Power & Utilities

Utility Regulators Focus on Assisting Customers, Rekindling Economy as COVID-19 Evolves

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – Utility Regulators Focus on Assisting Customers, Rekindling Economy as COVID-19 Evolves

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As the pandemic continues to unfold, utility regulators across the U.S. are focusing on the core issues of providing relief for the hardest-hit customers and reviving the economy with the help of utility initiatives. To date, several states have extended disconnection moratoriums and implemented customer relief programs, while others are examining how additional spending by the utilities could provide new jobs while minimizing customer bill impacts in the future.

States Weigh Regulatory Constructs to Capitalize on Multiple Grid Roles of Battery Storage

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – States Weigh Regulatory Constructs to Capitalize on Multiple Grid Roles of Battery Storage

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A growing number of states across the U.S. are amping up energy storage to complement the drive towards clean energy as batteries can help integrate diverse generation technologies and stabilize the grid. State commitments to procure battery storage capacity now top 11 gigawatts, following targets established by Nevada and Virginia this year.

Growing Demand for Energy Resilience Brings Microgrids to the Forefront

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – Growing Demand for Energy Resilience Brings Microgrids to the Forefront

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More states and utilities are exploring microgrids as part of their resiliency strategies driven by the growing demand to bolster the reliability of the power system in the face of extreme weather events, such as storms and wildfires.

Utility Rate Cases Face Delays as COVID-19 Disrupts Procedural Schedules

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – Utility Rate Cases Face Delays as COVID-19 Disrupts Procedural Schedules

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Utility commissions in almost a dozen jurisdictions have canceled hearings and revised procedural schedules in several pending electric and natural gas rate cases. A few utilities have committed to delay the implementation of rates, in order to avoid burdening customers amid the difficult circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

New England Grid Operator Proposes Market-Based Solution to Energy Security Challenges

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – New England Grid Operator Proposes Market-Based Solution to Energy Security Challenges

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The New England grid operator has proposed a long-term, market-based solution to the region’s energy security problem as the power generation fleet moves towards a mix of energy-limited resources. With the retirement of resources with stored fuel, the system is increasingly reliant on facilities that run on just-in-time natural gas deliveries and weather-dependent wind and solar energy. To address the ensuing challenge, the grid operator proposes to improve the current market structure by creating incentives for the region’s fleet to invest in the energy supply arrangements and technologies on which the region depends.

State Commissions Examine Costs to Utilities Amid Uncertainty From Economic Effects of COVID-19

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – State Commissions Examine Costs to Utilities Amid Uncertainty From Economic Effects of COVID-19

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Amid the economic downturn ensuing from the pandemic, state utility regulators are faced with the challenging task of protecting customers from power shutoffs while also considering costs incurred by utilities. A growing number of state commissions are directing utilities to establish a regulatory asset account to capture and track COVID-19-related incremental costs.

Unprecedented Challenges Caused by COVID-19

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – How Utility Commissions Are Responding to Unprecedented Challenges Caused by COVID-19

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The volatile situation created by the COVID-19 spread has prompted state utility commissions to respond with new directives and guidance on a number of proceedings. Regulators have responded with various measures, including suspending service disconnections, transitioning to virtual meetings, and delaying rate cases.

Virginia Joins Top Tier of U.S. States Advancing Climate Action

EnerKnol’s State Policy Playbook: Virginia Joins Top Tier of U.S. States Advancing Climate Action

Carbon Market, Climate Change and Emissions, coal, Electric Vehicles, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Research Reports, EnerKnol Visual Primer, Grid Modernization, Integrated Resource Plans, Natural Gas, Power & Utilities, PRODUCTS, Retail Power and Gas, Smart Grid, Solar, Wind

Virginia has become the first state in the South to begin a clean energy transition with the passage of a sweeping energy bill that sets the state on the path to carbon-free power by 2050. The law replaces the voluntary renewable energy portfolio program with a mandatory standard, and paves the way for an enormous expansion of wind and solar power, energy storage, and energy efficiency.

Building Electrification Comes to the Forefront as More U.S. Cities Ban Natural Gas Use

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – Building Electrification Comes to the Forefront as More U.S. Cities Ban Natural Gas Use

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A growing number of cities across the U.S. are moving toward electrifying their building sectors and banning natural gas use. The Northern California city of Berkeley passed the first such ban, initiating a wave of similar ordinances as a means to reduce carbon emissions. The movement prompted Arizona to enact the first state law preventing local bans on natural gas, and several other states to introduce bills with similar language.

How Utility Resource Planning is Evolving to Keep Pace with Low-Carbon Transition

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – How Utility Resource Planning is Evolving to Keep Pace with Low-Carbon Transition

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Utility regulators are expanding resource planning requirements as a growing number of utilities are proposing early closure of coal plants, in addition to investing more in solar, wind and battery storage. Long-term resource plans are evolving to consider a host of emerging issues ranging from equity assessments and avoided costs, to reflecting the cost of carbon, as utilities seek to balance flexibility and reliability.

Time-Varying Rates Gain Prominence as Smart Metering and Renewables Expand

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – Time-Varying Rates Gain Prominence as Smart Metering and Renewables Expand

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Electric utilities and regulators across the U.S are increasingly considering time-varying rates as a means to reduce peak energy demand, utilize smart meter investments, and balance the grid amid the proliferation of distributed energy resources, including electric vehicles. Rate design that works in concert with the innovations in clean energy technology is critical to modernize the distribution grid.

More States Weigh Retail Electric Choice, Early Adopters Tighten the Bolts

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – As More States Weigh Retail Electric Choice, Early Adopters Tighten the Bolts

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Retail electric choice has garnered increased attention as more states are weighing the prospects of opening their electricity markets to retail competition. In states with retail choice programs, regulators continue to strengthen oversight, in a bid to ensure customer protection and satisfactory service from competitive suppliers. Recent actions range from Arizona regulators’ efforts to implement customer choice, to New York’s strengthening oversight of energy marketers, and the Florida Supreme Court’s rejecting an energy choice ballot initiative.