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week of Jul. 9, 2026

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, the Louisiana Public Service Commission considers private use electrical networks to support power generation for new large load customers; New York regulators review utilities’ electric vehicle managed charging programs; and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission initiates an environmental review process for a proposed dual-unit SMR–300 plant at the Palisades Energy Center in Michigan.

Featured Entities


BLM

California EC

FERC

Illinois CC

Louisiana PSC

NRC

New York PSC

Federal Agencies

Tuesday,
July 14
BLM Oil and Gas Lease Sale

The Bureau of Land Management will hold a lease sale for 66 oil and gas parcels totaling 29,087 acres in Montana and North Dakota. The bureau held a public comment period on the parcels and the related environmental analysis, which closed on May 8, and a public protest period to receive additional input from June 1 through July 1. Parcels offered in a federal oil and gas lease sale include appropriate stipulations to protect important natural resources.

Wednesday,
July 15
NRC Palisades Dual-Unit SMR

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission seeks public comments on the scope of issues to be addressed in its environmental impact statement associated with the construction of a dual-unit SMR–300 plant at the Palisades Energy Center in Michigan. The project would consist of two advanced pressurized water reactors, Pioneer Unit 1 and Pioneer Unit 2, owned by Palisades SMR and operated by Palisades Energy LLC, both subsidiaries of Holtec International. Following NRC’s approval of licensing actions in 2025, the 800-megawatt Palisades nuclear plant became the first U.S. nuclear generation facility to transition from decommissioning to operational status after ceasing operations in 2022. READ MORE

Friday,
July 17
FERC Critical Energy Reliability Link Project

Critical Energy Reliability Link Project
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission seeks public comments on the scope of environmental issues associated with changes to the Critical Energy Reliability Link Project, a proposed natural gas expansion project in Colorado. Rockies Express Pipeline LLC, Cheyenne Connector LLC, and East Cheyenne Gas Storage LLC initially filed an application in August 2025 to construct approximately 160 miles of natural gas pipeline and related facilities in Weld, Adams, Arapahoe, Elbert, and El Paso Counties. In May 2026, Rocky Express Pipeline filed changes to the project that would affect new landowners. The commission has opened a scoping period to gather input on the proposed amendments. The project would provide up to 100,000 dekatherms per day of firm transportation service and 50,000 Dth/d of no-notice service to Colorado Springs Utilities. CP25-539-000, CP25-539-001

Eastern Region

Wednesday,
July 15
IL CC Gas Utilities Rate Case

The Illinois Commerce Commission will hold a public forum to discuss applications filed by The Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company and North Shore Gas Company to adjust retail rates and charges applicable to their gas service. Initially, Peoples Gas requested an increase of approximately $205.1 million, while North Shore Gas requested a $14.4 million increase; the proposals were subsequently revised to $167 million and $10.4 million, respectively. Both proposals include a return on equity of 10.1 percent. P2026-0066

Friday,
July 17
NY PSC EV Managed Charging Programs

The New York Public Service Commission seeks comments on a comprehensive managed charging report filed by the state’s major electric utilities as well as issues discussed in a technical conference held as part of the commission staff’s ongoing review of residential electric vehicle managed charging programs. In August 2025, the commission approved modifications to utilities’ programs, finding the changes reasonable and aligned with state EV adoption goals. Utilities had petitioned to continue the programs beyond their Dec. 31, 2025 end date until a comprehensive review could be completed, in order to maintain program stability, allow more time to gather data, and prevent a pause that could create customer and market uncertainty. To facilitate a future review, the commission directed utilities to file a report covering program results, grid impacts, customer enrollment, and recommendations for future improvements. Reply comments are due by Aug. 3. 18-E-0138

Friday,
July 17
LA PSC Serving New Large Loads

The Louisiana Public Service Commission staff seeks input to inform its evaluation of private use electrical networks to enable generation for serving new large loads locating in the state. The request follows an April 2026 directive and comes as a state task force examines energy self-generation, industrial microgrids, expedited permitting, and potential statutory changes to ensure sufficient generating capacity to attract new large load customers. At the same time, legislation introduced during the current session would authorize private use electrical networks for qualifying projects. Commission staff seeks responses to a series of questions, including how these networks should be defined, whether they could create stranded costs for other ratepayers, and whether third parties should be allowed to own generation and sell electricity directly to customers within a qualified network without being regulated as a public utility.

Western Region

Wednesday,
July 15
CA EC Distributed Energy Resources Workshop

The California Energy Commission will hold a workshop to provide an update on activities conducted as part of its proceeding exploring the role of distributed energy resources in the state’s energy future. The workshop will primarily focus on the commission’s use of advanced metering infrastructure data for DER planning, including demand flexibility, as well as the opportunities and challenges for front-of-the-meter DERs in the state. The commission launched the proceeding in 2022 to explore trends in DER technology, capability, deployment, cost, and customer adoption, and to investigate policies to optimize DER value in support of the state’s decarbonization, resilience, affordability, and equity goals. 22-OII-01

Wednesday,
July 15
CA EC Proposition 4 DEBA Grant Program

The California Energy Commission seeks public comments on its draft solicitation for the Proposition 4 Distributed Electricity Backup Assets, or DEBA, Grant Program, which is designed to support the deployment of new distributed energy resources that improve grid reliability during extreme events. The draft solicitation outlines a framework for a competitive grant program to fund DERs that provide emergency supply or load reduction as part of the state’s Strategic Reliability Reserve. The program was established under AB 205 (2022). Proposition 4, approved by voters in 2024, authorized the issuance of $10 billion in bonds to strengthen communities against climate change, and SB 105 (2025) appropriated $46.1 million to the DEBA Program to fund new clean microgrids and non-residential or aggregated residential distributed clean energy and storage projects. 22-RENEW-01

Wednesday,
July 15
MT PSC Montana-Dakota Electric Rate Case

The Montana Public Service Commission will hold a public hearing on Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.’s application for adjustments of retail rates and charges applicable to its electric service. The company filed an application in September 2025, requesting a total increase of approximately $14.1 million, or a 21.5 percent increase in rates for its individual residential customers. The company also requested interim rate relief. The commission subsequently authorized an increase of approximately $10.4 million on an interim basis beginning April 1, 2026. The Montana Consumer Counsel and Denbury Onshore LLC intervened, opposing various elements of the total increase. In June, the company and the intervenors filed a stipulation and settlement agreement proposing a total increase of approximately $10 million, a 14.8 percent increase for residential customers. 2025.09.072