Richard Nemec began writing for NGI in 1995 and has 30 years experience in the energy industry. He holds BA from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles; and a MA in journalism from Northwestern University, Evanston, IL; and completed MBA courses at Northwestern's Evening Graduate School of Management.
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Articles from Rich Nemec
SoCalGas Unleashes California-Produced RNG Fueling
Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) said renewable natural gas (RNG) supply now is flowing at most of the natural gas vehicle fueling stations it operates. The Sempra Energy utility recently began purchasing RNG from multi-dairy connected Calgren Dairy Fuels in the state. Calgren produces RNG as part of a rapidly growing biomethane industry. Eventually, 18…
November 4, 2020
Pinnacle West’s Arizona Utility Dodges Summer Heat Issues with Mix of Fuels, Conservation
During the hottest July and August temperatures ever recorded, Phoenix-based Arizona Public Service (APS) relied on its fossil fuel generation fleet, along with nuclear and customer conservation, to avoid a power emergency, the CEO of parent company Pinnacle West Capital Corp. said last week. “Our fossil fleets equivalent availability factor, or the percentage of time…
November 3, 2020
Trading Losses, Wildfires Put PGE in Red for Quarter
Wholesale energy trading losses of upward of $128 million pushed Portland General Electric (PGE) into reporting a loss for 3Q2020, but CEO Maria Pope indicated on an earnings conference call that the damage from the losses has been contained to the quarter and there will be no more impact in the months and quarters ahead. …
November 2, 2020
PG&E Turns a Profit, Looks for New Leadership Post-Restructuring
Fresh out of bankruptcy reorganization, PG&E Corp. and combination utility Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PG&E) expect to have a new executive team in place by the end of this year, management said Thursday. Interim CEO Bill Smith discussed the restructuring process and responses to recent wildfires in Northern California during a 3Q2020 earnings conference…
October 30, 2020
SoCal Edison Power Line Possibly Sparks California’s Silverardo Wildfire
A Southern California Edison Co. (SCE) power line may have been involved in the start of a wildfire raging in a foothills portion of Orange County, officials at parent company Edison International (EI) said Tuesday. SCE earlier this week told state regulators the 11,000-acre Silverado Fire in Orange County was 5% contained, and there “was…
October 29, 2020
North Dakota Redirects Covid Funds to Cut DUCs, Stimulate Oilfield Work
North Dakota officials last Friday re-allocated $16 million from federal Covid-19 funds to reduce a growing number of drilled but uncompleted wells (DUC) while creating up to 1,000 temporary jobs in the oil and gas sector. The action by the state Emergency Commission chaired by Gov. Doug Burgum was part of an effort to reassign…
October 26, 2020
West Coast Coal-Fired Power Dwindling
With the closing of the final coal-fired generation plant in Oregon by Portland General Electric Co. (PGE), the West Coast is down to one coal plant in Washington, which is slated to close in 2025. As part of a 2010 agreement with stakeholders and regulators, PGE last week said the Boardman Generating Station in eastern…
October 22, 2020
North Dakota Sees Oil, Natural Gas Production Climb in August
North Dakota oil and natural gas production shot up in August along with gas capture volumes, but the production surge is expected to fall back and continue declining by the end of the year. Oil production in August topped 36 million bbl (1.16 million b/d), compared with 32.3 million bbl (1.04 million b/d) in July.…
October 19, 2020
PG&E Says It May Have Been Involved in Yet Another Wildfire
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) once again has reported to California authorities that its distribution equipment in the far north remote Shasta County may have been involved in the Zogg Fire that has consumed more than 56,000 acres before being 99% contained on Monday. The utility’s equipment has been traced to at least eight…
October 13, 2020
California Natural Gas Generation Declining as State Looks to Carbon-Free Future
There are no new natural gas-fired generation projects under review by California regulators, and some projects remain unfinished, as the state looks toward a net-zero emissions future. This year the Stanton Energy Reliability Center, a 98 MW gas-fired peaking plant, has started up. In addition, 1,280 MW of gas-fired generation was added at two AES…
October 13, 2020