Latest news with #CPCN
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Commissioners 'not in favor' of proposed solar farm
CUMBERLAND — While county officials don't have the power to stop a proposed solar farm in their own jurisdiction, they plan to voice concerns and encourage area residents to do the same. The issue was discussed at Thursday's Allegany County Board of Commissioners meeting. LaVale resident Gregg Donaldson said installation of 15,000 solar panels are planned for farmland in his neighborhood in the area of Helmstetter's Curve on Cash Valley Road. 'I recently attended an informational meeting by the company who has a signed contract with the current farm owner,' he said. 'There is the potential that only a few residents of Allegany County would benefit.' Donaldson said many other areas of the county would be more suitable for a solar farm. The proposed location on Cash Valley Road would negatively impact 'the iconic farm scene that for years has been enjoyed and photographed by many (people) biking and hiking the Great Allegheny Passage trail or riding the scenic railroad train from Cumberland to Frostburg.' Board of Commissioners President Dave Caporale said the solar farm proposal did not include input from county officials. 'I think everybody is in agreement with you,' he told Donaldson. 'There are a lot of places in our large county that may be more suitable for something like this.' County attorney T. Lee Beeman said state, rather than local, officials control location for such projects. 'Essentially the state takes away our ability to choose — under our own zoning regulations — where we can place solar projects,' he said. However, county officials and impacted residents can offer input about the proposal during the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity process, Beeman said. 'We'll get notice when the developer applies for that CPCN and we'll have the opportunity to submit comments,' he said. 'While we don't have the ability to talk about zoning location, we do have the ability to talk about and provide input on development standards.' Cash Valley Road resident Susan Mallozzi said the project would cause the Helmstetter's Curve area to become an eyesore for tourists who pass through scenic Mountain Maryland. 'We are against the proposed solar farm,' she said. 'We live directly across from the site.' Green fields that could be lost to the project have in past years 'produced rows and rows of corn and the best Timothy hay around,' Mallozzi said. 'We feel our property values will be at great risk,' she said. 'Citizens are at the hands of big companies who search for land to make a profit in the name of green energy with no regard to our land preservation.' Commissioner Bill Atkinson said the GAP is one of the best recreational trails in the country. 'That is one of the most scenic parts of the whole trail,' he said of the area proposed for the solar farm. 'We hear your concerns and we're definitely letting people know that we're not in favor of that in any way, shape or form.'
Associated Press
11-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
I&M Files Proposal to Acquire Diverse Generation to Meet Future Energy Need
FORT WAYNE, Ind., April 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Indiana Michigan Power (I&M), an American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) company, has made a filing with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) requesting approval of a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) to acquire the Oregon Clean Energy Center, an existing 870 megawatt (MW) natural gas plant located in Oregon, Ohio. I&M's filing explains the need to acquire the facility, details about the plant, and future operating plans, if approved. Through the CPCN process the IURC will ensure that the proposed plant acquisition is in the public interest and is just and reasonable. The proposal to acquire the Oregon Clean Energy Center and its 870 MW of natural gas-fueled electric generation is one component of I&M's Future Ready plan, which details the resources needed to provide I&M customers reliable and affordable energy today and into the future. 'I&M has established the need for additional electric generation, and we believe the Oregon Clean Energy Center is an important opportunity to further diversify our current generation portfolio and position I&M for future growth,' said Steve Baker, I&M president and chief operating officer. 'It is our responsibility to ensure that our current and future customers have reliable and affordable power.' I&M is currently navigating an unprecedented time in its history. As the company looks ahead, power demand is expected to more than double the Indiana peak from approximately 2,800 MW in 2024 to more than 7,000 MW in the 2030 timeframe. The rapid growth in energy demand provides an opportunity for I&M to reshape the way it serves current customers and those the company will serve decades into the future. The Oregon facility, if approved, will provide a stable source of power to meet the 24 hours per day x 7 days per week operational requirements of our existing customers and the new customers coming on to the I&M system. I&M's current generation portfolio incorporates a diverse mix of resources, including solar, wind, nuclear, coal and hydroelectric units. The company's vision for the future is to implement an 'all of the above' approach to providing a reliable, resilient, and stable electric power system that customers can access affordably. Additional benefits to this approach are that it supports economic development, stable energy costs, and access to new technologies. I&M anticipates a decision from the IURC on the filing in early 2026. The company will submit additional filings to the IURC throughout 2025 to request approval for additional resources that are consistent with the Future Ready Plan. For more information on I&M's Future Ready Plan, visit our website. Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) is headquartered in Fort Wayne, and its approximately 2,000 employees serve more than 600,000 customers. More than 85% of its energy delivered in 2023 was emission-free. I&M has at its availability various sources of generation including 2,278 MW of nuclear generation in Michigan, 450 MW of purchased wind generation from Indiana, more than 22 MW of hydro generation in both states and approximately 35 MW of large-scale solar generation in both states. The company's generation portfolio also includes 1,497 MW of coal fueled generation. About American Electric Power (AEP) Our team at American Electric Power is committed to improving our customers' lives with reliable, affordable power. We are investing $54 billion from 2025 through 2029 to enhance service for customers and support the growing energy needs of our communities. Our nearly 16,000 employees operate and maintain the nation's largest electric transmission system with 40,000 line miles, along with more than 225,000 miles of distribution lines to deliver energy to 5.6 million customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation's largest electricity producers with approximately 29,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity. We are focused on safety and operational excellence, creating value for our stakeholders and bringing opportunity to our service territory through economic development and community engagement. Our family of companies includes AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana, east Texas and the Texas Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, which provides innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. AEP is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. For more information, visit News releases and other information about I&M are available at View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Indiana Michigan Power
CBS News
09-04-2025
- Business
- CBS News
BGE plans to build new overhead transmission lines in parts of Maryland as coal-powered station closes
Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) is planning to build new overhead transmission lines and upgrade others across parts of Maryland in response to the retirement of a coal-powered electric generating station. The new transmission lines would cross Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Harford counties. BGE submitted a project application that explains how this work is necessary to address thermal and voltage violations that would come as a result of the retirement of Talen Energy's coal-fired Brandon Shores Generating Station. According to the Maryland Public Service Commission, BGE applied for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) in July 2024. If approved, the certification would allow BGE to build high-voltage transmission lines in the state. The application shows that the project would include: The Public Service Commission is holding three meetings to hear input from the community. The meetings will be held on the following dates: Written comments can also be shared online or by mail through May 1. Find more information HERE. A similar transmission line construction project sparked controversy for some Maryland residents. The Piedmont Reliability Project, efforted by New Jersey-based company PSEG Renewable Transmission, would create 70 miles of overhead powerlines through parts of Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick counties. The company said the project would help the state meet its growing demand for electricity. During a series of public input meetings, residents and state leaders raised several concerns about the Piedmont Reliability Project. Some residents argued that the transmission lines could impede on their property, and others raised concerns about the environmental impact. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation conducted a study that found the transmission lines would cut through hundreds of acres of protected area, watersheds, forest and wetlands, impacting habitats and water quality. PSEG said it adjusted the alignment of the project, taking into account the more than 5,000 public comments it received. Gov. Wes Moore also shared his concerns "about how the study area for this project was determined, the lack of community involvement in the planning process, and the lack of effective communication about the impacts of this project." PSEG has applied for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN), however, in February, Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier said she would intervene in the application process. Carroll and Frederick counties also filed petitions against the project.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Aligned breaks ground on data center project in Frederick County; approved to build generators
Aligned Data Centers has broken ground on its first data center — a 72-megawatt facility — in Frederick County. The company also received a permit from the Maryland Department of the Environment on Jan. 30 to construct over 170 emergency generators with a combined capacity of 508 megawatts for its planned facilities. One megawatt can power an average household for a little over a month, according to solar software company RatedPower. Aligned, based in Texas, is one of the companies that will build at Quantum Frederick, a planned data center campus on the former site of the Alcoa Eastalco aluminum smelting plant near Adamstown. Data centers store computing machines and server systems needed for cloud-based services and require lots of power and water to stay online 24/7 and cool their equipment. The buildings also require backup generators in the case of an emergency outage. Aligned spokesperson Joanna Soucy said on Thursday that the company held a ceremonial groundbreaking at the project site in December. She said the company had no further comment on a construction timeline. Quantum Frederick is being developed by TPG and Catellus Development Corporation. The campus will be connected to the 'data center alley' in Virginia's Loudoun County by a 40-mile-long fiber optic ring called the QLoop. In 2024, Loudoun County had 43 million square feet of data centers. Two companies — Aligned and Rowan Digital Infrastructure — have announced their intent to build facilities on the Quantum Frederick campus. In May 2023, Aligned received conditional site-plan approval from the Frederick County Planning Commission to build a data center with 42 diesel backup generators. That same month, the company applied to the Maryland Public Service Commission asking for an exemption from obtaining a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) to install 168 three-megawatt emergency diesel generators — a combined total of 504 megawatts. A CPCN 'provides authority for a person to construct