Author Archive for: KMEA

n the fall of 2007, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission raised concerns about how to manage the unprecedented number of renewable energy projects seeking to connect to the U.S. grid.

The agency is still grappling with the issue more than 15 years later — except now, the problem is worse, and the stakes are higher.

FERC is preparing to issue a final rule changing how new energy projects connect to the grid, a top priority for acting Chair Willie Phillips. The commission outlined a proposed rule on the topic last year, with a goal of more efficiently linking up planned solar, wind and battery storage projects, as well as reducing energy costs and making the power grid more reliable.

The City of Ottawa, Kansas is recruiting for a Journey Level Lineman.  The Journey Level Lineman performs skilled work in the construction and maintenance of the electric distribution system for the City of Ottawa. The employee in this position is responsible for exercising judgment as to the details of assigned work within prescribed operating procedures. The Journey Level Lineman is responsible for maintenance of power lines, electrical equipment, and transformers. Work is performed according to departmental procedures, practices, and safety regulations. A combination of education, training, and experience will be considered. High school diploma or equivalent. Minimum of five years of experience with a construction crew on electrical distribution, including four years in an approved apprentice program. Must maintain a valid Kansas CDL.

The City of Russell is seeking professional and community-oriented individuals for four full-time positions.
The City of Russell is situated at the crossroads of Interstate 70 and US Highway 281. We are a community that is dedicated to family, friends, and neighbors, where generations care for each other. We are One Russell, building a self-reliant future. We are home.
The City of Russell offers a very progressive benefit package. Benefits include vacation and sick leave, uniforms, family health insurance, family dental and vision plans, KPERS retirement program, and several other optional benefit programs.

Upcoming EPA regulations are expected to allow power plants to execute a historic reduction in their emissions partly by burning hydrogen.

But many questions remain about whether hydrogen will be a viable climate tool: Few power plants today are using it at scale, and some industry observers say that unless it is produced through a “clean” process before it reaches a power plant, it may not make a significant dent in U.S. emissions overall.

Currently, most hydrogen is produced with natural gas. While that “gray” hydrogen may emit little or no carbon at a power plant when burned, giving it an advantage over coal and gas, its production is emissions-intensive.

KMEA had the pleasure to join the city of Sterling at the ribbon cutting for their new substation.  This substation project has doubled the capacity the city can now receive from the transmission provider.  This will also prevent the city from running the power plant during high load situations when the current transformer would not handle the entire load of the city.  Other resiliency improvements will be realized with the addition of this new transformer allowing the city to have back up capabilities when maintenance needs done.  KMEA is proud to be a strategic partner in the project.  Congratulations to the city of Sterling on their upgrades to their community owned utility.