The West Virginia Public Service Commission announced that customers will benefit from a decrease in the purchased gas portion of natural gas utilities’ rates, according to an Oct. 9 press release. The annual adjustment is an estimate of the prices utilities would pay for gas from November through October of the following year and a…
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…
An increasing number of electricity customers are gaining access to the competitive retail market, giving them a broader range of choices in suppliers of electric power. In a bid to ensure a more competitive and transparent market, states are strengthening rules on marketing by suppliers. Among recent actions, New York is examining the status of cybersecurity in the retail access industry, while Maryland is considering enhancements to the competitive market and customer choice framework.
Duke Energy Progress LLC asked the North Carolina Utilities Commission to approve its Hot Springs microgrid project consisting of a 2-megawatt solar facility and a 4-megawatt lithium-based battery storage facility in Madison County, according to an Oct. 8 filing with the agency. The company said the project provides an innovative grid solution without the need…
GE Capital entered into an agreement to sell a $1 billion portfolio comprised primarily of equity investments in energy assets to funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management LLC, according to the company’s Oct. 8 press release. The sale includes 20 investments in renewable energy, contracted gas-powered generation, and midstream energy infrastructure assets in…
Sen. John Barrasso, a Republican representing Wyoming, introduced legislation on Oct. 6 that would discontinue the tax credit for new electric vehicles and create a federal highway user charge for alternative fuel vehicles including plug-ins and fuel cell vehicles. Under current law, the credits apply for plug-in electric vehicles bought from 2010 and begin phasing…
Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, announced on Oct. 5 that two new initiatives, funded by the New York Power Authority at a total of $173 million, will help the New York Power Authority collect data more quickly and accurately through the installation of advanced sensors at facilities across the state, enabling the public power organization…
The Michigan Public Service Commission on Oct. 5 ruled that avoided costs set for Consumers Energy Co. last November can take effect, dismissing contentions that the utility has no capacity need for the next 10 years. The commission ruled that the integrated resource plan will be used to determine annual capacity requirements and that capacity…
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Oct. 5 authorized Pine River Wind Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Invenergy Renewables LLC, to sell its 161-megawatt wind generation project to DTE Electric Company. The wind facility, which is under construction, will be interconnected to the transmission system controlled by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator Inc.’s market. DTE…
The Potomac Electric Power Company proposed a transportation electrification program consisting of 13 offerings estimated to cost about $15.2 million, with projected ratepayer costs of about $9.9 million after accounting for participant contributions, revenues from public chargers, and funds from the ”MEDSIS” initiative that aims to modernize the energy delivery system, according to an Oct.…
The Michigan Public Service Commission on Oct. 5 approved Consumers Energy Company’s voluntary green pricing programs that allow customers to meet a portion of their electricity needs from renewable energy resources. The programs stem from legislation enacted in 2016 that requires all electric utilities, including regulated, municipally owned, cooperatives, and alternative suppliers, to give customers…
