The New York Public Service Commission on July 16 adopted a successor to net metering for residential and small commercial customers, establishing monthly charges that will apply to customers who install solar on or after Jan. 1, 2022. The decision addresses cost shifts identified in a December 2019 whitepaper which recommends changes applicable to mass…
The Maryland Public Service Commission will convene a public conference next month to analyse the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on utility operations and consumer protections as the moratorium on utility service termination is set to expire on Aug. 1. The commission will seek input on regulatory measures that should be considered to mitigate and…...
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation anticipates sufficient resources to meet this summer’s projected peak electricity demand in most areas of the U.S. despite the uncertainty caused by efforts to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a July 7 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The corporation, which oversees regional electric…...
Pacific Gas and Electric Company emerged from Chapter 11, with the completion of its restructuring process and implementation of a reorganization plan that was confirmed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court on June 20, according to a July 1 announcement. The utility deposited about $5 billion in the $21 billion wildfire fund established last year to…...
The Public Utility Commission of Texas on July 2 announced an extension of the state’s Electricity Relief Program deadline from July 17 to August 31, 2020 as COVID-19 challenges continue. The commission launched the program on March 26, in order to relieve the burden of retail electricity customers by protecting them from disconnections for non-payment…...
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.
Xcel Energy Inc. on June 17 filed a plan with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to invest almost $3 billion in accelerated and incremental projects in an effort to help the state’s economy recover from the slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposal follows the commission’s request for information from electric and gas utilities…...
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission established a proceeding to examine retail rates of electric utilities in the state, according to a June 17 press release. The proceeding will specifically focus on recommendations intended to provide rate relief for utility territories whose rates are materially higher than the state’s average. The commission will conduct a survey…...
The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin reached a consensus to end the temporary moratorium on utility disconnections for nonpayment from July 25 as the state reopens, according to a June 11 press release. The commission encourages customers facing difficulties to seek a payment plan or apply for energy assistance with the utilities, while ensuring most…...
The New York State Public Service Commission established a proceeding to identify and address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on utilities and ratepayers and other commission-regulated services and programs, according to a June 11 press release. The proceeding will examine impacts to customers and explore mitigation methods. The agency will examine the unprecedented change…...
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on June 9 approved a request by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Inc., a wholesale generation and transmission cooperative, to authorize the transfer of electric service contracts as part of a 2019 agreement, allowing Delta-Montrose to exit Tri-State on June 30. The cooperative will assign its wholesale electric service contracts…
The Virginia State Corporation Commission announced a pilot program that will allow Dominion Energy Inc.’s commercial customers to combine the load of separately metered retail stores to purchase electricity from third party suppliers, according to a June 10 press release. The measure is in response to legislation enacted in April that directed the agency to…...
