The Middle East’s electricity providers have been urged to introduce variable tariff schemes that charge consumers more for usage during peak hours in an effort to ease demand.
The Kentucky Public Service Commission in the USA has approved an electricity rate settlement that will result in a 17 per cent rate rise for typical residential electricity customers of Kentucky Power Company.
The UK Government has announced a drop of nearly 7 per cent in the share of electricity generated from renewable sources. Despite a year-on-year increase of nearly a third of onshore wind power generation, the total amount supplied in the first quarter of 2010 as part of all sources fell by 6.6 per cent.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has published the findings of a two year study into the use of natural gas in the USA. The study proposes greater use of natural gas in the generation of electricity, claiming that this could reduce the country’s CO2 emissions levels by over 10 per cent.
The Swedish parliament has voted by the narrow margin of 174-172 to overturn a 30-year-old ban on the construction of new nuclear reactors and to allow the replacement of the country’s existing fleet of 10 reactors.
The Indonesian Government has approved electricity tariff increases of up to 18 per cent from July 1. Commercial, industrial and wealthy domestic consumers will be charged a higher rate, whereas less wealthy households (around 75 per cent of all domestic consumers) will be exempt.
Experts have said that a proposal to pay for green energy incentives and supports for peat-fired power plants could add €40 a year to Irish consumers’ electricity bills and significantly increase industries’ costs.
After being unable to attract funds from potential investors to build new power stations and upgrade existing units, Zimbabwe’s power expansion plans have failed to make any progress.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said that his government is ending the national electricity rationing that started in January and has hindered the country’s efforts to climb out of recession.
The solar-powered CalRENEW-1 has been connected to the California Independent System Operator’s (CAISO) transmission grid under the state’s Renewables Portfolio Standards programme.