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NuScale Power Achieves Standard Design Approval from NRC for 77 MW SMR

LCG, May 30, 2025--NuScale Power Corporation (NuScale), a leading provider of advanced small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear technology, yesterday announced that it has received design approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for its uprated 77 MW power modules. NuScale states that it remains the only SMR technology company with design approval from the NRC, and the company remains on track for deployment by 2030, with 50- and 77-MW SMR options.

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EIA Presents Analysis of California's Solar and Wind Power Curtailment Challenges

LCG, May 29, 2025--The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released an analysis yesterday showing that the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), the grid operator for most of the state, is increasing its curtailment of the rapidly growing solar- and wind-powered generation facilities in order to balance electricity supply and demand, which is necessary to maintain a stable electric system.

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Industry News

California Transmission Upgrades Stalled

LCG, September 14, 2004--Plans to upgrade transmission capacity from wind farms in the Tehachapi and Antelope Valley area to California load centers must now clear a new funding hurdle, as the Court of Appeal of the State of California has annulled a California Public Utilities (CPUC) ruling that would have required Southern California Edison (SCE) to pay the upfront cost for the upgrade.

The current capacity of the wind farms in the area is about 600 MW, with up to 1,100 MW of additional wind projects planned, according to the California ISO. In late July, the California ISO approved the plan to construct the 25-mile transmission line, which is estimated to cost $94 million. The upgrade would be a key grid improvement to enable California's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) to be met. The RPS requires 20 percent of the energy the Investor-Owned Utilities deliver to their customers to come from renewable resources by the year 2017.

The CPUC, in its Interim Opinion and Order Denying Rehearing, took the position that, per California Public Utilites Code section 399.25, the State could require utilities to pay the upfront costs of system upgrades necessary to connect new sources of renewable energy to the grid and roll-in the costs to ratepayers. With this policy, the financial risk associated with the $94 million upgrade would be transferred to the utility ratepayers. Under the current Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) policy, the generator would fund the upgrades and receive a monthly credit back, with interest, over time. The Court of Appeal ruled that the CPUC's interpretation is preempted by federal law, thus the financial burden cannot simply be placed on the back of SCE and its ratepayers.

The value of the transmission capacity will be more transparent after the California ISO implements locational marginal pricing (LMP), which is planned for February 2007.

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