The North Carolina Utilities Commission on Aug. 5 approved tariff revisions filed by Duke Energy Carolinas LLC and Duke Energy Progress LLC to implement the Green Source Advantage Program, which allows for the direct procurement of new renewable energy resources by large nonresidential customers. The commission approved the program with changes in February and directed…
The West Virginia Public Service Commission expects lower gas utility bills for the upcoming heating season, based on an initial review of utilities’ annual adjustments to the purchased gas portion of their rates, according to an Aug. 5 press release. Utilities that serve over 91 percent of the natural gas customers in the state have…
The Virginia State Corporation Commission on Aug. 5 granted Dominion Energy Inc.’s request for a new rate adjustment clause to recover a portion of the costs incurred to comply with state and federal environmental regulations. The agency approved cost recovery for certain environmental projects, including cleaner disposal of coal ash, at Dominion’s coal-fired power plants.…
Competition among U.S. states eager to take the lead in the nation's still nascent offshore wind sector is fueling growth and bringing the industry to new highs. Turning these goals into reality will be no small feat, as the targets are several hundred times the current installed capacity. Still, this hasn’t dissuaded states from doubling down on offshore wind commitments.
Republican Governor Christopher Sununu signed legislation on Aug. 2 that allows municipalities and counties the option of implementing aggregation programs, in which retail electric customers will be automatically enrolled unless they opt out. Previously, community choice aggregation was allowed only for residents who consent to being included in the program. Municipalities can also operate energy…
The District of Columbia Public Service Commission is paving the regulatory path forward in the district’s clean energy policies with “PowerPath DC,” the next phase of its grid modernization efforts, according to an Aug. 2 press release. The new initiative will replace MEDSIS that was launched in 2015 to “modernize the distribution energy delivery system…
The California Public Utilities Commission on Aug. 1 revised a 1992 energy efficiency policy to allow funding for electrification efforts, paving the way for new programs that use electric technologies powered by emissions-free resources. The decision modifies the “three-prong test” that was originally adopted to avoid encouraging programs that involved substituting one fuel for another,…
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Aug 2 upheld the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company’s Atlantic Sunrise Project, finding that the agency acted lawfully under circuit precedent. The court rejected arguments that the agency improperly conducted its environmental assessment, failed to substantiate the…
The Maryland Public Service Commission has taken action against the retail energy supplier Smart One Energy LCC for enrolling customers without their consent, a practice known as ‘slamming’ and other violations of state law, according to an August 2 press release. The Commission suspended Smart One’s 2011 license to operate as a natural gas supplier in…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on July 30 proposed changes to remove restrictions from a 2015 rule, which limited coal ash use to 12,400 tons per site. The proposal is the agency’s latest effort to weaken the the Obama-era rule governing the disposal of coal ash, a toxic byproduct of coal-fired power plants. EPA is…
Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo on July 31 announced the launch of a 15-year modernization and digitization program to extend the life of the Niagara Power Project, the largest source of zero-carbon electricity in the state. The program centers on the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant, a 2.4-gigawatt hydroelectric plant, which began operating in 1961. The…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Aug. 1 proposed a rule to simplify the New Source Review program, which governs emission permits for building new or significantly retrofitted industrial facilities including power plants. The proposed rule clarifies that both projected emissions increases and decreases from a project can be considered during the first step of…