Federal agencies, including the Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency, on June 24 released their initial lists of programs covered under the Biden administration’s Justice40 Initiative launched in 2021 to ensure that disadvantaged communities receive the benefits of investments in terms of climate, clean water, and energy. The goal of the initiative…...
The U.S. Energy Department on June 28 issued the 2022 U.S. Energy and Employment Report. A key finding of the report was in the face of economic uncertainty, the energy sector undertook optimistic job growth, increasing 4 percent from 2020 to 2021, outperforming general U.S. employment, which climbed 2.8 percent in the corresponding period. In…...
The Michigan Public Service Commission on June 23 approved a settlement agreement that allows Consumers Energy Co. to exit coal-fired generation by 2025 and add 8 gigawatts of solar energy to the grid. The settlement pertains to the company’s integrated resource plan, or IRP, which identifies the optimal mix of resources to serve customers over…...
The U.S. Energy Department on June 23 announced it will spearhead the development of an all-encompassing offshore wind supply chain action plan by participating in the Biden administration’s Federal-State Offshore Wind Implementation Partnership. The landmark partnership is a forum between the White House National Climate Advisor, the Secretaries of the Interior, Energy, Commerce, and Transportation,…...
The California Public Utilities Commission on Jun. 23 approved Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s regionalization plan, in an enduring attempt to enhance the utility’s capability to meet their safety requirements. In May 2020, California regulators accepted the utility’s bankruptcy reorganization plan with provisions, including changes to the company’s governance arrangement, enhanced oversight, and formation of…...
The California Public Utilities Commission on June 15 allotted proposed orders enforcing curative actions and more than $22 million in fines to be paid by the shareholders of Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric for violations associated with their 2020 Public Safety Power Shutoff, or PSPS,…...
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on June 16 announced a proposed rule to address backlogs in the interconnection queue that, if finalized, could accelerate grid interconnection processes. The increased demand for energy compels the commission to expedite and streamline the process of connecting electric generation facilities to the grid. More than 1.4 terawatts of generation…...
The U.S. Department of the Interior issued the final endorsement and orchestrated solar projects in Arica and Victory Pass in the vicinity of Desert Center Eastern Riverside County. This project will add 465 megawatts of power in the national grid system along with 400 megawatt battery storage which will provide power to approximately 132,000 homes…...
The U.S. Transportation Department has commenced setting standards for constructing a nationwide network of 500,000 electric vehicle chargers by 2030. To this end, the department’s Federal Highways Administration announced a notice of proposed rulemaking to set standards for electric vehicle charging stations under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, or NEVI, program. The minimum standards to…...
The Illinois Commerce Commission on June 10 issued a request for information seeking input on Illinois public utilities’ plan to apply for federal dollars under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This information would assist the state of Illinois to quantify the eligibility of these utilities and to study how the state can help…...