The Illinois Power Agency reports that in the ComEd territory, the cost of purchasing renewable energy resources ranged from a high of 1.927 cents per kilowatt-hour in the IPA’s first procurement in 2009 to a low of 0.088 cents per kilowatt-hour in the 2012 procurement. The current price trend for renewable energy credits has been downward. The Agency also procured long-term power procurement agreements on behalf of ComEd in 2010 which included an implied REC price near the high end of the range described. The purchases represent a low of 0.05% to a high of 0.90% of the total rates paid for electricity by single family homes without electric space heat1.

In the Ameren territory, the cost of purchasing renewable energy resources ranged from a high of 1.586 cents per kilowatt-hour in the 2009 procurement to a low of 0.092 cents per kilowatt-hour in the 2011 procurement. While the price trend for renewable energy credits was downward through 2011, the REC price in the 2012 procurement was about 50% higher than in 2011. The Agency also procured long-term power procurement agreements on behalf of Ameren in 2010 which included an implied REC price near the high end of the range described. Purchases represent a low of 0.05% to a high of 0.61% of the total rates paid for electricity by residential customers. 

Georgia Power has added 53.5 megawatts (MW) of new biomass capacity to the company's generation portfolio. The addition of the biomass capacity is made possible through a 20-year purchase power agreement (PPA) with Rollcast Energy, under which Georgia Power will receive all generation output of the newly completed Piedmont Green Power plant, located in Barnesville, Ga. The plant, which began commercial operation on April 19 after two years of construction, will provide enough electricity to power more than 35,000 homes.

"We continue to implement a strategy that diversifies our generation portfolio through renewable sources that are cost-effective for our customers," said Paul Bowers, president of Georgia Power. 

Expressing confidence that the U.S. nuclear energy industry is well-poised to help meet America’s future electricity needs, the Nuclear Energy Institute’s chief executive told industry leaders that they are making “solid progress” in addressing challenges confronting the electric sector.

NEI President Marvin Fertel hailed the milestones achieved this year at facilities in Georgia and South Carolina—the pouring of concrete basemats for new reactors that now are about 40 percent complete—as evidence of the industry’s progress.

As the U.S. economy rebounds and electricity demand increases, additional nuclear energy facility construction can be anticipated beyond the five reactors being built in Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee, Fertel said. 

Energy Minister, Fergus Ewing announced that the Scottish Government is ahead of schedule in delivering its ambitious targets in community and local ownership of renewable energy projects.

The Scottish Government’s 2020 Routemap for Renewable Energy has a target of generating 500 MW from community renewables by 2020. Published new figures show that, as of June 2012, more than 200 MW of renewable generating capacity came from community and locally owned energy projects – 40 per cent of the target.

These projects provide renewable heat and power for the grid or for local use as well as income for communities. There are now more than 5,000 renewable energy projects in community and local ownership across Scotland. 

SSE confirmed that it will proceed with construction of its 7.5MW Glasa hydro-electric scheme, near Ardross, Ross-shire. The project, previously named Kildermorie, was consented by Scottish Ministers in 2010 and represents an investment by SSE of around £30m. Construction of the scheme will start in late summer this year and project completion is expected during the autumn of 2015.

The Glasa scheme will have a generating capacity of 7.5MW and will produce enough renewable electricity to power around 10,000 homes. Once commissioned, it will be the largest hydro scheme to be built in the UK in over 5 years and the second largest conventional hydro scheme to be built in over half a century.

SSE had previously stated that development of new conventional hydro schemes such as Glasa would not be possible at the UK ROC level, which was reduced to 0.7 ROCs per MW following a July 2012 banding review. This announcement follows the decision by the Scottish Government in September 2012 to retain the one ROC (Renewable Obligation Certificate) per MW support level for new conventional hydro in Scotland.