The Maine Public Utilities Commission seeks comments on a report from the Governor’s Energy Office providing recommendations for the procurement of up to 200 megawatts of energy storage. The report, developed pursuant to a 2023 law requiring an evaluation of designs for a program to procure commercially available, utility-scale storage systems, recommends that the commission issue a request for proposals for transmission storage projects. To inform that process, the commission seeks input on several topics, including the impact of the current status of the New England grid operator’s interconnection queue on potential project development and market factors such as tariffs and federal tax credits that may affect bids. The commission is also requesting comments on areas identified for further study based on stakeholder feedback on a related report examining utility financial interest, ownership, and control of energy storage. Maine has a statutory goal of deploying 400 megawatts of energy storage by 2030. 2025-00148

The Maryland Public Service Commission will hold a meeting to discuss improvements for the 2027-2029 cycle of EmPOWER Maryland, the state’s energy efficiency program. The meeting will convene the Future Programming Work Group to discuss the program’s greenhouse gas reduction goals for the upcoming cycle. The commission established the work group in 2020 to ensure that upcoming program cycles are well-informed and fully developed. A December 2024 order on the group’s recommendations noted that several suggestions were of value but were not fully developed or are better suited for the program’s next cycle, and directed commission staff to reconvene the work group. Commission staff has recommended that the work group take on the assignment of potentially establishing a demand response goal as well as developing GHG reduction goals. 9705

The District of Columbia Public Service Commission seeks comments on Washington Gas Light Company’s leak reduction and management practices. The commission is particularly interested in feedback on the company’s reporting methods, which are currently maintained by the Leak Identification, Detection and Repair, and Odor Complaints, or LIDAROC, master database. A technical conference will be held on July 9 to discuss how the reporting requirements may be maintained or adjusted in the future to ensure a reliable source of leak information. FC1178

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission seeks comments on Xcel Energy Inc.’s proposal to construct a 130-mile transmission line in southeast Minnesota. The initiative is part of a portfolio of Long Range Transmission Planning, or LRTP, projects studied and approved by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator Inc. to support system reliability and resiliency as the generation mix continues to shift from aging coal-fired plants to renewable energy sources. Xcel stated that this project, along with other LRTP projects in Wisconsin, is necessary to address loading and congestion issues on the existing 345 kV transmission system across southern Minnesota and Wisconsin. CN-22-532

The Washington Department of Ecology will issue a summary report of its 10th quarterly carbon auction, which offered allowances for current and future years. The current auction offered 2024 and 2025 vintage allowances totaling about 6.8 million and the advance auction offered 2028 vintage allowances totaling 2 million. The previous quarterly auction held in March sold out, with current allowances clearing at $50.00 per allowance, about 24 percent higher than the December auction. READ MORE

The Oregon Public Utilities Commission will hold a workshop to discuss updates to its integrated resource planning requirements and competitive bidding rules. Last year, commission staff opened an investigation into modernizing integrated resource plans, including electric utilities’ clean energy plans and request for proposals processes, and issued a straw proposal outlining a conceptual framework for discussing changes. The proposed changes aim to make planning and procurement processes more transparent and adaptable to changing circumstances. Staff emphasized that, as a best practice effort, utility IRPs and RFPs must respond to evolving policies, technologies, planning environments, and affordability considerations, among other factors. AR 669