|
News
|
LCG, November 6, 2025--X-energy Reactor Company, LLC, (X-energy) and the U.S. Office of Nuclear Energy today announced the start of confirmatory irradiation testing at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to qualify X-energy’s proprietary TRISO-X fuel pebbles for commercial use in the Xe-100 Small Modular Reactor (SMR). (TRISO stands for TRi-structural ISOtropic). This is the first time that TRISO-X fuel pebbles will undergo irradiation testing in a U.S. lab, which is a critical step in meeting requirements set forth by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the commercial deployment of advanced reactors that will use the fuel.
Read more
|
|
LCG, October 28, 2025--NextEra Energy and Google yesterday announced two agreements that will help meet growing electricity demand from artificial intelligence (AI) with clean, reliable, 24/7 nuclear power and strengthen the nation's nuclear leadership. First, Google signed a new, 25-year agreement for power generated at the Duane Arnold Energy Center, Iowa's only nuclear power facility. The 601-MW boiling water reactor unit was shut down in 2020 and is expected to commence operations by the first quarter of 2029, pending regulatory approvals to restart the plant.
Read more
|
|
|
Industry News
Minnesota Power Moves Forward with Biomass Initiative
LCG, April 18, 2007--Minnesota Power announced earlier this week its plans to develop biomass resources as a key element to providing clean, renewable, "carbon-friendly" electricity to serve its customers. The plans are part of its "Biomass Initiative," a long-term energy plan that includes the evaluation and screening of a variety of biomass projects. Primary biomass feedstocks include wood waste and forestry residues.
The screening process included a number of factors, and those feasible projects with the best economics have now advanced to become finalists in the process. The short list includes the construction of 50-MW biomass fueled unit at Minnesota Power's Laskin Energy Center in Hoyt Lakes, and consuming biomass fuel at existing Minnesota Power facilities; and developing projects at customer sites which provide process improvements and generation additions.
Minnesota Power will work with other entities to further define the top projects, including the development of the biomass supply plan necessary to support the fuel requirements of the projects. The final plans will be submitted by Minnesota Power to the State as part of the company's Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) later this year.
In February, Minnesota Governor Pawlenty signed legislation that requires electric utilities, including municipal power entities, to use renewable energy to supply 25% of retail electric sales to customers in Minnesota by the year 2025. The new law includes renewable supply goals for most utilities of 7% by 2010, 12% by 2012, 17% by 2016 and 20% by 2020. The largest electric utility, Xcel Energy Inc., has a higher goal of 30% by 2020.
Renewable supply resources include wind, hydroelectric, solar, biomass and hydrogen. Wind energy is specifically targeted to account for one quarter of the renewable supplies utilized.
The new law includes provisions to develop a renewable energy credit trading system that would allow utilities to trade in order to achieve renewable goals. Financial penalties may be assessed if goals are not met.
|
|
|
|
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...
|
|
|
|
|
