Utility resource planning is becoming more complex in the fast-changing energy landscape, prompting intense scrutiny from regulators. State measures are transforming the way utilities procure energy in light of continued growth in intermittent large-scale energy, customer-sited generation, demand response, energy efficiency, and clean energy commitments.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts that natural gas-fired electricity generation in the United States will increase by 6 percent in 2019 and by 2 percent in 2020, while wind power will go up by 6 percent in 2019 and by 14 percent in 2020, according to its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook. These trends vary widely among…
Duke Energy Corporation aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions from electric generation by 2050, and cut emissions by at least 50 percent from 2005 levels by 2030, according to a Sept. 17 press release. The company plans to double its renewable energy portfolio by 2025, and continue deploying low-cost natural gas to speed the transition…
The New York Public Service Commission on Sept. 19 authorized New York Transco, a consortium of major utilities, to borrow up to $400 million to upgrade transmission corridors that will allow increased transmission of renewable electricity across the state. In May, Transco sought approval to issue new long-term debt securities to complete the New York…
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission announced a rulemaking to update provisions of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act 1978, or PURPA, which requires utilities to purchase power from small independent electricity generators at the avoided cost, or the cost the utility would spend to procure the electricity itself, according to a Sept. 19 press release.…
Democratic Governor Ralph Northam signed an executive order on Sept. 17, setting a goal for the state to produce 30 percent of its power from renewable energy resources by 2030 and transition to zero-carbon electricity by 2050. Legislation enacted last year set a goal of achieving 5.5 gigawatts of wind and solar by 2028. The…
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved Ocean Wind LLC’s purchase of capacity interconnection rights, or CIRs, to advance its proposed 1.1 gigawatt wind project off the coast of Atlantic City, according to a Sept. 11 order. The agency found that the CIRs reduce the costs of transmission upgrades, and therefore, the ratepayer allocation…
The New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment granted approval to Baron Winds LLC to build and operate a 242 megawatt wind farm in western New York, according to a September 12 press release. According to the regulator, Baron Winds project will consist of up to 68 high-capacity, 492-foot tall wind turbines…
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission found that Pacific Power and Light Company, one of the state’s investor-owned electric utilities, is complying with Washington’s renewable energy requirements for 2019 by supplying at least 9 percent of its electric load through renewable sources, according to a September 12 press release. Last month, the regulator reviewed compliance by the state’s other…
Carbon reduction is becoming ingrained in the planning strategies of utilities across the Northwest in response to state-level decarbonization policies and market changes. As coal plants are no longer cost-competitive, utilities are taking advantage of new technologies and favorable economics of natural gas and renewables.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas expects nearly 84,000 megawatts of resource capacity to be available to meet a projected peak demand of 61,034 megawatts for the upcoming fall season from October through November, according to a Sept. 9 news release. The final assessment for the fall season includes 1,198 megawatts of planned capacity based…
Northern States Power Company, a subsidiary of Xcel Energy has submitted an application with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to acquire, own and operate the 98.9 megawatt Mower County wind facility, which is owned by NextEra Energy Inc., according to an August 30 filling. In 2006, Xcel entered into a 20-year Renewable Energy Purchase Agreement with FPL Energy…
