The New York Public Service Commission has flagged four energy service companies (ESCOs) over their failure to submit annual compliance filings under Unifrom Business Practices, according to June 14 notices. Bluesource Energy LLC failed to submit the yearly statement (January 31 Statement) that the information and attachments contained in the ESCO’s Retail Access Application Form and…
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and Department of Natural Resources said they may not take final action on Enbridge Inc.’s permit applications for its Line 3 replacement project until the deficiency in the environmental review of the proposed oil pipeline is addressed, according to a June 18 news release. The announcement follows a recent ruling…
Maine state lawmakers approved a measure on June 18 that expands opportunities to invest in solar power, most notably by lifting the nine-person limit on the number of customers who can participate in a community solar farm. The legislation also calls for the procurement of 375 megawatts of distributed generation through competitive solicitation over the…
New York state lawmakers approved legislation on June 19, which requires the state to cut its emissions to 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, with a plan to offset the remainder through measures that remove carbon dioxide, such as afforestation and carbon capture. The bill includes a requirement to produce 70 percent of electricity…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on June 19 finalized its long-awaited carbon emission rules for the nation’s power sector, replacing more stringent Obama-era restrictions. The agency described the “Affordable Clean Energy Rule” as an effort to provide existing coal power plants with “achievable and realistic standards” to cut emissions. The rule allows states the flexibility to…
The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission received an application from a subsidiary of Avangrid Renewables LLC to construct and operate the Tatanka Ridge wind farm proposed for Deuel County, in eastern South Dakota. The 155 megawatt project will encompass about 18,000 acres and be made up of 56 turbines. Construction is anticipated to begin later this year, with…
Utility-scale solar photovoltaic plants in Southwestern states like Arizona performed better than those in the Northeast in terms of capacity factor, a measure of a plant’s electricity generation as a percentage of its summer total capacity value for plants with a full year of operation. According to the Energy Information Administration, on average, utility-scale solar photovoltaic power plants…
Maine state lawmakers approved legislation on June 18 that requires 80 percent of electricity consumed in the state to come from renewable sources by 2030 and 100 percent by 2050. The legislation, “An Act To Reform Maine’s Renewable Portfolio Standard,” also requires a market assessment study and analysis of the opportunities, potential, and challenges to…
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s 2019 Summer Reliability Assessment warns that the Electric Reliability Council of Texas Inc. might not have enough resources available to meet this summer’s projected peak electricity demand. The report, published earlier this month, also highlighted potential ramping issues associated with the growth in solar generation that may affect the California Independent…
FERC Commissioner Bernard McNamee said the agency approved four LNG export projects in the span of three months, following a two-year drought of facility authorizations, FERC Commissioner Bernard McNamee said the agency approved four LNG export projects in the span of three months, following a two-year drought of facility authorizations, according to testimony filed June 12…
The New York Public Service Commission imposed negative adjustments in the revenues of the New York State Electric & Gas Corporation, Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, and Orange and Rockland Utilities Inc. for shortfalls in their reliability and customer service metrics last year. Major storms continue to challenge utilities, accounting for more than 80…
The Court of Common Pleas in Hampton County on June 11 finalized a settlement in a class action lawsuit over the costs that South Carolina Electric & Gas Company’s electric ratepayers have incurred towards the abandoned VC Summer nuclear power project. The settlement includes a $115 million cash component, an estimated $60 million to $85…