Latest news with #DickGarlish
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wyoming shields utility companies from wildfire-liability payouts
Wyoming's governor has signed a bill that limits the liability for electric utility companies found guilty of starting wildfires. Legislators argued that the bill was necessary for utility companies to function in an era of massive fire-related class-action lawsuits, especially for many of the smaller, co-op utilities that are a hallmark of the mountain west. 'We are one wildfire away from bankruptcy for these small utilities and these cooperatives,' the Wyoming Republican representative Jeremy Haroldson said in a floor debate in February. Wyoming's legislation pokes at a question crucial in today's American west. Wildfires are tearing across the region summer after summer, often sparked by power lines or negligent utility maintenance. Utility companies are seeing soaring insurance rates. Who pays for damages? Some western legislatures have ushered through bills that offer utilities a reduced level of liability if they produce a wildfire-mitigation plan, often by modifying what constitutes acceptable damages. States that are weighing bills this year include Montana, Arizona, Idaho, Oregon and New Mexico. Utah passed similar legislation in 2020. Proponents say the bills are crucial for effective wildfire prevention and keeping utility companies in the black when wildfire insurance rates are rising at an explosive pace. Rocky Mountain Power began a push for a 14% rate hike (now negotiated to 10%) on its Wyoming customers by saying their liability insurance had risen 1,888% in the last five years – due to wildfires. 'We recognize the impact that the rising costs of providing electric service has on customers,' said Dick Garlish, the Rocky Mountain Power president, in a prepared statement last August. 'The dynamic economic conditions we face are similar to those challenging all other electric providers in the nation.' Past wildfire survivors are skeptical, at best, of this type of legislation. One survivor, Sam Drevo, spoke with the Oregon Capitol Chronicle in February. 'Do you think the legislature should be taking care of PacifiCorp while Oregonians who were burned up in 2020 and 2022 are still suffering, not able to rebuild and move on with their lives?' Drevo said. One thing that can be agreed on: the financial stakes are huge. California's PG&E filed for bankruptcy in 2019 after being found liable for catastrophic wildfires, ultimately paying out more than $25.5bn to settle its liabilities. PG&E exited bankruptcy and reincorporated in 2020. Lawmakers in the Golden state gave utilities permission to collect $27bn from ratepayers for fire prevention between 2019 and 2023. This past winter's wildfires will be the first major test of the pooled fund. PacifiCorp was found liable for the state's 2020 Labor Day wildfires, and has been ordered to pay out more than $270m in damages to wildfire victims. Plaintiffs have yet to be compensated, as PacifiCorp plans to appeal the verdict; and, according to the Oregon Journalism Project, 30 victims have died since the case began. PacifiCorp is owned by the billionaire Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Company. Its subsidiary Pacific Power operates in Oregon, California and Washington, while its subsidiary Rocky Mountain Power operates in Wyoming, Utah and Idaho. According to 2024 filings, PacifiCorp is facing at least $46bn in claims for wildfire negligence.
The Guardian
14-03-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Wyoming shields utility companies from wildfire-liability payouts
Wyoming's governor has signed a bill that limits the liability for electric utility companies found guilty of starting wildfires. Legislators argued that the bill was necessary for utility companies to function in an era of massive fire-related class-action lawsuits, especially for many of the smaller, co-op utilities that are a hallmark of the mountain west. 'We are one wildfire away from bankruptcy for these small utilities and these cooperatives,' the Wyoming Republican representative Jeremy Haroldson said in a floor debate in February. Wyoming's legislation pokes at a question crucial in today's American west. Wildfires are tearing across the region summer after summer, often sparked by power lines or negligent utility maintenance. Utility companies are seeing soaring insurance rates. Who pays for damages? Some western legislatures have ushered through bills that offer utilities a reduced level of liability if they produce a wildfire-mitigation plan, often by modifying what constitutes acceptable damages. States that are weighing bills this year include Montana, Arizona, Idaho, Oregon and New Mexico. Utah passed similar legislation in 2020. Proponents say the bills are crucial for effective wildfire prevention and keeping utility companies in the black when wildfire insurance rates are rising at an explosive pace. Rocky Mountain Power began a push for a 14% rate hike (now negotiated to 10%) on its Wyoming customers by saying their liability insurance had risen 1,888% in the last five years – due to wildfires. 'We recognize the impact that the rising costs of providing electric service has on customers,' said Dick Garlish, the Rocky Mountain Power president, in a prepared statement last August. 'The dynamic economic conditions we face are similar to those challenging all other electric providers in the nation.' Past wildfire survivors are skeptical, at best, of this type of legislation. One survivor, Sam Drevo, spoke with the Oregon Capitol Chronicle in February. 