The Illinois Commerce Commission announced that Christy George has been named as its new Executive Director, according to a November 15 press release. When taking over on November 18, 2019, she will be the first female executive director, not serving in an interim capacity, to supervise the Commission Staff and oversee the management of the…
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission approved PPL Electric Utilities Corporation’s plan to return $44 million in federal tax reform savings to customers in the form of a credit on their monthly bills during 2020. The amount, accumulated during the first six months of 2018, is in addition to the refund that the company is already…
The Maine Public Utilities Commission established new standard offer electricity prices that will lower rates for customers of Central Maine Power Company and Emera Maine, effective for a twelve-month term beginning January 1, according to a Nov. 13 press release. Residential and small businesses will see a 19-20 percent cut in their bills while medium…
The California Public Utilities Commission opened an investigation to determine whether the state’s investor-owned utilities prioritized safety and followed the commission’s regulations during their proactive power shutoffs in late 2019 to avoid the risk of power lines starting wildfires, according to a Nov. 13 news release. The agency will review the impacts of these events…
PJM Interconnection LLC and its members are prepared to meet the forecasted winter electricity demand across 13 states and the District of Columbia, according to a Nov. 7 press release. The nation’s largest grid operator forecasts peak demand at around 134,000 megawatts this winter compared to the grid operator’s all-time winter peak of 143,434 megawatts, which…
The share of U.S. electricity sales by competitive suppliers increased slightly since 2013 following over a decade of steady growth, according to a Nov. 1 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. While customer choice programs use competition to lower power prices and introduce new service products, not all customers pay less for purchasing power through…
The California Public Utilities Commission is launching a formal investigation into the recent Public Safety Power Shut-offs (PSPS), utility compliance with CPUC regulations and requirements, as well as series of immediate measures to protect consumers and overhaul the rules governing the mass safety measure, according to an Oct. 28 press release. The regulator is tackling the…
The New York State Public Service Commission adopted new cybersecurity and data privacy requirements for third-party energy suppliers and companies that electronically receive and exchange utility housed customer data, according to an Oct. 17 press release. The commission’s decision is directed at the state’s utilities and third-party energy suppliers with standards that ensure customer data remains…
The California Public Utilities Commission’s President Marybel Batjer ordered Pacific Gas and Electric Company to take a multitude of immediate corrective actions after it encountered significant problems with communication and coordination during the largest public safety power shut-off event in the history of California, which impacted an estimated 2 million people, according to an Oct.…
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, announced that National Grid is being directed to immediately connect more than 1,000 customers that were previously denied service following supply constraints, according to an October 11 press release. The company is currently under investigation and facing millions of dollars in penalties for failing to connect existing residential customers…
The Michigan Public Service Commission is proposing to amend rules governing the technical standards for gas service for utilities under the Commission’s jurisdiction, including cybersecurity measures, according to an Oct. 17 press release. The proposed rules reflect new technologies in the area of metering, equipment inspections and tests as well as removing references to obsolete…
Utility rate proceedings are evolving into forums to address emerging energy sector issues as grid modernization and resiliency, renewable energy procurement, and emissions reduction programs form a growing part of suppliers' business.