The District of Columbia Public Service Commission will consider Washington Gas Light Company’s application for adjustments of retail rates and charges applicable to natural gas services. The WGL Holdings subsidiary is seeking a net increase of $47.7 million, or 20.4 percent, with a return on equity of 10.4 percent. FC1169

The New York Public Service Commission is due to receive comments on issues related to the decommissioning of the Indian Point Energy Center, which ceased operations in 2021. The commission held a joint meeting, on Feb. 2, of the Indian Point Closure Task Force and Decommissioning Oversight Board to examine their scope and goals, and receive presentations on key issues related to the decommissioning and spent fuel management. The task force is charged with exploring ways to mitigate local tax and workforce impacts and evaluate new economic opportunities and initiatives, as well as identifying a decommissioning timeline that is in the interest of local communities. The oversight board is required to assess ways to protect the interest of affected communities including current workforce and public safety. The three-unit Indian Point shut down its last nuclear reactor having a capacity of 1,040 megawatts on April 30, 2021, marking the end of 59 years of continuous power generation.

The California Public Utilities Commission will discuss recent natural gas prices in the current winter, examine the possible drivers and impacts on electric markets, and explore potential measures to mitigate the impact of natural gas and electric market volatility. The hearing, to be held jointly with the California Energy Commission, will include discussions on how natural gas prices work in the state and a review of interstate gas pipeline operations and impacts of outages.

The Oregon Public Utilities Commission will hold a workshop on NW Natural’s integrated resource plan, or IRP. The utility filed its 2022 IRP in September, providing its first comprehensive analysis to support the implementation of obligations under existing climate policies. The company said that the single largest driver of change in the plan is climate policy established in Oregon and Washington in recent years, as well as uncertainty regarding potential additional policies that could impact its resource planning. Highlights of the plan include expanding acquisition of renewable natural gas over the next few years and working with the Energy Trust of Oregon to expand energy efficiency programs. READ MORE

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission is due to receive comments on the potential role of third-party aggregation of retail customers in demand response programs. The commission initiated the investigation following its March 2022 approval of Xcel Energy Inc.’s proposed Peak Flex Credit pilot, a load-shedding program aimed to increase commercial customer participation in demand response, and directed the company to allow third-party aggregators to participate in the second tranche of the pilot. The commission limited the approval to Xcel’s program and authorized a broader discussion on the appropriate role of third-party aggregators. The commission seeks feedback on a series of topics including whether aggregators should be allowed to bid demand response into organized wholesale markets and whether rate-regulated electric utilities should be required to create tariffs to allow third-party aggregators to participate in those programs. CI-22-600

The California Energy Commission is due to receive comments on a draft conceptual permitting roadmap for offshore wind energy facilities originating in federal waters off the coast of California. Last August, California adopted a report establishing an offshore wind planning goal of 25 gigawatts by 2045 and an interim planning goal range of 2 to 5 gigawatts by 2030. Legislation enacted in 2021 directed the commission to coordinate with other agencies as needed and develop a strategic plan for wind energy development off the California coast. 17-MISC-01