A series of setbacks for high-profile oil and gas pipeline projects in the U.S. reveal the difficult climate for midstream projects in the face of growing legal challenges, changing economics, and states’ push to reduce fossil fuels as they embrace clean energy.
The Michigan Public Service Commission on July 9 approved DTE Electric Co.’s amended renewable energy portfolio. The new supply-side renewable resources approved incorporate a 225-megawatt wind farm and two 25-year solar power purchase contracts of about 128 megawatts. The generation capacity, to be added over the next two years, would enable the company to comply…...
The Maryland Public Service Commission will convene a public conference next month to analyse the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on utility operations and consumer protections as the moratorium on utility service termination is set to expire on Aug. 1. The commission will seek input on regulatory measures that should be considered to mitigate and…...
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on July 10 upheld the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s energy storage order, rejecting arguments that the agency exceeded its jurisdiction by barring states from prohibiting behind-the-meter storage participation in wholesale markets. The commission adopted the landmark Order No. 841 in February 2018, directing grid…...
Dominion Energy Inc. and Duke Energy Corp. canceled the Atlantic Coast pipeline project because of the ongoing delays and increased legal costs, which threaten the project’s economic viability, according to a July 5 press release. The 600-mile pipeline, initially announced in 2014, was planned to transport natural gas across West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina…....
The U.S. Energy Department on July 6 issued a final long-term order authorizing the Jordan Cove liquefied natural gas export project and the associated Pacific Connector pipeline in Oregon. The order authorizes the facility to export up to 1.08 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas as LNG to nations with which the U.S…....
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation anticipates sufficient resources to meet this summer’s projected peak electricity demand in most areas of the U.S. despite the uncertainty caused by efforts to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a July 7 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The corporation, which oversees regional electric…...
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on July 6 ordered Energy Transfer Partners LP to shut down the Dakota Access pipeline and empty it of oil until the completion of an environmental review, which is expected to take 13 months. The court found that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers violated the…...
Policy support for electric vehicles (EVs) continues to grow across U.S. states as transportation electrification is a primary component of regulators’ strategies to meet clean energy and emissions reduction targets. Recent initiatives range from California’s electric truck mandate to Nevada’s vehicle emission standards to New Jersey’s EV ecosystem proposal.
The Texas Public Utilities Commission rejected a plan by Southwestern Electric Power Co., a subsidiary of American Electric Power Company Inc., to add 309 megawatts of wind energy to serve Texas customers, according to a July 2 news release. Despite the denial, the company said it can move ahead with its planned acquisition of 1,485…...
The U.S. Energy Department on July 1 announced $100 million funding for ten Energy Frontier Research Centers over four years to expedite the scientific breakthroughs needed to tackle the energy challenges of the 21st century. The move intends to strengthen the nation’s economic prosperity and energy security. The centers will bring together multidisciplinary scientific teams…...
Pacific Gas and Electric Company emerged from Chapter 11, with the completion of its restructuring process and implementation of a reorganization plan that was confirmed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court on June 20, according to a July 1 announcement. The utility deposited about $5 billion in the $21 billion wildfire fund established last year to…...
