Week Ahead: New York Bight Offshore Wind Auction, ME’s Retail Electric Market Rules, CA Examines Utility Power Shutoffs
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California Commission Adopts Plan to Add Over 25 Gigawatts of Renewables by 2032
The California Public Utilities Commission on Feb. 10 approved an integrated resource plan to ensure the reliability of the electric grid and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The agency adopted an emissions reduction goal for the state’s electric sector of 35 million metric tons in 2032, nearly 25 percent lower than the previous target of 46…...
Environmental, Clean Energy Groups Challenge Approval of Southeast Energy Exchange Market
Environmental and clean energy organizations, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center and Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to review the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval of the Southeast Energy Exchange Market (SEEM). The SEEM proposal was originally submitted by large southeast utilities such as…...
Visual Primer: Utilities’ Long-Term Plans Reflect Efforts to Expedite Coal Plant Retirements
Long-term planning strategies of electric utilities across the U.S. reflect the growing trend towards phasing out coal-fired power generation while embracing renewables. Coal power plants account for 85 percent of electric generating capacity scheduled to retire in the U.S. during 2022, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Minnesota Commission Approves Xcel’s Plan to End Coal-Powered Generation by 2030
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on Feb. 8 approved Xcel Energy Inc.’s 2019 integrated resource plan, which outlines investments between 2020 and 2034. In the approved plan, the utility seeks to acquire or build up to 4,650 megawatts of renewable energy resources by 2032, including solar, wind, and storage. Xcel’s plan is expected to lower…...
Pennsylvania Becomes Top Electricity Exporting State in 2020: EIA
Pennsylvania exported 78 million megawatt hours (MWh) of generated electricity to neighbouring states in 2020. This is the highest among any other state, despite other states such as Texas and Florida, producing more electricity, according to a Feb. 7 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. During 2020 more than 230 million MWh of electricity…...
Alaska Governor Proposes Legislation Requiring 80 Percent Renewable Energy by 2040
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy on Feb. 4 introduced legislation to create a renewable portfolio standard that would require utilities to use qualifying resources for 80 percent of their sales by the end of 2040. If enacted, Alaska would join 30 states and two territories, which have standards or goals to procure a certain percentage of…...
Puget Sound Energy’s Three-Year Rate Plan Proposes Investments to Meet Washington’s Clean Energy Goals
Puget Sound Energy has filed a three year rate plan with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission requesting revenue increases that revolve around delivering secure and efficient energy, improving climate resiliency and accelerating efforts towards meeting striving clean energy goals. Under the plan, proposed for the 2023-2025 period, a residential customer would see an average…...
Biden Administration Extends Solar Tariffs With Modifications
U.S. President Joe Biden announced a four-year extension of tariffs on imported solar cells and modules first enacted in 2018 under the Trump administration, according to a proclamation issued on Feb. 4. Biden’s move includes an exemption for bifacial solar panels and doubles the tariff rate quota to 5 gigawatts per year. The proclamation follows…...
Policy Primer: Competitive Retail Electricity Markets February 2022 Update
Revisions to rules governing competitive retail electricity markets are focused on strengthening customer protections while exploring ways to expand access to these markets. Recent actions include efforts to open retail electric competition in Arizona, Connecticut’s investigation into supplier offers, and Maine’s update to marketing standards for retail electric services.
California Grid Operator Releases 20-Year Transmission Plan to Meet Clean Energy Goals
The California Independent System Operator Corp. on Feb. 1 released a 20-year transmission outlook that discusses long-term infrastructure requirements to reach the state’s target of generating 100 percent electricity from carbon-neutral sources by 2045. The draft plan is based on the assumption that about 120 gigawatts will have to be added to the grid by…...