The Regulatory Commission of Alaska on May 18 opened a proceeding to establish certification standards for regional electric reliability organizations, or EROs, and create a regulatory framework to oversee them. The move stems from legislation enacted in March that authorized the commission to certify EROs and define their duties including submission of integrated resource plans,…...
The California Public Utilities Commission on May 15 issued a decision adopting a new standard offer contract for independent electricity generators of up to 20 megawatts seeking to sell their power to regulated utilities under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act 1978, or PURPA. The commission established a contract length of 12 years for new…...
The New York Public Service Commission on May 14 opened a proceeding to implement the provisions of the Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act with regard to distribution and transmission upgrades and capital expenditures needed to meet the state’s clean energy goals. The law established a new siting office to streamline permitting for…...
National Grid released a report on May 8 supplementing its long-term capacity analysis issued earlier this year on natural gas capacity constraints in Downstate New York and available options for meeting long-term demand. The supplemental report incorporates feedback received from six public meetings, as well as the changing conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The…...
More states and utilities are exploring microgrids as part of their resiliency strategies driven by the growing demand to bolster the reliability of the power system in the face of extreme weather events, such as storms and wildfires.
The Virginia State Corporation Commission on May 6 announced the resumption of a renewable energy pilot program, following recent legislation that expanded the statutory limit for the program. The pilot allows non-utility owners of renewable energy to sell electricity to utility customers under a power purchase agreement. Due to the high interest in the program,…...
The Arkansas Public Service Commission on May 5 approved a settlement agreement, allowing Southwestern Electric Power Co. to acquire up to 810 megawatts of wind energy from three projects in Oklahoma. The company will invest $1.01 billion to own 54.5 percent of a 1,485-megawatt portfolio of wind projects, which it plans to buy with Public…...
Dominion Energy Inc. on May 1 filed its 2020 integrated resource plan with the Virginia State Corporation Commission, reflecting the targets of the Clean Economy Act, which requires the company to produce its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2045. Under the proposal, the company proposes to add 6.7 to 18.8 gigawatts of solar over the…...
New Jersey and Maryland filed a lawsuit with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, challenging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s order directing PJM Interconnection LLC to extend the minimum offer price rule, or MOPR, to state-subsidized resources, according to an April 27 news release. Several states have criticized the move, citing its potential to harm…...
The New England grid operator has proposed a long-term, market-based solution to the region’s energy security problem as the power generation fleet moves towards a mix of energy-limited resources. With the retirement of resources with stored fuel, the system is increasingly reliant on facilities that run on just-in-time natural gas deliveries and weather-dependent wind and solar energy. To address the ensuing challenge, the grid operator proposes to improve the current market structure by creating incentives for the region’s fleet to invest in the energy supply arrangements and technologies on which the region depends.
Skipjack Offshore Energy LLC revised the estimated commercial operating date for its 120-megawatt offshore wind project from November 2022 to the end of 2023, according to an April 21 filing with the Maryland Public Service Commission. Orsted said it is receiving its federal notice of intent for the project later than expected as the “federal…...
The New York Public Service Commission on April 23 authorized the State Energy Research and Development Authority to issue a solicitation for 1 gigawatt or more of offshore wind capacity in 2020, in order to maintain the state’s trajectory in meeting its clean energy goals. The authorization allows the flexibility to evaluate a range of…...
