Sen. John Barrasso, a Republican representing Wyoming, introduced legislation on Oct. 6 that would discontinue the tax credit for new electric vehicles and create a federal highway user charge for alternative fuel vehicles including plug-ins and fuel cell vehicles. Under current law, the credits apply for plug-in electric vehicles bought from 2010 and begin phasing…
Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, announced on Oct. 5 that two new initiatives, funded by the New York Power Authority at a total of $173 million, will help the New York Power Authority collect data more quickly and accurately through the installation of advanced sensors at facilities across the state, enabling the public power organization…
The Michigan Public Service Commission on Oct. 5 ruled that avoided costs set for Consumers Energy Co. last November can take effect, dismissing contentions that the utility has no capacity need for the next 10 years. The commission ruled that the integrated resource plan will be used to determine annual capacity requirements and that capacity…
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Oct. 5 authorized Pine River Wind Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Invenergy Renewables LLC, to sell its 161-megawatt wind generation project to DTE Electric Company. The wind facility, which is under construction, will be interconnected to the transmission system controlled by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator Inc.’s market. DTE…
The Potomac Electric Power Company proposed a transportation electrification program consisting of 13 offerings estimated to cost about $15.2 million, with projected ratepayer costs of about $9.9 million after accounting for participant contributions, revenues from public chargers, and funds from the ”MEDSIS” initiative that aims to modernize the energy delivery system, according to an Oct.…
The Michigan Public Service Commission on Oct. 5 approved Consumers Energy Company’s voluntary green pricing programs that allow customers to meet a portion of their electricity needs from renewable energy resources. The programs stem from legislation enacted in 2016 that requires all electric utilities, including regulated, municipally owned, cooperatives, and alternative suppliers, to give customers…
The Maine Public Utilities Commission opened an investigation on Oct. 3 to determine the impact of certain aspects of the federal tax law on Emera Maine’s revenue requirements including excess deferred income taxes, savings associated with the time period from Jan. 1 to June. 30, and whether these savings can be used to offset storm…
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved a settlement that will lower residential bills for American Electric Power Company Inc.’s customers by $3.65 per month as a result of reconciling rates to pass on savings from the federal tax law that slashed the federal income tax rate to 21 percent from 35 percent, according to…
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission approved changes to Avista Corporation’s annual rate adjustments that will lower residential electric bills by $4.85 per month, according to the agency’s Oct. 2 press release. The fixed cost adjustment, a mechanism that allows customers to receive a rebate when the utility’s revenue surpasses costs and incur a surcharge when…
The U.S. Department of Energy published a final environmental assessment on Oct. 2 for Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation’s project Icebreaker, a freshwater offshore wind demonstration project located in Lake Erie, near Cleveland, Ohio. The 20.7-megawatt project is being developed by Fred. Olsen Renewables, a Norwegian company, and the nonprofit Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation…
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission established requirements governing the services of community solar companies – entities other than electric utilities – based on guidelines for other regulated industries, according to the agency’s Oct. 2 press release. The rules create consumer protection measures including written permission to release private consumer information, escrow accounts to refund…
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on Oct. 2 ordered another halt to construction activity on all portions of the Mountain Valley natural gas pipeline. The court ruled that the Army Corps of Engineers had instituted inadequate requirements for how the pipeline should cross streams in West Virginia, just a few weeks…
