The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission approved a settlement allowing UGI Utilities Inc. to increase its annual operating revenues by $20 million, or 2.7 percent, implemented in a phased manner. In its initial filing in January, the UGI Corp. subsidiary asked for an annual revenue increase of approximately $74.6 million. During the three-step phase in, the…...
In 2019, the weighted average wholesale price of solar PV-generated electricity was $83 per megawatthour, more than double the price of wind, fossil fuels, or nuclear, according to an Oct. 9 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The higher price is partly driven by geography and timing. Wholesale electricity prices rise when demand within…...
The U.S. Energy Department on Oct. 6 announced a statement of intent to collaborate with the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy on analyzing and sharing information on hydrogen technologies. The effort will facilitate the collection of real-world data to guide future research and development, and demonstration activities. The consortium supports the department’s…...
The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public input on two proposed solar farms near Desert Center in eastern Riverside County, California, according to an Oct. 2 press release. The projects, spanning an area of about 4,000 acres, would result in an estimated infrastructure investment of $689 million and $5.9 million in annual operational benefits…....
The District of Columbia Public Service Commission on Oct. 1 approved Potomac Electric Power Company’s request for proposals and draft power purchase contract for a pilot program designed to procure renewable energy for the utility’s customers. The procurement will supply five percent of the load under the district’s standard offer service program, which provides default…...
U.S. dry natural gas production rose by 10 percent in 2019 from the prior year, reaching a record-high average of 93.1 billion cubic feet per day, according to an Oct. 5 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. U.S. natural gas consumption increased by 3 percent due to increased power sector consumption while gross exports…...
The Maryland Public Service Commission on Sept. 29 launched a website for gas supply, supplementing the electricity shopping site unveiled in March. Consumers can make informed choices shop for offers, such as lowest price per therm, environmentally-friendly gas supply, and no monthly or early termination fees. The initiatives are intended to help consumers in making…...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Oct. 1 finalized a rule allowing a major source of hazardous air pollutants to reclassify as an “area source,” a less stringent category under the Clean Air Act, any time it implements measures to limit emissions. The action implements the agency’s 2018 guidance that withdrew the 1995 “Once In,…...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Sept. 29 announced $73 million in funding and grants to support initiatives aimed to reduce diesel emissions from existing engines. About $50 million in Diesel Emissions Reduction Act funding is expected to be allotted for projects intended to address diesel emissions from the nation’s existing fleet. The 2020 grants…...
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, a Democrat, vetoed legislation, which would have prevented the state from implementing measures to limit carbon emissions without legislative approval. The state’s Environmental Quality Board recently voted in favor of a proposed regulation that would allow the state to participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, a cooperative effort…...
The Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission’s enhanced disclosure rules took effect on Sept. 30, providing additional consumer protections and greater transparency for product offerings from electric generation suppliers. The amendments are designed to align the electric supplier regulations with those of natural gas suppliers. They do not apply to contracts executed before Sept. 30 and currently…...
The New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment reaffirmed its approval of Alle-Catt Wind Energy LLC’s 340-megawatt project, which would be the state’s largest wind farm, and Atlantic Wind LLC’s 101-megawatt project, according to a Sept. 25 press release. The board denied rehearing petitions finding that both the projects meet or…...