel Energy's subsidiary, Public Service Company of Colorado (PSCo), would proceed with its plan to add 3,600 MW of new generating capacity by 2013.

The LCP was filed last April, and in November the public hearings were suspended to allow for the development of a settlement agreement. The proposed settlement, which includes participants such as the Commission Staff, the Sierra Club, and Calpine, must be approved by CPUC. A public review of the settlement is scheduled for December 8, and Commissioners potentially could issue a decision by the end of this year.

A key element of the plan is the construction of a new, 750-MW coal-fired unit at that existing Comanche Station, located near Pueblo. PSCo had previously submitted its LCP and requested a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) to build a 750 MW expansion of its Comanche Station - with a waiver from the competitive bidding process. The proposed settlement includes the waiver, and the new plant will be built under a confidential construction cost cap. The total project cost, including required transmission, is estimated to be $1.35 billion.

With respect to avoiding competitive bidding for large coal projects, a similar position was taken by Xcel Energy in its biennial Resource Plan submitted last month to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. To supplement existing supplies in Minnesota, Xcel proposed to add 1,125 MW of generating capacity by 2015, with the most likely fuel for base load capacity being coal. To pursue new, base-load capacity, Xcel proposed an alternative to competitive bidding because, as stated in the Resource Plan, that process is "not well suited to evaluate coal and large-scale" plants.

For the Commanche expansion, Xcel will also be allowed to include construction work in progress (CWIP) in base rate requests, without offset, beginning with the planned 2006 rate case filing, depending upon the company's capital structure and its senior unsecured debt rating.

The proposed settlement includes provisions for the installation of new pollution control equipment to reduce SO2, NOx and mercury emissions at the existing Comanche Station units, which have a capacity of 660 MW. The settlement also includes provisions for demand-side management efforts and expenditures, as well as commitments toward developing renewables as part of the supply mix.

Copyright © 2024 LCG Consulting. All rights reserved. Terms and Copyright
UPLAN-NPM
The Locational Marginal Price Model (LMP) Network Power 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