The Maine Public Utilities Commission opened a proceeding on Sept. 3 to revise consumer protection standards for electric and gas utilities in accordance with legislation enacted in the 2019 session. The measure amends rules addressing service standards for utilities, billing practices, record keeping, and customer complaints. In May, the state passed three bills amending rules…
California’s energy landscape is evolving rapidly driven by its ambitious clean energy and carbon reduction goals. Recent actions range from enhancing renewable integration to reforming carbon market rules, strengthening auto-emission standards, and revising energy efficiency policies.
The Ohio Public Utilities Commission approved a settlement allowing Vectren Energy Delivery of Ohio to raise its annual distribution rates by $22 million, according to an Aug. 28 press release. The agreement also resolves Vectren’s infrastructure replacement and capital expenditure programs, allowing the company to continue to replace aging pipelines through 2023. The company will…
The Michigan Public Service Commission approved DTE Gas Co.’s third round of federal tax cut refunds that will return a total of $333 million, or $12.7 million annually, to customers, according to an Aug. 20 news release. The commission established a three-step process to address the short- and long-term impacts of the federal tax law, which…
New York has adopted sweeping measures to propel the state’s clean energy agenda, including adopting the nation’s most ambitious climate targets, awarding the largest offshore wind contract, and refining compensation rules to boost distributed solar.
The Public Utility Commission of Texas has voted to approve forms that will be used for electric broker registration, the first step in implementing Senate Bill 1497, which sets new rules for brokerage services in the state. New rules for broker registration empower the commission to hold brokers accountable with its customer protection provisions, disclosure requirements…
The Maryland Public Service Commission on Aug. 9 issued a decision to convene a working group tasked with developing a procedure for implementing a multi-year rate plan, an alternative rate-setting process that would extend utilities’ approved rates for up to three years. Multi-year plans can combine the stability of traditional ratemaking while allowing adjustments that…
The Michigan Public Service Commission has concluded that electric providers in the state have demonstrated that they have adequate electricity supplies to meet the needs of their customers for the 2022-23 planning year, according to an August 8 press release. The annual review by the regulator aims to ensure long-term reliability by verifying electric providers’ energy supply arrangements.…
The West Virginia Public Service Commission expects lower gas utility bills for the upcoming heating season, based on an initial review of utilities’ annual adjustments to the purchased gas portion of their rates, according to an Aug. 5 press release. Utilities that serve over 91 percent of the natural gas customers in the state have…
Republican Governor Christopher Sununu signed legislation on Aug. 2 that allows municipalities and counties the option of implementing aggregation programs, in which retail electric customers will be automatically enrolled unless they opt out. Previously, community choice aggregation was allowed only for residents who consent to being included in the program. Municipalities can also operate energy…
The Maryland Public Service Commission has taken action against the retail energy supplier Smart One Energy LCC for enrolling customers without their consent, a practice known as ‘slamming’ and other violations of state law, according to an August 2 press release. The Commission suspended Smart One’s 2011 license to operate as a natural gas supplier in…
Attorney General Maura Healey, a Democrat, released a report on Aug. 1 showing that Massachusetts electric customers who switched to a competitive electric supplier paid about $76 million more on their bills from July 2017 to June 2018 than they would have if they remained with their utilities. Healey underscored the need for legislation to…