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week of Oct. 11, 2024

The EnerKnol Week Ahead is back to give you the key energy policy events happening next week, all powered by the EnerKnol Platform. Coming up, Maine regulators explore ways to reduce storm damage to the grid and help utilities manage rising storm costs more proactively; the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission examines policy issues related to the reliability of the bulk power system; and the Internal Revenue Service discusses proposed rules concerning the allocation of clean electricity low-income communities bonus credit amounts.

Featured Entities


California EC

District of Columbia PSC

DOE

FERC

IRS

Maine PUC

New York PSC

Virginia SCC

Federal Agencies

Tuesday,
October 15
DOE Domestic EV Manufacturing

The U.S. Energy Department is due to receive applications from eligible states for a $50 million funding opportunity to enable automotive conversion grants for small and medium manufacturers. The department has selected six states with significant automotive workforces to help small- and medium-sized suppliers adapt manufacturing facilities for the EV supply chain. The objective is to enable such manufacturers to receive subawards from state recipients to speed up the growth of domestic production capability of EVs and components to meet anticipated increased demand for clean energy technologies in the transition to net-zero emissions.

Wednesday,
October 16
FERC Annual Reliability Technical Conference

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will examine key policy issues related to the reliability and security of the bulk power system, featuring discussions on reliability risks and resource adequacy. The conference will include a panel discussion on the current state of reliability and security, focusing on how FERC, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, and the industry can prioritize and manage the rapidly evolving risks. Another panel will analyze the drivers of new demand, such as data centers, and evaluate whether existing resource adequacy mechanisms are equipped to handle this surge. This panel will also consider how these challenges are pushing transmission system operators and planners to adapt their approaches to maintaining resource adequacy.

Thursday,
October 17
IRS Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit

The Internal Revenue Service will hold a hearing on proposed rules concerning the allocation of clean electricity low-income communities bonus credit amounts established pursuant to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Applicants investing in certain solar and wind powered-electricity generation facilities may apply for an allocation of environmental justice capacity limitation to increase the amount of the energy investment credit for the taxable year in which the facility is placed in service. The proposal describes definitions and requirements for the calendar year 2025 and succeeding years.

Friday,
October 18
IRS Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Tax Credit

The Internal Revenue Service seeks applications for the second round of the Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Tax Credit (48C) Program designed to accelerate domestic clean energy manufacturing and reduce emissions at industrial facilities. The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act provided $10 billion in new funding for the program, with at least $4 billion earmarked for projects in communities that have been directly impacted by the closure of a coal mine or coal-fired power plant. The second round offers up to $6 billion in tax credits, with about $2.5 billion reserved for projects in designated energy communities. Round 1 allocated a total of $4 billion, including approximately $1.5 billion for projects in 48C energy communities. The U.S. Energy Department is collaborating with the Treasury Department and the IRS to implement the program. READ MORE

Eastern Region

Tuesday,
October 15
VA SCC Energy Efficiency Savings Target

The Virginia State Corporation Commission will conduct a hearing on Virginia Electric and Power Company’s proposed energy efficiency savings targets. In January, the commission directed the state’s electric utilities to establish new targets for 2026 through 2028. The Dominion Energy Inc. subsidiary proposed a net DSM proposed target of 2.72 percent for 2028, measured as a percentage of the average annual energy jurisdictional retail sales in 2019. PUR-2023-00227

Tuesday,
October 15
DC PSC Gas Pipeline Replacement Program

The District of Columbia Public Service Commission is due to receive petitions to intervene on Washington Gas Light Company’s application for approval of its District Strategic Accelerated Facility Enhancement, or SAFE, Plan, a revised replacement of its PROJECTpipes plan. Through the plan, the company will continue to address the highest-risk segments of aging, leak-prone mains and services while ensuring safe, reliable gas delivery and considering environmental impacts in the district. Covering March 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2027, activities under the plan with a total estimated cost of $215 million include replacing 12 miles of main and remediating approximately 2,612 services.

Thursday,
October 17
ME PUC Improving Resiliency and Addressing Storm Costs

The Maine Public Utilities Commission will hold a workshop to explore issues related to improving resiliency in the near-term and addressing rising storm costs. In light of increasing storm frequency and severity, the commision opened a docket in July to to consider shorter-term efforts to lower the impacts of storm damage while utilities are in the process of developing grid plans, conducting vulnerability assessments, and preparing resiliency/mitigation plans. The commission has received initial comments addressing several areas including targeted undergrounding or overgrounding of transmission and/or distribution lines, innovative customer-oriented programs in other states that could potentially be explored in Maine, and how utilities can leverage data systems to prioritize areas that are most susceptible to repeated storm damage.

Thursday,
October 17
NY PSC 100 MW Bear Ridge Solar Project

The New York Public Service Commission is due to receive comments on Cypress Creek Renewables LLC’s proposal to construct a 100-megawatt solar project in Niagara County. The proposed Bear Ridge Solar project would be sited on a total of 900 acres and is expected to produce sufficient power to supply 15,000 to 20,000 homes and offset 160,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. 24-E-0138

Western Region

Tuesday,
October 15
CA EC Clean Transportation Program Investment Plan

The California Energy Commission is due to receive comments on funding allocations in a revised draft version of the 2024-2025 Investment Plan Update for the program. The commission recently held a meeting with the Clean Transportation Program Investment Plan Advisory Committee which included presentations on the implementation of the program and related zero-emission vehicle infrastructure analysis. A 2007 law established the program and authorized the commission to develop and deploy zero-emission and other advanced fuels and transportation technologies to help attain the state’s climate policies. Legislation enacted last year reauthorized the program until July 1, 2035 with some additions and revisions. The program has a base annual budget of about $100 million to support projects including electric vehicle charging and hydrogen refueling infrastructure and workforce training programs. In recent years, the commission has also received state General Funds and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds.

Wednesday,
October 16
CA EC Darden Clean Energy Project

The California Energy Commission will hold a meeting to discuss the proposed Darden Clean Energy Project in Fresno County. The project, proposed by IP Darden I LLC and Affiliates, consists of a 1,150-megawatt solar photovoltaic facility and an up to 4,600 megawatt-hour battery energy storage system. The solar PV facility would be located on about 9,100 acres of agricultural land, which the company plans to purchase from Westlands Water District. The project would interconnect to Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s Los Banos-Midway #2 500 kV transmission line.