Virginia Regulator Approves $650 Million Grid Transformation Plan for Dominion Energy

Ohio Regulator Cancels AEP’s $300 Million Grid Modernization Charge

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio on Nov. 21 directed the Dayton Power & Light Company, a subsidiary of AES Corporation, to terminate its distribution modernization rider, which authorized the utility to collect $315 million over a three-year period for future investments in grid modernization. The agency based its decision on a recent ruling by…

New York Governor Announces $90 Million in Federal Aid for Home Heating During Winter

Washington Commission Staff Recommend Slashing Puget Sound Energy’s Rate Hike By $90 Million

The staff of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission recommended rejecting Puget Sound Energy’s requested electric and natural gas rate hikes, proposing smaller increases instead, according to a Nov. 25 press release. In June, the company applied for $139.9 million, or 6.9 percent, in additional electric revenue and an extra $65.5 million, or 7.9 percent, in…

Arizona Law Prevents Local Restrictions on Natural Gas Use in Buildings

National Grid Reaches Deal to End New York Gas Service Moratorium, Pays $36 Million in Penalties

Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo on Nov. 25 announced a settlement with National Grid plc to immediately lift the moratorium on gas service in Long Island, Queens and Brooklyn. The move follows Cuomo’s notification earlier this month threatening to revoke National Grid’s operating license over its inability to provide reliable supply. The utility committed to short-term…

Mitsubishi Hitachi Wins Contract to Facilitate Transition of Utah Coal-Fired Facility to Hydrogen Power Plant

Avista Reaches Settlement Agreement With Washington Regulators Over Rate Hike and Coal Plant Closure

Staff members of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission have reached a partial settlement with Avista on the company’s request to hike electric and natural gas rates for its customers, according to a Nov. 21 press release. The proposed settlement lays out an agreement that recovers in rates the remaining costs associated with Avista’s partial…

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Missouri Commission Approves Summit Natural Gas Rate Changes Following Wholesale Price Fluctuations

The Missouri Public Service Commission has approved a series of changes to Summit Natural Gas of Missouri Inc.’s rates to reflect the wholesale cost of natural gas and the company’s Actual Cost Adjustment factor, according to a November 12 press release. For its Gallatin Division, residential customers will see a rate decrease from $0.43 per hundred cubic feet…

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Michigan Utilities’ Federal Tax Cut Refunds Exceed $4 Billion

The Michigan Public Service Commission on Nov. 14 announced that the state’s utility customers will benefit from about $4.1 billion in refunds, following the final round of adjustments to tally the impacts of the federal tax law, which slashed the corporate income tax rate to 21 percent from 35 percent effective Jan. 1, 2018. The agency…

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Texas Commission Forces Electric Provider to Issue Refunds to 7600 Customers Following Over-Billing

The Public Utility Commission of Texas approved a settlement against a retail electric provider, concerning over-billing of customers and ordering the payment of $35,000 in administrative penalties as well as refunds to 7,610 customers, according to a Nov. 14 press release. The retail energy provider had already provided refunds totaling about $10,500 to almost 40,000 of…

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Illinois Commerce Commission Names New Executive Director for Utility Issues

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…

PPL Federal Tax Cut Savings 11 15 2019

PPL Electric to Pass on $44 Million in Federal Tax Cut Savings to Pennsylvania Customers

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…

New England Capacity Auction Prices Rebound from Record Lows

Maine’s Standard Offer Electric Rates to Decline by up to 23 Percent Next Year, Reflecting Wholesale Market Prices

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…

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California Launches Probe of Utility Power Shutoffs, Considers Sanctions Against PG&E

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…

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PJM Ready to Meet Warmer-Than-Average Winter Electricity Needs

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…