The U.S. Energy Department on July 29 announced a policy statement that extends the term for exporting liquefied natural gas through 2050. This marks a shift from erstwhile export terms, which were customarily designed in increments of 20-year terms. The department proposed the 2050 term extension earlier this year in February in response to policy…...
The California Public Utilities Commission on July 29 announced a new research, development, and deployment initiative to bolster the relationship between ratepayer-funded projects and emerging policy issues. This shall manifest itself within four new workstreams pertinent to advancing the state’s energy agenda: equity, wildfire mitigation, transportation electrification, and utility safety power shut offs. In doing…...
The debate over ratepayer subsidies for struggling nuclear power plants has resurfaced, following a racketeering investigation related to a controversial Ohio law, which created a $1 billion bailout for FirstEnergy Corp. last year. The economic troubles of the embroiled industry come to the fore even as states such as New Jersey and Illinois evaluate plans to opt out of the regional capacity market in response to reforms that expanded the minimum offer price rule to subsidized resources.
The Bureau of Land Management on July 29 proposed revisions to three regulations on oil and gas production, measurement, and reporting, in a bid to reduce bureaucracy and provide accurate royalties for ratepayers. The move stems from the bureau’s review of 2016 rules, following a 2017 executive order that directed agencies to ensure that regulations do…...
The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission on July 29 approved a portfolio of renewable energy projects, including 650 megawatts of solar and 300 megawatts of battery storage, to replace the retiring capacity of the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station. Investment in the resources could total about $1 billion. The commission found that the plan is…...
The California Public Utilities Commission on July 27 proposed to approve a $442 million in funding to deploy approximately 40,600 electric vehicle charge ports in Southern California Edison Company’s service territory. More than 96 percent of the amount would be spent for Charge Ready 2 infrastructure and the remainder would support market education programs. Transportation…...
Ohio House Democrats on July 29 introduced legislation to repeal a 2019 law that provided FirstEnergy Solutions Corp., which is now known as Energy Harbor Corp., with annual subsidies of nearly $150 million over seven years to keep its ailing nuclear plants operating. The measure is in response to a federal investigation into an alleged…...
The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation updated its nuclear energy policy to end a ban on financing nuclear projects, according to a July 23 news release. The agency said that the policy change recognizes the energy needs of developing nations, as well as novel technologies such as modular reactors and microreactors that could be impactful…...
The District of Columbia Public Service Commission on July 27 issued a notice seeking stakeholder input to develop a regulatory framework for microgrids. The measure is part of PowerPath DC, which was launched last August to advance the next phase of the commission’s grid modernization efforts. The district has a goal of achieving 50 percent…...
Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo on July 27 announced nearly $1 billion in clean energy investments through 2025 to support energy efficiency programs for low-to-moderate income customers and communities in the state. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority will collaborate with the state’s investor-owned utilities to provide more affordable energy options for more…...
U.S. utility-scale power generation facilities used 38 quadrillion British thermal units, or quads, of energy to provide 14 quads of electricity in 2019, according to a July 21 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Much of the difference is attributed to losses during the conversion process. In presenting this statistic, the industry at large…...
The U.S. Energy Department on July 29 awarded $100 million for two multi-institutional research initiatives focused on producing fuels from sunlight under a five-year program. The agency also announced another $68 million over the same duration for projects aimed at supporting sustainable bioenergy production. The multi-institutional partnerships under the Fuels from Sunlight Energy Innovation Hub…...
