The Maine Public Utilities Commission on Dec. 17 granted solar installer Insource Renewables LLC’s request to exclude solar generation produced by medium and large non-residential customers of Central Maine Power Company and Emera Maine from gross metering provisions due to excessive costs that are shifted onto other ratepayers. The commission agreed that the cost of…...
New Hampshire House Democratic lawmakers Peter Somssich, Jacqueline Cali-Pitts, and Kenneth Vincent introduced legislation on Jan. 2 that would establish a task force to investigate the near- and long-term applications of microgrids to better manage demand on the primary grid, allowing for lower customer bills and more efficient use of electricity. (HB 238) The bill…...
The Dayton Power and Light Company, a subsidiary of AES Corporation, filed a distribution modernization plan with the Public Utility Commission of Ohio that proposes to invest $576 million in capital projects over the next decade, according to a Dec. 28 press release. The company said that plan is consistent with PowerForward, the state’s grid…...
The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission on Dec. 19 approved the Public Service Co. of New Mexico’s integrated resource plan which calls for retirement of the utility’s remaining units at the San Juan Generating Station by 2022 and withdrawal from the Four Corners coal plant when the its contracts with that facility end in 2031.…
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission on Dec. 31 issued a notice seeking comments on a draft rule for competitive resource acquisition by utilities. The proposal is a result of stakeholder workshops and public comment processes since the commission unveiled a proposal in 2016 to examine whether rules governing the integrated resource plan and utility…
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission on Jan. 3 determined that the proposed sale of Washington-based Avista Corporation to Canada-based Hydro One Limited would violate state law that bars the transfer of regulated electric utility assets to an entity that is owned or controlled by another state. The move follows similar action last month by Washington…
The Maryland Board of Public Works on Jan. 2 unanimously rejected a permit for Columbia Gas Transmission LLC to build a pipeline across the state to transport natural gas from Pennsylvania to West Virginia. Republican Gov. Larry Hogan joined Comptroller Peter Franchot and Treasurer Nancy Kopp to vote against an easement required to install a…...
The Michigan Public Service Commission approved the second round of federal tax cut adjustments, called Credit B, requiring Consumers Energy Company and DTE Electric Company to return about $69.7 million and 92.8 million, respectively, to their electric customers beginning this month. With this ruling, the commission has ordered $228 million in Credit B refunds, in…
Avista Utilities asked the Idaho Public Utilities Commission to determine that the utility’s spending on energy efficiency programs in 2016 and 2017 was prudent, according to a Dec. 20 press release. The agency said that if the programs are not found to be cost-effective, the expenses will be passed on to shareholders, rather than the…...
The U.S. Energy Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy announced a funding opportunity intended to encourage early stage, transformative technologies, according to a Dec. 20 press release. The agency seeks to investigate the potential of new program areas while identifying challenges that are of interest to the nation’s competitiveness and security. The initial round calls for…
Democratic Governor Ralph Northam on Dec. 27 unveiled a report providing a roadmap for Virginia to develop a supply chain to serve offshore wind projects planned along the East Coast. The report examines Virginia’s strategic role in the emerging industry, highlighting that the state is well-positioned to serve as a supply chain hub thanks to…...
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Dec. 20 approved an agreement allowing cost-of-service compensation for the continued operation of Exelon Corp.’s Mystic 8 and 9 natural gas-fired generating units to address reliability concerns in the New England region. The contract also includes the company’s Distrigas liquefied natural gas terminal that serves the plant. Commissioner Richard…
