ISO New England Inc. is equipped to meet winter demand which is forecast to peak at 20,357 megawatts under normal conditions and 21,057 megawatts at extreme temperatures, according to a Nov. 28 press release. Based on lessons learned from last winter, the grid operator recently unveiled new initiatives including a 21-day forecast of the region’s…
Judge Brian Morris of the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana, in a Nov. 28 hearing, said that pre-construction activities may continue for the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline. The hearing was held in response to TransCanada Corp.’s motion to allow pre-construction and planning work related to the line following a court decision…
The Council of the District of Columbia voted unanimously on Nov. 27 to advance a bill that would double the renewable energy portfolio standard to 100 percent by 2032, from the current target of 50 percent. The bill, which amends the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard Act of 2004, would require utilities operating in the District…
The Illinois Power Agency on Nov. 26 unveiled a final supplemental funding plan for the “Illinois Solar for All Program” established under the 2016 Future Energy Jobs Act which modernized the state’s renewable portfolio standard to ensure long-term funding sources for purchasing renewable resources. The program is intended to encourage the development of new distributed…
The North Carolina Utilities Commission on Nov. 26 approved Duke Energy Progress LLC’s proposed decrement rate to reflect about $103.88 million in annual revenue impact from the federal tax law that slashed income tax rates to 21 percent from 35 percent effective Jan. 1. The change will offset a rate hike slated to go into…
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission accepted California Independent System Operator Corporation’s request for a one-year extension of market rule changes to manage natural gas constraints posed by limited operability of the Aliso Canyon storage facility following a major gas leak in October 2015, according to a Nov. 26 order. The facility, operated by Southern California…
SCANA Corporation and its subsidiary South Carolina Electric & Gas Company reached a settlement with petitioners in a class action lawsuit over the costs that electric ratepayers have made towards the abandoned VC Summer nuclear power project, according to a Nov. 24 press release. SCANA agreed to pay credit of up to $2 billion in…
New Jersey completed 100,000 installations, a landmark in the state’s thriving solar industry which has benefitted from net metering, a renewable portfolio standard, and a solar renewable energy credit or SREC market, according to a Nov. 23 press release from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. In May, the state enacted legislation that phases…
Electricity usage pattern on the Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday of November every year, is unlike other normal weekdays as demand peaks in the late morning when families prepare meals and gather to celebrate the holiday, according to a Nov. 20 report from the Energy Information Administration. Overall electricity demand on Thanksgiving Day tends to…
California is not on track to meet the emission reductions expected under the Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008 that required the state’s 18 metropolitan planning organizations to incorporate “Sustainable Communities Strategies” in their regional transportation plans to cut emissions from driving, according to a report from the California Air Resources Board. The report…
The continued growth in electric vehicle (EV) adoption has led state regulators to pay more attention to business models and rate designs that facilitate wider availability of charging infrastructure. Most recently, Pennsylvania took a big step towards innovative and dynamic pricing by clarifying that third party EV charging is not considered resale or redistribution of power. California is considering a utility proposal to replace demand charges with new subscription pricing, allowing customers to select the required amount of power for their stations. New York is analyzing the characteristics of charging systems to foster EV participation as a distributed resource. Iowa is examining business models for EV charging, while Illinois is exploring rate structures and charging practices to guide efficient integration of electric vehicles.
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved an application process for the state’s zero-emission credit program established under legislation enacted in May to compensate the fuel diversity and zero-carbon attributes of nuclear power, according to a Nov. 19 press release. Nuclear plant operators applying for the credits must meet specific criteria including their contribution…
