skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, November 1, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump attacks Liz Cheney using violent war imagery; Election insights: What 50 Ohioans want to hear from candidates; Consumer groups slam CA Supreme Court ruling on lemon law; On National Brush Day, new resources in KY to boost oral health.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Harris says her campaign is prepared for Trump to prematurely claim victory, Pennsylvania election officials say safeguards in the system are preventing vote fraud, and Montana Senate race could hinge on the "political refugee" vote.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A Cambodian poultry farmer who lost his livelihood could be a hero for others, rural Montanans are anxiously awaiting a court ruling over a climate lawsuit brought by young people, and Northeast states say more housing for working families could boost jobs.

Tight Grid Capacity Limits SD Wind-Energy Growth

play audio
Play

Wednesday, December 30, 2020   

PIERRE, S.D. - The renewable-energy industry is happy to be included in the COVID-19 relief bill signed this week by President Donald Trump. However, South Dakota regulators say that to see more growth for wind power, more grid capacity is needed.

The relief package contains key tax-credit extensions for solar and wind projects. In South Dakota, wind energy has taken off in recent years, accounting for nearly 24% of the state's generated electricity.

Chris Nelson, vice chairman of the Public Utilities Commission, said the trouble is that there's almost no space left to get that energy to homes and businesses.

"We had some very large transmission lines that were developed over the last 10 years," he said. "Now, it appears that most of those are fully subscribed, with all of these projects that have been recently built."

He said additional grid space could keep the development flow moving. There was a rush to finish projects in South Dakota before existing federal incentives expired. Nelson said that contributed to the recent growth, but predicted that the tax-credit extension won't be a big boost for wind developers because of the capacity barrier.

The lack of grid space has caught the attention of key groups, including the Midwest Governors Association. It recently sent a letter to organizations involved with grid operations, asking for a long-term solution. Nelson said there's a lot of awareness he hopes will break the capacity logjam.

"What are the transmission needs that are here today and might be here 10 years from now," he said, "and what kind of planning do we need for capacity for that energy."

Nelson said some smaller wind projects, along with solar development, still could be included in current infrastructure. But the transmission barriers pose a threat to utility-scale development that could have a major impact on the energy market.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Signal Ohio found overarching issues such as climate change, reproductive rights and safety were on the minds of many Ohioans. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

As Election Day approaches, the online outlet Signal Ohio interviewed 50 people across Cleveland and Akron to find out what is on the minds of …


Environment

play sound

Wild Chinook salmon have returned to the Upper Klamath River less than two months after the largest dam-removal project in U.S. history to remove …

Social Issues

play sound

Millions of Californians buy used cars still under a manufacturer's warranty - but consumer groups say those warranties are now essentially unenforcea…


Even with the rise of social media and email blasts, traditional "Get Out the Vote" rallies are seen by experts as key to helping boost participation in elections. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Political rallies and large-scale "get out the vote" events might conjure images of a packed arena in a major city but in states like North Dakota…

Environment

play sound

As North Carolina communities continue to pick up the pieces after Hurricane Helene, they have faced a new obstacle: A surge of misinformation is …

As of Oct. 31, Minnesota election offices had accepted nearly 1 million absentee ballots. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

In the final sprint toward Election Day, some Minnesotans might worry their absentee ballot won't arrive in time. Experts say there's no cause for …

Social Issues

play sound

New York's affordable housing crisis is being made worse by corporate landlords, according to groups trying to reform the system. The state …

Social Issues

play sound

By Mariah Alanskas for Kent State NewsLab.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021