PacifiCorp Requests $70 Million Rate Hike for Electric Service in Oregon

PacifiCorp filed a general rate revision with the Oregon Public Utilities Commission, seeking an increase of about $78 million for its electric services and recovery of about $17.3 million related to the early closure of Unit 4 of the 395-megawatt Cholla coal power plant, according to a Feb. 14 filing.  The company’s proposal to amortize…

U.S. Projected to be a Net Exporter of Crude Oil and Petroleum Combined Until 2050

U.S. Projected to be a Net Exporter of Crude Oil and Petroleum Combined Until 2050: EIA

The U.S. is projected to export more crude oil and petroleum combined than it imports until 2050, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Annual Energy Outlook 2020. In two scenarios, one with more oil and gas supply and the other with higher oil prices, the agency expects the nation to become a net exporter…

NY Green Bank Commitments Exceed $900 Million, Driving $2.4 Billion in Clean Energy Investments

NY Green Bank Commitments Exceed $900 Million, Driving $2.4 Billion in Clean Energy Investments

The NY Green Bank’s fourth quarter of 2019 was the strongest to date, adding nearly $118 million to its portfolio, according to a Feb. 14 announcement. With portfolio commitments exceeding $909 million, the bank has spurred $2.4 billion in clean energy investments. The bank was established in 2013 to alleviate market barriers, motivating private sector…

U.S. Energy Department Announces $170 Million to Support Solar, Geothermal Technologies

Maine Solicits Proposals for Long-Term Renewable Energy Contracts

The Maine Public Utilities Commission issued a request for proposals from renewable generation resources for the sale of energy or renewable energy credits, according to a Feb. 14 news release. The move stems from legislation enacted in 2019 directing the commission to conduct two competitive solicitations for long-term procurement contracts for an amount of energy…

Vineyard Wind's $2.8 Billion Offshore Project Faces New Delay After Federal Regulators Revise Permitting Timeline

Vineyard Wind’s $2.8 Billion Offshore Project Faces New Delay After Federal Regulators Revise Permitting Timeline

Vineyard Wind LLC no longer expects its 800-megawatt offshore project to begin commercial operation in 2022, according to a Feb. 11 announcement, after the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management updated the permitting schedule for the project. The revised schedule indicates that the final environmental review will be issued on Nov. 13, later than what was…

Arizona Corporation Commissioners Propose Retail Electric Competition Rules

Arizona Corporation Commissioners Propose Retail Electric Competition Rules

Arizona corporate commissioners on Feb. 10 issued two sets of draft rules, paving the way for customers to participate in retail electric competition. The first draft would allow electric choice for all customers, while second would include eligibility restrictions. Following the initial draft issued last July, the Corporation Commission Chairman Robert Burns and Commissioner Justin…

New York Advances $485 Million Transmission Project to Enhance Grid Reliability, Support Renewables

New York Advances $485 Million Transmission Project to Enhance Grid Reliability, Support Renewables

The New York State Public Service Commission approved the first phase of the New York Power Authority’s Moses-Adirondack Smart Path Reliability Project, which is designed to improve the reliability and resilience of the electric system in Upstate New York, according to a Feb. 6 news release. The project will rebuild facilities that are well past…

New York Regulators Adopt Rules to Expedite Siting of Clean Energy Projects

New York Regulators Adopt Rules to Expedite Siting of Clean Energy Projects

The New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment granted more flexibility to Number Three Wind LLC in building its 106-megawatt wind farm, revising an earlier decision granting approval for the project, according to a Feb. 13 news release. The board agreed with the project developer that the cost of installing underground…

Virginia Lawmakers Pass Sweeping Energy Bill to Achieve Carbon-Free Power by Mid-Century

Virginia Lawmakers Pass Sweeping Energy Bill to Achieve Carbon-Free Power by Mid-Century

Virginia lawmakers passed the Clean Economy Act on Feb. 11 that  sets the state on the path to carbon-free power by 2050, establishes a mandatory renewable portfolio standard, adopts an energy storage deployment target, and strengthens energy efficiency requirements. Among the major provisions, the legislation replaces the existing voluntary renewable energy portfolio system program with…

New York Begins Process for Second Offshore Wind Solicitation to Procure At Least 1,000 Megawatts

New York Begins Process for Second Offshore Wind Solicitation to Procure At Least 1,000 Megawatts

The New York Public Service Commission completed a draft environmental review analysing the potential impacts associated with the procurement of up to 1.8 gigawatts of additional offshore wind generation in the near term, according to a Feb. 6 notice. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority on Jan. 28 asked the commission to…

U.S. Energy Department to Invest $64 Million to Advance Clean Coal Technologies

U.S. Energy Department to Invest $64 Million to Advance Clean Coal Technologies

The U.S. Energy Department announced funding for cost-shared projects focused on developing the critical components required under its Coal FIRST initiative and transformational coal-fired systems, according to a Feb. 7 news release. The initiative aims to develop modular coal-based power plants built with advanced methods to meet the requirements of the evolving electric grid. The…