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…
Pacific Gas & Electric is including an $11.5 billion pre-tax charge related to third-party claims in connection with devastating wildfires that hit the state in the last two years, according to financial data released on Feb. 28. The battered utility admits that based on information currently available, it is “probable” that its equipment will ultimately be determined to have…
Democratic Governor Janet Mills authorized the Office of Energy to sign onto an agreement that requests the state’s utility regulator to approve Central Maine Power Company’s 1,200-megawatt transmission project, which would deliver Canadian hydropower to Massachusetts to help that state achieve its clean energy goals. Mills said that the stipulation enhances the proposed New England…
The California Public Utilities Commission launched a proceeding to explore how de-energization has affected the state and examine ways to refine the practice to ensure safety and minimize unintended consequences, according to a Dec. 13 press release. The agency aims to study the conditions in which proactive and planned de-energization takes place and also examine whether…
The California Public Utilities Commission is launching a probe into the corporate governance, structure, and operation of Pacific Gas and Electric Company to determine the best course of action for safe electric and gas service in the wake of wildfires that caused widespread destruction in Northern and Southern California, according to a Nov. 15 statement…
Under current and planned policies, global energy demand is expected to grow by over 25 percent to 2040, requiring an annual investment of more than $2 trillion in new energy supply, according to the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook published on Nov. 13. The agency said that over 70 percent of global energy investments…
President Donald Trump nominated Bernard L. McNamee to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the term ending June 30, 2020, to fill the vacancy resulting from Commissioner Robert Powelson’s resignation in August, according to an Oct. 9 release from the agency. McNamee currently serves as the Executive Director of the U.S. Energy Department’s Office of…
The Illinois Commerce Commission announced that Commonwealth Edison Company’s customers will see $318 million in benefits as a result of a settlement concerning the allocation of costs for transmission facilities in the PJM Interconnection LLC’s footprint, according to the agency’s Sept. 25 press release. The settlement, approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, is a…
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing $398.5 million to improve rural electric service in 13 states, according to a Sept. 19 press release. The spending includes about $43.7 million for smart grid technology to enhance the reliability and efficiency of electric power systems. The loan will also finance an 81 MW solar photovoltaic farm…
New Jersey state Senators Paul Sarlo, a Democrat, and Steven Oroho, a Republican, introduced legislation on Sept. 17 that would encourage private capital investment to develop energy-related projects at government facilities that lack the ability to address the energy infrastructure needs. The bill seeks to leverage private sector financing and expertise at a time when…