With hot weather alerts and calls for consumers to conserve energy, wildfire smoke drifting down the East Coast, and electric reliability and the need for clean energy on the rise in both regulatory and policy discourse, June was an eventful month for the energy sector. As always, America’s competitive power providers continue working tirelessly on collaborations, investment in new technologies, and growing their clean energy portfolios to support a decarbonized and reliable grid that keeps the lights and A/C on during hot days. From Tenaska’s deal with Kraken Technologies to use AI to enhance wind and solar performance to NRG Energy and Vistra Corp. subsidiaries’ efforts to keep underserved families cool, read on to see the ways in which six of EPSA’s member companies are building a better energy future.
Shell CEO on Securing Reliable Power
Shell released a statement in mid-June with an update from its CEO, Wael Sawan, on ways the company is working to enable the energy transition and reduce carbon emissions while providing the “secure energy customers need today and for a long time to come,” including investments in natural gas, renewables, and hydrogen and carbon capture and storage.
Tenaska and Shell Invest in Future Minds and Innovation
Tenaska operates a generous annual academic scholarship program intended to empower high school students to attain a higher education. Shell Energy worked with a local Tenaska power station in Rusk County, TX to award $16,000 of scholarships to eight graduating high school seniors. Tenaska’s long-standing scholarship program is in its 21st year, and with both the Tenaska Gateway Generating Station and its customer, Shell Energy, eight deserving students are selected each year to receive $2,000 each to pursue higher education.
In another form of investment in the future of energy, Tenaska signed a deal early in June with Kraken Technologies. Kraken, a rapidly growing energy tech company, which is part of the Octopus Energy Group, utilizes AI and advanced data analytics to enhance and maximize efficiency, revenue, and environmental health. Kraken will manage certain Tenaska Power Services sites in Texas, providing data analytics and improving the communication efficiency of its distributed generation profile.
NRG Energy Works With PPG Paints to Reduce Carbon Footprint
NRG Energy’s subsidiary Direct Energy will work with PPG Paints to help reduce the carbon footprint of several of PPG’s manufacturing facilities and stores in Texas. In a statement announcing the collaboration, Head of Sales for NRG Business Scott Hart said, “We are pleased to connect with PPG to help them achieve a more sustainable future through our renewable energy services.”
NRG and Vistra Help Customers Beat the Heat
Another NRG subsidiary, Reliant, is kicking off its summer Beat the Heat program to help Texas consumers stay cool and safe from the high temperatures. In a statement from Reliant, its president Elizabeth Killinger said, “Our Beat the Heat centers not only give Texans a reliable safety net to cool off during the months ahead but also provide a place to support one another, and socialize with friends, while saving energy at home. Hot Texas summers are inevitable, but they provide an opportunity to lend a hand and look for ways to help our customers and the community. We encourage any customer who needs support to contact us, and together, we will find the best path forward.”
Vistra Corp.’s flagship retail brand, TXU Energy, is celebrating 25 years of its signature Beat the Heat program, which provides air conditioning units and fans to Texans in need. To mark the milestone, TXU Energy is donating $125,000 to support nearly 20 social service agencies across the state.
“For 25 years, through some of the hottest Texas summers on record, our Beat the Heat program has continually met critical needs in our communities,” said Scott Hudson, president of TXU Energy. “What started in Dallas, with a single call center to provide people with resources like fans and A/C units, has grown exponentially. We’ve built valuable partnerships with social service agencies across the state and connected with thousands of Texans who face the dangerous reality of being unable to keep cool. This year, like the 25 before it, our message is this: no matter what this summer brings, TXU Energy is here to help.”
Vistra Corp. and LS Power Lead U.S. Battery Storage Development
Vistra Corp. placed in the top three for U.S. battery storage capacity, followed by LS Power Development Affiliates, according to S&P Global. Vistra’s new 350-MW Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility (Phase 3) was also named as one of the top five largest projects in the western region. Moss Landing is expected to lead the top five largest projects to be completed in Q2 of 2023.
LS Power Gets the Green Light to Add Competitive Transmission Lines in Maine
LS Power Grid Maine received bipartisan approval to build an electric transmission line for renewable resources in Maine under the New England ISO. The transmission plan will add over 100 miles of new transmission lines via competitive development, as well as additional substations to deliver new renewable energy – providing “significant benefits to Maine and the region, including jobs, tax revenues and avoided emissions from fossil fuels.” (LS Power Press Release)
“The Legislature’s bipartisan approval is a major step toward ensuring Maine meets its ambitious renewable energy and climate goals in a cost-conscious manner while realizing economic benefits for the state,” said President of LS Power Development Paul Thessen in a statement.
Calpine Subsidiary Sells $13.5 Mil of Geothermal Capacity
The Port of Oakland, Calif. announced that Calpine’s subsidiary, Geysers Power Company, LLC, will be selling $13.5 million worth of geothermal power to its Board of Port Commissioners. The purchase will take place between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2026. Port of Oakland Utilities Manager Jared Carpenter said of the purchase, “The Port’s mix of power resources demonstrates our commitment to providing cleaner energy, reliable power, and rates lower than surrounding utilities.”
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