U.S. natural gas consumption is expected to fall by 3.4 billion cubic feet per day led by a decline in industrial consumption, according to a May 26 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The agency attributed the decrease to the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and to milder temperatures in the first…...
The California Public Utilities Commission approved Pacific Gas & Electric Company’s bankruptcy reorganization plan with conditions, including changes to the company’s governance structure, enhanced oversight, and creation of local operating regions, according to a May 28 press release. Under a new oversight framework, PG&E’s operating permit will be subject to an ongoing review as part…...
The number of solar and wind generation sites co-located with battery installations has grown to 53 in 2019, from 19 paired sites in 2016, according to a May 18 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Another 56 such facilities will come online by the end of 2023 according to planned installations reported to the…...
U.S. annual energy consumption from renewables reached 11.5 quadrillion British thermal units in 2019, surpassing coal for the first time since before 1885, according to a May 28 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The agency pointed to the growth of renewable energy, especially wind and solar energy, for electricity generation amid the continued…...
The Virginia State Corporation Commission on May 20 authorized Dominion Energy Inc. to establish an experimental, voluntary residential time-of-use, or TOU, rate schedule and a solar incentive program. Under the new schedule, participants will be subject to time-varying energy charges based on the season and the time period of consumption that the company categorizes as…...
U.S. active crude oil and natural gas rigs dropped to their lowest number in over three decades, according to a May 20 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The number of rigs declined sharply to 339 on May 12, a 56 percent decline since March 17, due to an unprecedented drop in petroleum demand…...
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on May 21 authorized the Alaska LNG Project, which includes an 800-mile pipeline and a liquefied natural gas export facility. The $40-$45 billion project, developed by Alaska Gasline Development Corp. in partnership with BP and ExxonMobil, is expected to be the largest in the U.S. Democratic Commissioner Richard Glick dissented…...
The Ohio Power Siting Board on May 21 issued a certificate allowing Icebreaker Wind Inc. to construct a 20.7- megawatt offshore wind demonstration project in Lake Erie, subject to 33 conditions. The order includes a condition that the turbines remain feathered during nighttime hours from March 1 to November 1, in order to mitigate the…...
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,…...
Wild Springs Solar LLC filed an application with the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission for a permit to build a 128-megawatt solar project in eastern Pennington County, according to a May 22 notice. The project will serve Basin Electric Power Cooperative under a 15-year power purchase agreement, starting in 2022 to help the cooperative meet…...
A handful of U.S. states have taken steps to provide relief for the solar industry that has been facing uncertainties in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Measures to address the ensuing challenges range from expanding incentive programs, extending project deadlines, and expediting new projects.
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…...