In 2019, the U.S. is expected to add 23.7 gigawatts of generation capacity and retire 8.3 gigawatts, according to a Jan. 10 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. About 8 gigawatts of coal, nuclear, and natural gas generation are scheduled to retire this year, with coal accounting for 53 percent of the retirements. Texas,…
The Illinois Commerce Commission on Jan. 9 released a report identifying challenges and opportunities related to electric vehicle deployment and its impact on the grid. The report identifies high upfront costs, range anxiety, lack of charging stations, and inadequate consumer awareness as the key barriers to widespread adoption. The main benefits surrounding electric vehicles pertain…
Colorado House lawmaker Chris Hansen, a Democrat, introduced legislation on Jan. 4 that would increase the maximum size of community solar gardens to 10 megawatts, up from 2 megawatts permitted by current law. The bill would broaden access to community projects, which offers consumers the opportunity to participate in solar installations through subscriptions, by allowing…...
The Michigan Public Service Commission on Jan. 9 approved Consumers Energy Company’s settlement that provides for an annual revenue decrease of $24 million and terminates the “Credit A” federal tax cut reduction of $123 million, resulting in a net revenue increase of $99 million. The tax adjustment, the first of a three-step process to address…
The Virginia State Corporation Commission on Jan. 7 approved Appalachian Power Company’s proposal that allows customers the option to meet 100 percent of their electricity needs from renewable energy resources. Participating customers would pay a premium of $4.25 a month above the standard electric rate. State law permits utilities to design a tariff that customers…...
The power sector evolution continues unabated, marked by rapid growth of wind and solar, and a growing shift toward distributed energy resources such as rooftop solar, battery storage, and electric vehicles. Interest in batteries is accelerating as states seek to capitalize the multiple benefits the technology provides to the grid, while the smart grid evolution…...
Republican Governor Christopher Sununu wrote a letter requesting the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management establish an intergovernmental offshore renewable energy task force for the state, according to a Jan. 7 press release. Sununu said that the measure would facilitate coordination between federal, state and local governments on commercial leasing proposals. If the request is…...
The U.S. natural gas export trend continues thanks to increases in liquefied natural gas export capacity and expansion of the cross-border pipeline network into Mexico, according to a Jan. 7 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In 2017, the U.S. became a net exporter of natural for the first time since 1958. The agency…...
The Hawaiian Electric Companies submitted power purchase agreements for seven grid-scale, solar-plus-storage projects to the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, according to a Jan. 3 press release. The projects total 262 megawatts of solar and 1,024 megawatt-hours of energy storage, with contract prices ranging from $0.08 to $0.12 per kilowatt-hour. The utilities said that the contracts…...
The Maine Public Utilities Commission on Dec. 17 granted solar installer Insource Renewables LLC’s request to exclude solar generation produced by medium and large non-residential customers of Central Maine Power Company and Emera Maine from gross metering provisions due to excessive costs that are shifted onto other ratepayers. The commission agreed that the cost of…...
New Hampshire House Democratic lawmakers Peter Somssich, Jacqueline Cali-Pitts, and Kenneth Vincent introduced legislation on Jan. 2 that would establish a task force to investigate the near- and long-term applications of microgrids to better manage demand on the primary grid, allowing for lower customer bills and more efficient use of electricity. (HB 238) The bill…...
The Dayton Power and Light Company, a subsidiary of AES Corporation, filed a distribution modernization plan with the Public Utility Commission of Ohio that proposes to invest $576 million in capital projects over the next decade, according to a Dec. 28 press release. The company said that plan is consistent with PowerForward, the state’s grid…...
