The U.S. Energy Department on May 14 released a request for proposals to buy up to one million barrels of sweet crude oil produced by domestic producers amid an unprecedented drop in demand caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The oil will be delivered to Strategic Petroleum Reserve sites located in Bayou Choctaw, Big Hill, and…...
The U.S. Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management on May 11 approved the Gemini Solar Project, a proposed 690-megawatt facility, located about 33 miles northeast of Las Vegas. The $1 billion project, which includes 380 megawatts of battery storage, is expected to be the eighth largest in the world. The project will serve NV Energy…...
The U.S. Agriculture Department on May 5 issued a notice of funding of up to $100 million in competitive grants for projects designed to boost the sale and use of renewable fuels under the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program, or HBIIP. The initiative will offer cost-share grants of up to 50 percent of project costs,…...
The Michigan Public Service Commission on May 8 authorized DTE Electric Co. to increase its electric rates by about $188.3 million, which is 47 percent lower than the utility’s request. The change is expected to raise monthly residential bills for customers using 500 kilowatt hours of electricity by about 4.7 percent or $4. The impact…...
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on May 8 issued a policy statement providing guidance on the agency’s response to the effects of the COVID-19 mitigation measures on oil pipelines. The commission said it will act expeditiously on requests for certain temporary waivers or extensions of time for compliance with certain regulations. The commission said it…...
The Virginia State Corporation Commission on May 6 announced the resumption of a renewable energy pilot program, following recent legislation that expanded the statutory limit for the program. The pilot allows non-utility owners of renewable energy to sell electricity to utility customers under a power purchase agreement. Due to the high interest in the program,…...
Daily weekday electricity demand in the U.S. central region saw a decrease of 9 percent to 13 percent during March and April due to mitigation efforts, like business shutdowns, put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19, according to a May 7 report from the Energy Information Administration. New York experienced similar declines, while…...
U.S. coal-fired generation dropped by 16 percent last year, reaching 966,000 gigawatt-hours, the lowest since 1976, according to a May 11 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The decrease was largely driven by increased output from natural gas-fired plants and wind generation facilities. Lower power demand in 2019 also contributed to the fall in…...
The California Public Utilities Commission on May 7 approved a settlement imposing $1.937 billion in penalties against Pacific Gas and Electric Company for its role in causing the catastrophic wildfires in 2017 and 2018. The decision permanently suspends the utility’s obligation to pay a $200 million fine, so that the payment does not reduce the…...
The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority on May 6 issued a final decision adopting comprehensive marketing standards and sales practices for electric suppliers. The new standards are designed to ensure that customers choosing third-party suppliers have access to accurate information to make educated decisions. The standards apply to switching practices, solicitations and renewals, hiring and…...
The California Public Utilities Commission on April 29 proposed a decision adopting short-term actions to expedite the deployment of microgrids and related resiliency strategies that would mitigate the impacts of safety power shutoff events to avoid the risk of power lines starting wildfires. The proposal would direct the state’s large investor-owned electric utilities to streamline…...
U.S. President Donald Trump on May 1 issued an executive order prohibiting the acquisition or installation of bulk-power system equipment in which a foreign country has an interest if the transaction raises national security concerns. The move aims to protect the system from foreign adversaries that are increasingly creating and exploiting the vulnerabilities of the…...
