Democratic Governor Michelle Grisham signed a suite of bills on March 3 including legislation that reinstates the solar tax incentive that expired in 2016, helping the state move toward its goal achieving 50 percent renewable energy 2030. A second bill provides that transmission line projects qualify for industrial revenue bonds available through cities and municipalities,…...
The Michigan Public Service Commission authorized rate increases totaling $417.5 million in five electric and natural gas rate cases last year, $245.5 million less than what the utilities requested, according to the agency’s annual report issued on March 2. The increases were driven largely by investments needed to replace aging infrastructure to improve safety and…
Utility-scale solar is growing at a remarkable pace driven by declining costs, state clean energy commitments, retirement of fossil-fueled generation, and utility decarbonization goals. The industry is poised to add about 13.5 gigawatts of new projects this year, outpacing the previous annual record of 8 GW set in 2016, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Senators Lisa Murkowski, a Republican representing Alaska, and Joe Manchin, a Democrat representing West Virginia, unveiled a bipartisan legislative package on Feb. 27 that compiles more than 50 energy-related measures reported by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee last year. The comprehensive bill supports innovative energy technologies covering a range of topics including energy efficiency,…
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.
The Michigan Public Service Commission on Feb. 20 sent DTE Electric Company back to the drawing board on its long-term resource plan, citing fundamental flaws including lack of competitive bidding for supply-side resource additions. The agency recommended that DTE issue a request for proposals for new generation, and raise the proposed energy efficiency targets. Considering…
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Feb. 20 issued a series of orders to narrow the resources exempt from the New York grid operator’s buyer-side market power mitigation rules. The agency dismissed a complaint from the Public Service Commission and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority seeking an exemption for electric storage…
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.
The New York State Public Service Commission approved the first phase of the New York Power Authority’s Moses-Adirondack Smart Path Reliability Project, which is designed to improve the reliability and resilience of the electric system in Upstate New York, according to a Feb. 6 news release. The project will rebuild facilities that are well past…
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.
The U.S. Energy Department has partnered with the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense on a new Energy Sector Pathfinder initiative to strengthen intergovernmental cooperation in proactively addressing cyber threats to critical energy infrastructure, according to a Feb. 3 news release. The initiative aims to advance information sharing, enhance training and education regarding…
Hydropower is moving to the forefront of clean energy and climate policy debates as a growing number of U.S. states are setting targets to achieve zero-carbon power. About half a dozen state-level laws were enacted last year to establish 100 percent clean energy transition, showing how the nation’s decade-long renewable push is ramping up. Hydroelectricity…
