The Maryland Public Service Commission will hold a virtual public comment hearing on Baltimore Gas and Electric Company’s application for adjustments to its electric base rates. The company is seeking an annual increase in base rate revenue of approximately $156.1 million, with a return on equity of 10.4 percent. If approved, the adjustment would result in an overall increase of 2.8 percent in total electric bills, with impacts varying by rate schedule and customer. The average residential customer, using 851 kilowatt-hours, would see a monthly bill increase of about $8, or roughly 4 percent. An additional hearing is scheduled for Nov. 18. 9888

The New York Public Service Commission seeks comment on a draft scope for a statewide environmental review that could reshape how data centers and other large electricity users connect to the grid. The review will evaluate the potential impacts of data center construction and operation and implementation of proposed reforms to large load interconnection rules and cost allocation standards. The final scope, to be adopted after the comment period, will determine the issues to be analyzed in the broader environmental review before state agencies move forward with the next stage of the process. The draft scope identifies the potential impacts to be assessed, including impacts on air quality, water resources, human health, disadvantaged communities, agricultural land, wildlife, noise, light, and visual resources. The deadline for comments has been extended from the original date of Oct. 20. READ MORE

The California Public Utilities Commission will begin accepting applications under its Rideshare Incentives for Driving Electric program, which will provide financial assistance to eligible rideshare drivers purchasing or leasing zero-emission vehicles. Eligible low- and moderate-income drivers working with transportation network companies may receive up to $20,300 toward a new zero-emission vehicle or $14,200 toward a used vehicle. Qualifying vehicles include battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell electric models that meet program requirements. The initiative supports California’s broader efforts to reduce transportation-related emissions and improve air quality by accelerating zero-emission vehicle adoption. READ MORE

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will hold the second in a series of public informational sessions as part of its investigation into the affordability of electric and natural gas service in the state. The effort will examine whether the commission’s existing tools are sufficient to address affordability concerns and whether additional regulatory or legislative changes could better support households, businesses, and agricultural customers while preserving safe, reliable, and increasingly clean utility service. The review comes as utilities continue investing in grid modernization, clean energy development, and infrastructure upgrades that can place additional pressure on customer bills even as Minnesota maintains comparatively low utility costs. READ MORE

The California Energy Commission seeks comments on its draft Wave and Tidal Energy Report, which evaluates the feasibility, costs, and benefits of developing wave and tidal energy off the California coast, pursuant to Senate Bill 605 enacted in 2023. The law directed the commission to identify suitable sea space for offshore projects in state and federal waters. A September workshop featured a staff presentation of the draft report and perspectives from subject matter experts and entities involved in wave energy research, development, and deployment on opportunities to advance marine energy in the state. 24-SB-605

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission will hold a public informational meeting to discuss Hawaiian Electric’s service reliability and recent weather-related impacts on the island. The meeting will include presentations from Hawaiian Electric, the Consumer Advocate, and commission staff on service impacts from the Kona Low storms, Hurricane Lala, and Hurricane Lowell, as well as resiliency and reliability solutions under consideration.

The California Energy Commission will hold a workshop to gather feedback from the public, industry, and regulatory stakeholders on advancing energy interoperability standards as part of the commission’s proceeding on load flexibility policy and planning. The agency is considering a technology-neutral approach that supports dynamic signals, including price, greenhouse gas emissions, and grid conditions. The approach would also enable consumer-authorized control, align on-site and utility-to-device communication ecosystems, and provide original equipment manufacturers and implementers with a consistent pathway to deploy automated features. 24-FDAS-02

The Wisconsin Public Service Commission will hold a webinar to discuss application instructions for the second round of its Grid Resilience Program designed to enhance grid reliability through activities that reduce the likelihood and impacts of extreme weather, wildfires, and natural disasters. Activities supported by the program include weatherization, fire prevention, and undergrounding of electrical equipment, with 75 percent of funding reserved for small utilities that sell no more than 4 million megawatt-hours annually as these utilities may not have adequate resources to undertake infrastructure projects that support grid resilience. The commission has allocated $7.2 million for immediate awards and an additional estimated $9.7 million in conditional awards, contingent on funding from the U.S. Energy Department. In the first round of the program, the commission awarded $8.5 million to 19 projects.

The California Energy Commission will hold a workshop as part of its informational proceeding on the “Lithium Valley Vision,” which calls for a strategy to develop a world-class lithium industry centered on recovering lithium from the Salton Sea region. Researchers, experts, and industry representatives will provide an overview of the environmental and public health impacts of lithium extraction and geothermal production associated with the Lithium Valley development, and discuss existing policies and programs designed to measure and regulate this nascent industry. Experts from industry, start-ups, academia, local government, and the community will participate in a series of panels examining water, air quality, and waste impacts. The region holds some of the largest lithium deposits in the world, with an analysis from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory finding that it has enough lithium to support over 375 million batteries for electric vehicles. Written comments will be accepted through Nov. 30. 24-OIIP-02