Pacific Gas and Electric Company requested a 16 percent rate of return on equity for 2020, up from the current 10.25 percent, to attract the new investment needed to upgrade and modernize its infrastructure in the face of wildfire risks, according to the company’s cost of capital proposal filed with the California Public Utilities Commission…
The New York State Energy Research and Development Agency on April 25 announced a funding opportunity for two categories of projects as part of the state’s $400 million investment to attain the ambitious goal of deploying 3 gigawatts of storage by 2030. The state is making available $150 million for bulk storage projects comprising installations…
Solar developer 7X Energy signed a final power-purchase agreement for its 690-megawatt Taygete project in Pecos County, Texas, opening the doors for the state’s largest solar farm, according to an April 23 press release. The $650 million facility will be constructed in two stages, with the first phase anticipated to begin in the third quarter…
The Consolidated Edison Company of New York Inc. on April 24 announced an agreement with Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company LLC to boost the capacity in its existing pipeline that connects the utility’s distribution system to Westchester County. The utility said that the expansion could be in service by November 2023, providing the capacity needed to…
Stream SPE Ltd agreed to pay an administrative penalty for infringing on rules governing payment plans for outstanding customer bills, according to an April 23 settlement filed by the Texas Public Utility Commission staff. The agreement resolves claims related to the investigation into nearly 4,000 improperly applied switch-holds placed on customer accounts between Jan. 1,…
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission on April 24 turned down Southern Indiana Gas & Electric Company’s proposal to construct an 850-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant to replace its retiring coal power units. The agency said that the investment in the project, which is estimated to cost about $780 million, could become uneconomic over the long-term…
The Washington legislature on April 22 approved a measure requiring the state’s electricity supply to be carbon-neutral by 2030 and 100 percent carbon-free by 2045. The bill now moves to Democratic Governor Jay Inslee’s desk to be signed into law. Inslee said he looked forward to signing the bill, calling it the nation’s most forward looking…
The Colorado legislature approved legislation on April 24 to set a 10-megawatt maximum size requirement for community solar gardens, up from the current level of 2 megawatts. The bill removes the requirement that subscribers must be from the same county where the solar garden is located, or a county adjacent to that of the facility,…
Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo on April 23 announced a solicitation for large-scale renewable energy projects in a series of annual procurements under New York’s Clean Energy Standard, which requires half the state’s electricity to come from renewable energy by 2030. The competition is expected to spur over $1 billion in private investment and support around…
The New York Public Service Commission on April 24 directed the state’s electric utilities to terminate the use of outcome-based earning incentives tied to interconnection, finding that the metric no longer presents an opportunity to earn revenue that is connected to improved customer value. The agency found that more effective tools have been developed and…
The Consolidated Edison Company of New York Inc. on April 23 filed a plan with the New York Public Service Commission to implement its “Community Power” project, which will examine ways to boost distributed solar access for low- and moderate-income customers. The company proposes to install solar arrays on the roofs of New York City…
U.S. exports of petroleum products hit a new high last year, reaching an annual average of 5.6 million barrels per day, an increase of 366,000 from 2017, according to an April 23 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Distillate, propane, and motor gasoline together had the largest share of exports. The large volumes were…