or modify a new generating station or high-voltage transmission lines,' according to the Public Service Commission's website. These generators included the 42 generators from the approved data center site plan and generators for three future data centers on the Quantum Frederick campus. The Public Service Commission denied Aligned the CPCN exemption, granting it authority to only install generators with a combined capacity of 70 megawatts. In October 2023, after it was denied the exemption, Aligned abandoned its Frederick County project, stating in a letter that the commission's decision may have 'sent a negative — and perhaps fatal — signal to the hoped-for data center industry in Maryland.' After a law passed in Maryland in 2024 allowing certain entities, including data centers, to bypass obtaining a CPCN to install emergency generators, Aligned announced it planned to proceed again with its project on Quantum Loophole's campus. Aligned's LinkedIn post on Feb. 3 announcing the groundbreaking said the data center under construction is called IAD-04. Data Center Dynamics, a data center publication, reported on Feb. 5 that the data center is a 72-megawatt facility. In response to a request asking about IAD-04 as a 72-megawatt data center, Soucy said the company had no further comment regarding project specifics. Aligned's generators The Maryland Department of the Environment also granted a construction permit to Aligned on Jan. 30, allowing the company to build 172 emergency diesel generators. The permit allows aligned to build 168 three-megawatt generators and four one-megawatt generators, a combined total power capacity of 508 megawatts. Aligned applied for the construction permit on July 1. Any operation or equipment that creates emissions to the outside air must receive an air quality permit from MDE before construction, according to a document about air quality construction permits. Fuel-burning equipment — such as the diesel-powered generators Aligned wants to install — fall under emission-discharging operations that need this permit. Each of Aligned's four planned data center buildings will have 42 three-megawatt generators and a one-megawatt generator. For the first data center building, the expected operation date for the generators will be in 2026, according to the permit. The Department of the Environment held a public meeting on Dec. 11 to hear comments on the draft permit for Aligned. During that meeting, Air Quality Permits Program Manager Suna Yi Sariscak said the generators will only be able to be operated for testing, maintenance and emergency purposes, and they must use ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, according to the permit. The Department of the Environment included answers to several questions people asked about the generators in a document on its final decision on Aligned's construction permit application. On Nov. 1, Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater sent a letter to the state requesting that it require Aligned to use Tier 4 or higher generators. 'Tier 4 generators are proven to emit less air pollution and create less noise, protecting both the environment and the residents of Frederick County,' Fitzwater wrote. To meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Tier 4 standards, the engines must have advanced emission control technologies, according to the agency's website. According to the document on the Department of the Environment's final decision, the three-megawatt generators are Tier 2, but they will have added pollution controls 'to reduce emissions to levels similar to using Tier 4 engines.'
CBS News
11-02-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Baltimore County executive plans to intervene in application for controversial electrical grid project
BALTIMORE -- Baltimore County's executive is moving to intervene in the application process and approval for the controversial Piedmont Reliability Project. Kathy Klausmeier said Baltimore County Council will "continue to work with state partners to share serious concerns about this project's impacts and work to protect our county's agricultural legacy and land preservation interests." PSEG Renewable Transmission, a New Jersey-based company, applied for a permit to begin the construction of 70 miles of overhead 500,000-volt powerlines connecting an existing transmission line through parts of Baltimore, Carroll, and Frederick counties. The Maryland Public Service Commission says the review process will include public hearings in the counties where the project is set to be constructed, and public comments can be submitted through their website. "PSEG has applied for what is known as a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN), which, if granted, authorizes an applicant to construct an energy generating station or high-voltage transmission line in Maryland," the MPSC said Carroll and Frederick counties have also filed petitions against the project. A spokesperson for PSEG said that the project is essential to support Maryland's growing electric needs and that the current electrical system is overloaded. The pushback Residents in the path of the proposed Piedmont Reliability Project argue these transmission lines could have a potential negative impact on the environment and how it may impede personal property. Property owners also fear that the project would cut through family-owned farms. "This issue is of great concern to a significant amount of my constituents," said Maryland Delegate Jesse Pippy, who represents Frederick County. "This project is unnecessary, it severely adversely impacts thousands and thousands of people. It's for the benefit of Virginia, not Maryland. The project itself is going to be paid for by Maryland ratepayers." Last November, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation said the project posed several risks to Maryland's habitat and water quality, damaging protected forests, nutrient-rich wetlands, and sources of clean water. "As the state moves towards a greener grid and electrification of appliances and cars, more power will be needed. However, the deforestation and environmental devastation required would contradict many of Maryland's climate change goals," the CBF said in a statement. "It is much more cost-effective to preserve high-quality waterways upfront than to try and restore streams and landscapes after devastation occurs." What's next?
