Baltimore could build its own power plants
A city-funded study is suggesting that the city construct solar, waste, or natural gas-powered plants to add more supply to the regionÂ’s power grid, thus lowering electricity prices. The city could build new power generation more cheaply than a private company because itÂ’s less expensive for the city to borrow money, the reportÂ’s authors said.
There arenÂ’t any concrete plans for a plant, such as a location or a specific timeline. But the cityÂ’s Department of General Services is eager to move forward on a project as part of a broader energy plan itÂ’s pushing with federal stimulus money behind it, said Ted Atwood, energy adviser in the department.
High electricity rates have been a statewide focus since 2006, when deregulation of MarylandÂ’s energy market led to skyrocketing prices. State officials have pressed Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. and its parent company, Constellation Energy Group Inc., to make efforts to lower rates.
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Fire in manhole leaves thousands of Hydro-Québec customers without power
MONTREAL - Hydro-Québec says a power outage affecting Montreal is connected to an underground explosion and a fire in a manhole in Rosemont—La Petite–Patrie.
The fire started in underground pipes belonging to Hydro-Québec on Bélanger Street between Boyer and Saint-André streets, according to Montreal firefighters, who arrived on the scene at 12:18 p.m.
The electricity had to be cut so that firefighters could get into the manhole where the equipment was located.
At the peak of the shutdown, nearly 41,000 customers were without power. As of 7:00 p.m., 10,981 clients still had no power.
Hydro-Québec spokesperson Louis-Olivier Batty said the utility is being strategic about how it restores power.
Because of the cold, it anticipates that…
