A series of setbacks for high-profile oil and gas pipeline projects in the U.S. reveal the difficult climate for midstream projects in the face of growing legal challenges, changing economics, and states’ push to reduce fossil fuels as they embrace clean energy.
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority on July 8 announced it has entered into a partnership with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers to improve indoor quality in the post-COVID-19 environment to mitigate the risk on public health. The initiative also plans to advance building electrification and energy…...
The Florida Public Service Commission on July 7 approved demand side management plans filed by the state’s five investor-owned utilities, finding that the programs are the public interest. The agency decided that the new initiatives are projected to meet conservation targets and have no adverse cost impact to customers. The commission rejected staff’s recommendation to…...
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives on July 8 voted in favor of a bill that would require legislative approval before the state can impose a carbon tax or join a multi-state carbon-trading program. The Department of Environmental Protection is currently in the process of drafting regulations to allow the state to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas…...
Dominion Energy Inc. and Duke Energy Corp. canceled the Atlantic Coast pipeline project because of the ongoing delays and increased legal costs, which threaten the project’s economic viability, according to a July 5 press release. The 600-mile pipeline, initially announced in 2014, was planned to transport natural gas across West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina…....
The U.S. Energy Department on July 6 issued a final long-term order authorizing the Jordan Cove liquefied natural gas export project and the associated Pacific Connector pipeline in Oregon. The order authorizes the facility to export up to 1.08 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas as LNG to nations with which the U.S…....
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation anticipates sufficient resources to meet this summer’s projected peak electricity demand in most areas of the U.S. despite the uncertainty caused by efforts to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a July 7 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The corporation, which oversees regional electric…...
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on July 6 ordered Energy Transfer Partners LP to shut down the Dakota Access pipeline and empty it of oil until the completion of an environmental review, which is expected to take 13 months. The court found that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers violated the…...
The Texas Public Utilities Commission rejected a plan by Southwestern Electric Power Co., a subsidiary of American Electric Power Company Inc., to add 309 megawatts of wind energy to serve Texas customers, according to a July 2 news release. Despite the denial, the company said it can move ahead with its planned acquisition of 1,485…...
The Virginia State Corporation Commission on July 2 approved Dominion Energy Inc.’s renewable energy rate, providing its customers the option to purchase 100 percent renewable-sourced electricity. As designed, the rate would charge a $3.98 premium per month besides the standard rate for a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity on average, adding annual…...
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on June 30 ruled that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission cannot indefinitely delay requests for rehearing of cases under the Natural Gas Act by issuing tolling orders, which extend the 30-day time period for the agency to act on the petitions. The 10-1 ruling concluded that…...
