North Dakota’s crude oil output fell by 41.6 percent between December 2019 and May 2020, a much larger decline than it would have been if producers ceased new drilling and allowed production from existing wells to drop naturally, according to an Aug. 20 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The decline is largely attributed…...
The California Air Resources Board finalized agreements with major automakers – Ford, Honda, BMW, Volkswagen, and Volvo – to cut vehicle emissions in the state based upon a framework released last year, according to an Aug. 17 press release. The framework, which supports continued annual reductions of vehicle emissions through the 2026 model year, sets…...
Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards on Aug. 19 signed two executive orders to address climate change and enhance coastal resilience. The first order establishes the state’s first Climate Initiative Task Force to make recommendations to cut net greenhouse gas emissions by 100 percent by 2050. The second order outlines measures under the Adaptive Governance Initiative…...
The New York Public Service Commission on Aug. 13 announced an update on transmission initiatives underway to implement the 2020 Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth & Community Benefit Act. This legislation calls for significant investment to meet New York’s target of sourcing 70 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030. The 2019 Climate Leadership…...
The Florida Public Service Commission on Aug. 18 approved Peoples Gas Systems’ request for an accounting mechanism to track and record additional costs brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The mechanism allows the utility to request approval of cost recovery through rates at a later time. The implementation of this tracking system provides a method…...
The Florida Public Service Commission on Aug. 18 approved Duke Energy Florida LLC’s plan to decommission the Crystal River Nuclear Plant by 2038. This ceasing of operations in the nuclear space comes 36 years earlier than initially planned, and is meant to protect Duke’s customers from potential financial, environmental, and regulatory risks. The Duke Energy…...
The U.S. Energy Department on Aug. 19 announced a plan to award $21 million to support artificial intelligence and machine learning research on fusion energy for a duration of three years. The awards are expected to improve operational efficiencies with automated data analysis workflows and real-time control algorithms at the Office of Science. The department…...
The U.S. Interior Department on Aug. 17 issued a decision approving oil and gas leasing activities in the 1.56 million-acre Coastal Plain area in Alaska’s 19.3 million Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The move follows the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which directed the Secretary of the Interior to establish a competitive program for the…...
The New York Public Service Commission on Aug. 13 adopted a settlement with Consolidated Edison Company of New York Inc. and Orange and Rockland Utilities Inc. resolving an investigation into the utilities’ response to power outages during two consecutive winter storms in 2018. The joint agreement provides ratepayer value of $10.75 million paid for by…...
The Illinois Commerce Commission on Aug. 12 opened an inquiry to gather information regarding its rules and regulations governing public utilities, in order to ensure safe and reliable electricity and natural gas services. The move follows a gas explosion in Baltimore, Maryland on Aug. 10 wherein a property in the northwest region of the city…...
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities on August 11 released a draft report concerning the incentive levels required to support continued solar development while lowering costs to the state’s four million ratepayers. To attain incentive values that better align with the project types and maximize ratepayer savings, the report recommends transitioning away from the…...
Xcel Energy Inc. announced a plan to power 1.5 million electric vehicles in the eight states it serves by 2030, according to an Aug. 12 press release. The company expects 20 percent of the vehicles in its service territory to be replaced by electric vehicles, over the next decade, a 30-fold increase from current levels…....