New York Governor Announces Creation of Special Counsel for Ratepayer Protection

New York Governor Announces Creation of Special Counsel for Ratepayer Protection

Democrat Governor Andrew Cuomo appointed New York City Council Member and former Assembly Member Rory Lancman to the new role of Statewide Special Counsel for Ratepayer Protection, according to an Oct. 30 press release. In the new role, Lancman will assess the performance of the state’s regulated utilities across the electric, natural gas, water, and…...

Arizona Law Prevents Local Restrictions on Natural Gas Use in Buildings

Colorado Regulators Probe into Retail Natural Gas Industry Emissions

The Colorado Public Utilities Commission on Nov. 4 opened a proceeding to investigate retail natural gas industry emissions as the state explores ways to meet the requirements of a 2019 law that set statewide goals to achieve emission cuts of 26 percent by 2025, 50 percent by 2030, and 90 percent by 2050, relative to…...

Western EIM Benefits Q3 2020

Western Energy Market Cumulative Benefits Exceed $1.1 Billion

The Western Energy Imbalance market generated $119.3 million in savings in the third quarter of this year, the highest quarterly benefits achieved since the market launched in 2014, according to an Oct. 29 press release from the California Independent System Operator Corporation. This brings the cumulative benefits of the real-time energy market to about $1.11…...

U.S. States Expand Opportunities for Energy Storage in Pursuit of Ambitious Goals

Visual Primer: U.S. States Expand Opportunities for Energy Storage in Pursuit of Ambitious Goals

Amid gigawatt-scale goals for energy storage, U.S. state policies are evolving to create more opportunities for the technology. Storage is poised to play an integral role in the changing resource mix as more states pursue zero-carbon goals, driving the need for innovative policy initiatives and programs that optimize renewable energy sources and enhance grid reliability.

ERC Order on PJM Capacity Market Reforms Hinders States’ Plans for Clean Energy Transition

Visual Primer: FERC Order on PJM Capacity Market Reforms Hinders States’ Plans for Clean Energy Transition

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has issued an order on implementing reforms that expand the minimum offer price rule (MOPR) to most state-subsidized resources participating in the regional capacity market administered by PJM Interconnection LLC, which operates across 13 states and the District of Columbia. The ruling has sparked concerns over its potential to harm renewable generation seeking to participate in the capacity market and frustrate state clean energy policies.

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

New England States Seek Wholesale Power Market Reforms to Support Decarbonization Goals

The governors of five New England states – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont – issued a statement on Oct. 14 calling for reforms to the regional wholesale electricity market structure to support their decarbonization efforts. In light of the states’ commitment to reduce emissions by at least 80 percent below 1990 levels by…...

U.S. Court Upholds New England Capacity Market Exemptions For State-Sponsored Renewables

New York Expands Clean Energy Standard to Decarbonize Power Sector

The New York Public Service Commission adopted modifications to the state’s Clean Energy Standard to achieve the state’s goal of sourcing 70 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030 under the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Achieving the goal is foundational to set the state on a path to carbon free…...

U.S. Wind Industry

Visual Primer: U.S. Wind Industry Defies COVID-19 Impacts and Shows Rapid Growth Driven by Clean Energy Goals

The growing demand for renewable energy to meet state and utility goals is driving the rapid expansion in the U.S. wind power market. The sector emerged as the top provider of new power generation capacity in 2019, adding about 9.1 gigawatts of large-scale projects.

States, Environmental Groups Challenge FERC Order on PJM Capacity Market Rules

FERC Capacity Market Order Suggests Default Service Auctions Could Constitute State Subsidy

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Oct. 15 issued an order on PJM Interconnection LLC’s proposed revisions in response to a December 2019 order that directed the grid operator to expand the minimum offer price rule, or MOPR, effectively raising the bid price for state-subsidized resources to participate in the capacity market. Democratic Commissioner Richard…...

President Biden Supports Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan Including $73 Billion in Power Grid Investment

New York Advances First Transmission Project Under Renewable Energy Permitting Law

The New York State Public Service Commission on Oct. 15 adopted criteria it will apply to determine which transmission projects should be advanced expeditiously to meet the state’s renewable energy goals. As part of the move, the commission designated the proposed Northern New York project as a high-priority initiative and referred it to the New…...

New York, Illinois Nuclear Subsidies Survive Legal Challenges

U.S. Energy Department Grants $160 Million to Build Advanced Reactors

The U.S. Energy Department announced the first awards for two projects under the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program launched in May. The program is designed to establish cost-shared partnerships with U.S. industry to expedite the demonstration of advanced nuclear reactors. TerraPower LLC and X-energy received $80 million each in initial funding to build two reactors that…...

Hydrogen Offers Promising Potential for Clean Energy Transition

Visual Primer: Hydrogen Offers Promising Potential for Clean Energy Transition

Hydrogen is emerging as an important player in the U.S. energy landscape because of its ability to decarbonize multiple sectors. A number of exciting projects harnessing the technology are taking shape as hydrogen and fuel cells can store energy to help enhance the power grid and maximize opportunities to deploy renewable energy.