The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on March 21 issued notices of inquiry to gather information on possible improvements to rules governing electric transmission incentives and the agency’s approach to determining the return on equity, or ROE, for setting jurisdictional rates charged by public utilities. Transmission incentives are crucial to spur investment, which can provide benefits,…
U.S. natural gas production grew by 10.0 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2018, an 11 percent increase from the previous year, according to the Energy Information Administration’s Monthly Crude Oil, Lease Condensate, and Natural Gas Production Report. The growth was the largest annual increase in production on record, following an already record-breaking 2017. The…
The California Energy Commission has approved a battery energy storage system to support the operation of the Marsh Landing natural gas plant in the event of a blackout, according to a March 12 order. The batteries will be used to start the gas turbines and to restart the power plant in the event of a blackout, also known as…
The U.S. added 31.3 gigawatts of generating capacity in 2018, the largest since the 2003 capacity addition of 48.8 gigawatts, according to a March 11 report from the Energy Information Administration. Natural gas accounted for 62 percent of utility-scale additions, while wind and solar photovoltaic represented 21 percent and 16 percent, respectively. Coal accounted for…...
The U.S. Energy Department authorized Venture Global Calcasieu Pass LLC to export liquefied natural gas equivalent to 1.7 billion cubic feet per day from its proposed export facility in Cameron Parish, Louisiana to non-free trade agreement countries for a term of 20 years, according to a March 5 order. With this project, the agency has…...
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Feb. 25 ended its investigation into allegations that Footprint Power LLC made false and misleading power supply commitments in the summer of 2013 for its natural gas-fired Salem Harbor Power Plant in Salem, Massachusetts. The move follows the Office of Enforcement’s recommendation that the commission vacate its order to…...
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Feb. 21 cleared Venture Global Calcasieu Pass LLC’s proposed liquefied natural gas export project in Cameron Parish, Louisiana and TransCameron Pipeline LLC’s associated natural gas pipeline. Commissioner Cheryl LaFleur voted for the project commending the commission’s new approach to calculate the direct greenhouse emissions of the project. Commissioner Richard…...
The California Energy Commission on Feb. 20 approved the installation of a battery storage system to the Russell City Energy Center, a 600-megawatt natural-gas fired power plant, to provide black start capability. The project consists of installing 6 to 10 megawatts of lithium-ion batteries, which would be used to start the gas turbines, in order…...
The Michigan Public Service Commission opened an investigation requested by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, on the supply and deliverability of natural gas, electricity, and propane in Michigan as well as contingency plans, according to a Feb. 7 press release. The investigation was prompted by a fire at Consumer EnergyCo.’s Ray natural gas compressor station. The…
South Carolina Electric & Gas Company proposed two resource plans based on the least cost options from 19 scenarios that were modeled for its 2019 integrated resource plan filed with the South Carolina Public Service Commission on Feb. 8. The plans, which detail resource needs from 2019 through 2033, reflect a shortage in base capacity…...
New York regulators have authorized a unit of Consolidated Edison Inc. to immediately implement a portfolio of demand-side solutions, in a bid to ease natural gas demand in the utility’s supply-constrained areas. The regulators said that the need to address surging gas consumption has taken special urgency following the utility’s announcement in January that it will stop enrolling new gas customers in the Westchester County region from March 15, in order to maintain reliability for existing customers and offer service to critical facilities.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management state offices generated more than $1.1 billion of revenue from oil and gas lease sales during 2018, nearly thrice the previous record of $408 million set a decade ago, according to a Feb. 6 press release. The agency’s New Mexico office held 2018’s biggest lease sale in September, earning…...