EnergyOnline
Services

RSS FEED

EnergyOnline.com rss

News

Minnesota PUC Approves Operations Extension for Xcel Energy's Prairie Island Nuclear Plant

LCG, August 15, 2025--Xcel Energy announced that the company received state approval yesterday from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to extend operations of the Prairie Island nuclear plant through the early 2050s. Prairie Island has two units that have a combined generating capacity of 1,100 MW. The units’ current operating licenses expire in 2033 and 2034.

Read more

PGE Announces Addition of 475 MW of Battery Energy Storage Systems to Improve Grid Reliability and Costs

LCG, August 7, 2025--Portland General Electric (PGE) today announced the completion of three, four-hour lithium-ion utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) in Oregon, adding 475 MW and more than 1.9 GWh of dispatchable capacity to serve the Portland metro area. Each of these BESS facilities can deliver power during peak demand or when other electric generating facilities are limited, which improves system flexibility, reliability and costs.

Read more

Industry News

SDG&E Signs Agreements for Power from Solar CPV Projects

LCG, May 20, 2011--San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and subsidiaries of Soitec Solar Development, LLC, yesterday announced the execution of two new 25-year Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) totaling 125 MW of capacity. The projects will employ Soitec's Concentrix concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) technology.

The Concentrix technology uses Fresnel lenses to concentrate sunlight onto high-efficiency, triple-junction solar cells (GaInP/GaInAs/Ge) in which three different types of solar cells are stacked on top of one another. Each cell type is designed to convert a certain range of the solar spectrum: short wave radiation, medium wave radiation and infrared. The solar modules that incorporate the Fresnel lenses and solar cells are mounted on a two-axis tracking system that follows the sun throughout the day.

Last month, a Chevron subsidiary began operations of a 1-MW project employing Soitec's CPV technology in New Mexico.

SDG&E's two new PPAs follow three other PPAs signed by the two companies in April for 30 MW of capacity from projects employing CPV. Both of the new proposed projects will be located in San Diego County and will be situated near SDG&E electric substations.

The solar modules will be manufactured in a new Soitec factory to be built at a yet-to-be-announced site in the San Diego area. The new factory will have an annual production capacity of 200 MW and is expected to be completed within 18 months after of construction commences. The factory will supply all of SDG&E's projects with Soitec using the Concentrix CPV technology.

The two new power contracts require approval from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

California passed a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) that requires utilities to increase their electric supply procurement of eligible renewable generating resources, including a target requirement of 33 percent in 2020.
Copyright © 2025 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