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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

Stirling Energy Systems Add Major Solar Project in California

LCG, September 8, 2005--Arizona-based Stirling Energy Systems (SES) announced yesterday that San Diego Gas and Electric Company (SDG&E) has contracted to purchase between 300 and 900 MW of solar energy from a large-scale, solar project to be located in Southern California's Imperial Valley.

The solar power plant will include 12,000 Stirling solar dishes distributed over three square miles. The dish technology tracks the sun and reflects the sun's energy onto the receiver of a Stirling engine, where the energy heats and expands hydrogen gas. The expanding gas drives a piston, crankshaft and drive shaft assembly (without igniting the gas), which in turn drives a generator.

SES has six dishes operating at the National Solar Thermal Test Facilities at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico. The dishes at the Sandia test facility can operate at nearly a 30 percent peak efficiency while delivering grid-ready alternating current.

SDG&E will purchase all of the output over the initial, 20-year term of the agreement. SES has options on two expansion phases that would increase the capacity up to 900 MW.

This is the second major project announced recently by SES. In August, SES announced the execution of a 20-year contract with Southern California Edison to purchase 500 to 850 MW of solar power. The project site is in the Mojave Desert near Victorville, California. The initial, 500-MW phase is planned to include a 20,000 dish array, with a construction period estimated to require four years. Both contracts are subject to approval by the California Public Utilities Commission.

The State of California's Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) Program requires each utility, such as SDG&E and Southern California Edison, to increase its procurement of eligible renewable generating resources by 1% of load per year to achieve a 20% renewables goal. The RPS Program was passed by the Legislature and is managed by California's Public Utilities Commission and Energy Commission.

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