The New England electric grid is moving towards a hybrid system marked by a transition from conventional to renewable generation, and from centrally-dispatched generation to distributed resources, according to the ISO New England Inc.’s 2019 annual outlook. Over 150,000 behind-the-meter solar panels were installed across the region’s six states, with a combined capacity of nearly…
Natural gas accounted for nearly 31 percent of power generation in PJM Interconnection LLC’s footprint in 2018, surpassing coal’s share of about 29 percent, according to a March 18 report from the grid operator’s market monitor. Nuclear power dominated the region’s generating sector representing about 34 percent of the generation mix last year. Renewables had…...
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on March 21 issued notices of inquiry to gather information on possible improvements to rules governing electric transmission incentives and the agency’s approach to determining the return on equity, or ROE, for setting jurisdictional rates charged by public utilities. Transmission incentives are crucial to spur investment, which can provide benefits,…
The Missouri Public Service Commission on March 20 unanimously approved Clean Line Energy Partners LLC’s 780-mile Grain Belt Express transmission system designed to deliver 4,000 megawatts of wind power from Western Kansas to Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and the neighboring states. The move follows a July 2018 ruling from the Missouri Supreme Court, which found that…...
Democratic Governor Ned Lamont announced that Dominion Energy Inc. reached a deal with Connecticut’s two electric utility companies, units of Eversource Energy and Avangrid Inc., to retain the 2,100-megawatt Millstone nuclear facility. The 10-year agreement lowers the incremental ratepayer cost by nearly half compared to the original bid that was accepted last year as part…...
Democratic Governor Ralph Northam signed legislation on March 18 creating a pilot program to disburse loans or rebates for solar installations in households whose income is at or below 80 percent of the state or regional median income. (HB 2741) Residents applying for the program are required to document the installation of energy efficiency services…...
Democratic Governor Ralph Northam vetoed legislation on March 14 that would prohibit the state from joining a regional carbon program to reduce power plant emissions, without a two-thirds majority vote from both the legislative chambers. Northam also vetoed a similar bill related to limiting emissions from vehicles, saying that the measures violate the state constitution…
Renewables generated a record 742 million megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity in 2018, almost double the 382 million MWh produced in 2008, accounting for 17.6% of electricity generation in the United States last year, according to the Energy Information Administration’s Electric Power Monthly. About 90 percent of renewable capacity additions were wind and solar, largely driven by federal and state policies in…
Kentucky lawmakers passed legislation on March 14 that would redefine net metering by requiring state regulators to set the compensation rate for solar customers through a ratemaking process. Retail electric suppliers would be entitled to implement rates to recover the costs incurred to serve customer-generators, including fixed and demand-based charges. (SB 100) The bill would…...
Illinois lawmakers are considering a bill known as the Path to 100, which would boost the state’s renewable portfolio standard to 40 percent by 2030, up from the current 25 percent by 2025, as well as improve opportunities for utility-scale renewable projects to get approval and begin construction, putting the state on a path to 100 percent clean…
The Kansas Corporation Commission decided that there is no need for utilities to offer an alternative metering solution for customers who wish to opt out of advanced meters, according to a March 14 order. The agency said that implementing an opt-out program would be difficult, given the high costs and administrative burden. Such a program…...
U.S. energy-related emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) will remain largely unchanged through mid-century, according to projections in the Energy Information Administration’s Annual Energy Outlook 2019. Assuming no changes to current laws and regulations, the agency projects that carbon dioxide emissions will be 5,019 million metric tons in 2050, or 4% below their 2018 value, as emissions associated with coal…
