The South Dakota Public Utilities approved a settlement requiring MidAmerican Energy Co. to return about $4.2 million to the utility’s electric and natural gas customers, reflecting savings from the federal tax cut law, bringing the total refunds of the state’s investor-owned utilities to about $29 million, according to a May 15 press release. The tax…
The Florida Public Service Commission authorized Gulf Power Company to implement an interim charge to collect an estimated $342 million from customers to cover the costs incurred to restore power after Hurricane Michael and to replenish the company’s storm reserve, according to a May 14 news release. The company will implement an interim monthly charge…
More than half of U.S. states with competitive retail energy markets face proposals for stricter oversight rules from lawmakers, including measures to phase out the industry altogether, as efforts mount to put in place more consumer protections. Just five months into most states’ legislative sessions, over two dozen proposals have emerged to toughen rules around billing and marketing practices, licensing and registration and contractual terms.
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission announced that electric and gas customers will receive about $168 million in refunds, reflecting savings from the federal tax cut law, which slashed the corporate income tax rate to 21 percent from 35 percent, effective Jan. 1, 2018, according to a May 3 press release. Customers will receive benefits in…
The Michigan Public Service Commission on May 2 approved a rate increase of about $273 million for DTE Electric Co., over 40 percent less than the company’s request. The agency rejected the company’s proposed method to determine payments for customers with distributed renewable generation, as well as its proposed system access charge, finding that it…
Pacific Gas and Electric Company requested a 16 percent rate of return on equity for 2020, up from the current 10.25 percent, to attract the new investment needed to upgrade and modernize its infrastructure in the face of wildfire risks, according to the company’s cost of capital proposal filed with the California Public Utilities Commission…
Stream SPE Ltd agreed to pay an administrative penalty for infringing on rules governing payment plans for outstanding customer bills, according to an April 23 settlement filed by the Texas Public Utility Commission staff. The agreement resolves claims related to the investigation into nearly 4,000 improperly applied switch-holds placed on customer accounts between Jan. 1,…
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio is investigating the marketing and sales practices of two retail energy providers in the state, Indra Energy and Verde Energy. Commission staff reviewed customer contacts and filed a notice to the regulator alleging potential misleading and deceptive practices by PALMco Energy OH and PALMco Power OH, which together do…
The Ohio Public Utilities Commission opened an investigation into Verde Energy USA Ohio LLC’s sales practices in response to hundreds of complaints related to enrollment disputes, deceptive information, and false representations purporting the competitive supplier to be another utility, according to an April 16 notice. The agency said that 18 percent of the supplier-related investigations…
Maine House lawmaker Diane Denk, a Democrat, introduced legislation on April 11 that would establish a process to enable a municipality, which is served by two transmission and distribution utilities, to choose one of them to meet all its power needs. (LD 1542) To make the choice, the municipality would hold a referendum made by…
New Mexico’s Democratic Governor Michelle Grisham has signed legislation on April 3, which amends the 2005 Efficient Use of Energy Act, creating better incentives for utilities to engage in energy efficiency and conservation by removing the economic incentive to sell more energy. The Efficient Use of Energy Act of 2005 allows electric and natural gas utilities to implement cost-effective energy…
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission issued a secretarial letter on April 3 to all electric and natural gas suppliers in the state reminding them of sales and marketing guidelines for the state’s residential energy market. The letter follows the imposition of civil penalties and remedial action against multiple electric generation suppliers for violating rules that govern door-to-door…