The Virginia State Corporation Commission will discuss Dominion Energy Inc.’s plan for electric distribution grid transformation projects as well as an application to construct and operate two solar plants in eastern Virginia. The first stage of the company’s 10-year Grid Transformation Plan includes the installation of 1.4 million smart meters, replacing a 20-year-old customer information platform, and generally improving the reliability and resilience of the grid. The two solar facilities are the 142-megawatt Colonial Trail West Solar project and the 98-megawatt Spring Grove 1 facility. (PUR-2018-00100)

The Maryland Public Service Commission will discuss the application of Cherrywood Solar I LLC to construct a 202-megawatt solar generating facility in eastern Maryland. The approximately $200-million project will occupy 1,085 acres with about 500,000 modules mounted on single-axis tracking systems, representing the largest proposed solar generating facility in the State to date. (9477)

The Vermont Public Utility Commission will discuss a range of issues related to electric vehicles with the aim of boosting their adoption and helping the state achieve its ambitious greenhouse gas emission goals. In May, the Vermont legislature passed H.917 requiring the commission to investigate the electrification of vehicles in the state and study barriers to electric vehicle adoption, including strategies to reduce operating costs for users without shifting them to other ratepayers. The commission has requested input on issues such as charging infrastructure, rate design, utility participation and consumer protection. (18-2660-INV)

The California Public Utilities Commission will discuss plans mandated by the state legislature which provide a pathway for electric utilities to retroactively recover some of the billions of dollars of costs they face from the catastrophic wildfires that ravaged the state last year, while also imposing stiffer penalties for violations and stricter rules for mitigating risks. The bill authorizes the state commission to approve utilities’ recovery of costs and expenses from the blazes that occurred in 2017 contingent upon a finding that they are just and reasonable, and applying a “stress test” to determine the maximum amount the utility can pay without harming ratepayers and maintaining adequate and safe service. For wildfire incidents from 2019 onwards, the commission would allow cost recovery if the expenses are found to be reasonable, based on a set of standards including the conduct of the utility. The bill also requires utilities to adopt wildfire mitigation plans, while doubling the penalty for violations to $100,000. In May, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection found that some of the wildfires that occurred last October were caused by trees coming into contact with Pacific Gas & Electric Company’s power lines. (SB 901)

The International Energy Agency will release its closely watched report on U.S. and foreign oil markets, covering supply, demand and prices. Among recent trends, the U.S. exported 7.3 million barrels per day of crude oil and petroleum products in the first half of 2018, the largest recorded for the first six months of a year. Crude oil exports, which exceeded hydrocarbon gas liquid exports, were about 80 percent higher compared to the first half of 2017, with 1.8 million barrels per day exported. (Previous Report)