'Do you think the legislature should be taking care of PacifiCorp while Oregonians who were burned up in 2020 and 2022 are still suffering, not able to rebuild and move on with their lives?' Drevo said. One thing that can be agreed on: the financial stakes are huge. Sign up to Headlines US Get the most important US headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion California's PG&E filed for bankruptcy in 2019 after being found liable for catastrophic wildfires, ultimately paying out more than $25.5bn to settle its liabilities. PG&E exited bankruptcy and reincorporated in 2020. Lawmakers in the Golden state gave utilities permission to collect $27bn from ratepayers for fire prevention between 2019 and 2023. This past winter's wildfires will be the first major test of the pooled fund. PacifiCorp was found liable for the state's 2020 Labor Day wildfires, and has been ordered to pay out more than $270m in damages to wildfire victims. Plaintiffs have yet to be compensated, as PacifiCorp plans to appeal the verdict; and, according to the Oregon Journalism Project, 30 victims have died since the case began. PacifiCorp is owned by the billionaire Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Company. Its subsidiary Pacific Power operates in Oregon, California and Washington, while its subsidiary Rocky Mountain Power operates in Wyoming, Utah and Idaho. According to 2024 filings, PacifiCorp is facing at least $46bn in claims for wildfire negligence.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rocky Mountain Power, Torus Will Deploy Grid-Scale Energy Storage Program
Torus and Rocky Mountain Power, following the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU), on Feb. 7 released additional technical details about the integration of Torus's commercial energy storage technology into Rocky Mountain Power's Wattsmart Battery program. The proposed 70-MW demand response initiative will leverage Torus's Nova Spin and Nova Pulse technologies to enhance grid reliability. Torus is based in South Salt Lake, Utah. The company's Nova Spin flywheel energy storage system was recently recognized in TIME's Best Inventions of 2024 list. The partnership between Torus and Rocky Mountain Power will support Utah's Operation Gigawatt initiative, which is designed to double Utah's power production over the next 10 years and expand Torus' demand response capabilities, deploying technology that provides: Sub-250 millisecond response time with 99% system uptime. Real-time frequency regulation maintaining 60 Hz stability. Voltage support for both 208V and 480V three-phase power. Nova Spin has a C-rating 10x higher than traditional chemical batteries. The project is expected to be completed within 12-18 months. Up to twice the operational lifespan of conventional battery systems. Rocky Mountain Power is featured in the Department of Energy's latest VPP Liftoff Report, which highlights the Wattsmart program as a best-in-class battery virtual power plant (VPP), providing both bulk system level value and distribution system value for grid and customers. "This technical implementation demonstrates how our relationship with Rocky Mountain Power will deliver both grid resilience and energy security," said Nate Walkingshaw, CEO of Torus. "As highlighted in the DOE VPP Liftoff Report, demand response programs are crucial for managing grid challenges while reducing costs." "Enhancing and expanding the Rocky Mountain Power system is the key to meeting Utah's energy future,' said Dick Garlish, president of Rocky Mountain Power. 'Collaborating with innovative leaders in technology and energy, like Torus, is essential to meet the goals of Operation Gigawatt.' The Torus capabilities will help create a VPP that can support Utah's ambitious economic growth plans while contributing to the DOE's goal of deploying 80-160 GW of VPPs nationwide by 2030. For Utah's expanding base of data centers and industrial facilities, the Torus technology will provide: Power quality management through Nova Sync frequency conditioning. Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) functionality with sub-250ms failover. Long duration backup through hybrid flywheel-chemical storage systems. On-site generation integration with automated dispatching. Real-time performance monitoring across millions of data points. Predictive maintenance through AI-driven systems analysis. The implementation includes comprehensive security features essential for critical infrastructure: Nova Shield hardware security for critical commands. 24/7 cybersecurity monitoring and threat detection. Secure firmware developed and maintained in U.S. facilities. Integration with existing utility management systems via secure APIs. SCADA integration using APIs for seamless control. Torus's energy storage systems are designed, engineered, and manufactured in the U.S. The company's manufacturing capabilities include: More than 50,000 square feet of manufacturing space supporting end-to-end Nova Spin production and Nova Pulse assembly. An engineering team with decades of combined experience in grid and commercial-level energy systems, power electronics, and advanced manufacturing. Complete control over supply chain and production processes. The combination of domestic manufacturing, advanced grid security features, and proven VPP capabilities has positioned Torus as a leader in grid-scale energy storage. Operation Gigawatt supports Utah's continued economic growth, and Torus' technology is a model for supporting grid resilience. —POWER edited this content, which was contributed by Torus' public relations team.
