Entries by Scott Carlberg

Quick Take – Odd Power Outage Anniversary for NYC

NYC had a blackout this weekend – 42 years to the day of the 1977 great blackout. An “equipment failure at one of its [ConEd] substations,” was the cause, said the utility. (Source) The ConEd website said, “…a significant electrical transmission disturbance occurred at 6:47 p.m. [Saturday] … leading to the loss of service to approximately […]

July 14, 2019 by

Quick Take – The First Gulf Storm of the Summer 2019

Barry is the name of the first tropical or hurricane threat to the Southeast. “The hurricane center still expects Barry to strengthen and become a minimal hurricane before making landfall on Saturday in central Louisiana. And it is projected to bring some intense rain to parts of the South through the weekend — up to […]

July 11, 2019 by

“Coal is clearly on the ropes”

Coal still is a significant chunk of the U.S. electric power pie. That is changing at light-speed for the utility business. Several recent figures mark the decline of coal: Fewer than ten percent of coal plants were built from the 1990s until now. (Source) In April, 2019, coal produced about 20 percent of electricity. The […]

July 9, 2019 by

QUICK TAKE – One City’s Step Toward Energy Independence

This city cut its carbon emission 30 percent. Its leaders decided that energy and environmental goals were more important than politics or old ways of work. Meet Burnsville, Minnesota. Here’s how the town did it.* Republican mayor Elizabeth Kautz kicked it off. She says it started in 2005, when she met with mayors from across […]

July 4, 2019 by
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Santee Cooper On the Downhill Slide Again

“South Carolina-owned Santee Cooper took another rating hit due to ongoing legal and political problems related to its ownership share in a shelved nuclear reactor project.” That is the lead sentence from Bond Buyer magazine this week (June 27). Santee Cooper financial ratings lowered. Again. Financial ratings typically indicate levels of risk for an enterprise. […]

June 29, 2019 by

QUICK TAKE – Carolina Carbon-free Nuclear Energy is a Benchmark

Carolinians have an advantage in carbon-free power. One country wants to approach the enviable spot Carolinians enjoy. The power source: Nuclear. Who wants more: Japan. Really, Japan, where in 2011 an earthquake and tsunami caused so much energy damage. “Japan plans carbon emission cuts, more nuclear energy,” is the headline. The Japanese cabinet adopted a policy […]

June 27, 2019 by

QUICK TAKE – “Just in Case” Planning

We saw an example of one way all electric providers have to be ready for “just in case” events.  We mean those events that cannot be predicted, just where they may happen, or when, maybe even if they will happen. Still, every power provider has to be prepared “just in case.” A couple states away, […]

June 26, 2019 by