The District of Columbia Public Service Commission will hold the 33rd meeting of the Pilot Projects Governance Board, formed under the PowerPath DC initiative, to select and recommend innovative energy pilot projects. The meeting will include a presentation on an aggregated solar and advanced inverter project, updates on community heat pump projects, as well as updates on requests for proposals for microgrids and virtual power plants. Launched in 2020, PowerPath is a collaborative effort between utilities, government agencies, and communities to create a more sustainable, reliable, and equitable energy future.

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities seeks proposals for transmission-scale energy storage under Phase 1 of its recently launched Garden State Energy Storage Program. The first tranche under this phase aims to award 350 to 750 megawatts of energy storage capacity by Oct. 31. Phase 1 will focus on procuring at least one gigawatt of transmission-scale storage through competitive solicitations. A second solicitation, planned for the first half of 2026, will secure the remaining capacity needed to reach the target. Phase 2, focused on distributed energy storage, is expected to launch in 2026. The multi-phase initiative targets two gigawatts of energy storage by 2030, as required by the Clean Energy Act of 2018. READ MORE

The New York Department of Public Service is due to receive comments on PSEG Long Island’s Utility 2.0 Long Range Plan annual update, which includes its building efficiency and electrification plan. Filed in accordance with the Long Island Power Authority Reform Act, the purpose of the plan is to implement energy efficiency measures, distributed generation, or advanced grid technology programs, which provides customers with tools to better manage their energy usage and utility bills, while improving system reliability and power quality. The department will review the filings and issue formal recommendations to the Long Island Power Authority. Reply comments are due by Sept. 5.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation seeks comments to develop proposed regulations for geothermal systems that would reduce the use of fossil fuels and support the state’s building decarbonization goals. The department issued a draft scope for an environmental impact statement regarding the development of closed loop geothermal boreholes and closed loop stratigraphic wells drilled deeper than 500 feet. These boreholes circulate a heat-transfer fluid through an underground pipe network to exchange heat with the earth, providing heating and cooling for buildings. Closed loop systems eliminate the need to combust fossil fuels on site, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the environmental impacts associated with non-renewable resource extraction.

The California Energy Commission will hold an evidentiary hearing on Hydrostor Inc.’s proposal to construct a 500-megawatt/4,000-megawatt-hour advanced compressed air energy storage project in Kern County. The project – Willow Rock Energy Storage Center – is expected to deliver more than eight hours of energy on a full charge and is designed to operate continuously, year-round, with an estimated 50-year lifespan. The project is expected to generate over $500 million in direct and indirect benefits to the local economy. Commission staff issued a preliminary assessment for the project in May. READ MORE

The California Air Resources Board and Québec’s Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks will hold their 44th joint quarterly carbon auction, which will offer allowances for current and future years. The current auction will offer 2025 vintage allowances totaling about 51.9 million, and the advance auction will offer 2028 future allowances totaling about 6.8 million. At the previous auction, held in May, current allowances cleared at the reserve price of $25.87 per allowance and sold about 86 percent of the 51 million permits offered. The advance auction, which offered about 6.8 million allowances, sold out settling at $26.15, slightly higher than the reserve price. READ MORE

The California Public Utilities Commission will hold a virtual public forum to discuss Liberty Utilities’ request for authority to increase its retail electric service rates. The company is requesting an increase of approximately $39.8 million, or 19.1 percent, for 2025, with a return on equity of 11 percent. Additional increases would follow in 2026 and 2027, based on the utility’s planned capital investments. If the proposal is approved, the average monthly bill for a residential customer not enrolled in the California Alternate Rates for Energy program and using 548 kWh per month would increase by 20.6 percent in 2025. Another virtual public forum will be held on Aug. 27. A2409010

The California Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety seeks comments on PacifiCorp’s 2026-2028 Base Wildfire Mitigation Plan. A recent workshop examined the mitigation plans proposed by Liberty Utilities, PacifiCorp, Horizon West Transmission, Trans Bay Cable, and LS Power Grid California. During the workshop, each of the electric corporations presented their responses to questions on a range of topics including inspection technologies, equipment maintenance, and vegetation management. The commission received comments on Liberty’s plan through Aug. 8; for the remaining utilities, comments are due by Sept. 5.