The Oregon legislature is set to adjourn just days after Republican senators walked out of the assembly and fled the state to prevent a vote on House Bill 2020, which would create a cap-and-trade program. If passed, the bill would make Oregon the second state after California to adopt the market-based approach to slashing greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change. The Democratic Senate President, Peter Courtney has already stated that not enough Democrats support the bill for it to pass, but the walkout has already left hundreds of other bills frozen.

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission is due to receive Xcel Energy Inc.’s integrated resource plan for the period of 2020 to 2034. In January, the commission granted Xcel’s request for a five-month delay to submit the next resource plan, in order to provide enough time to complete discussions with stakeholders, particularly, studies regarding statewide demand-side potential and the impacts of power-plant closures. RP-15-21

The Arizona Corporation Commission is due to receive electric vehicle project proposals from the state’s utilities. They will form part of a transportation electrification plan, designed to promote electric vehicles in the state and stimulate the development of statewide support and charging infrastructure. The regulator is also looking for proposals on education and outreach, rate design, incentives, rebates, and cost recovery. RU-00000A-18-0284

California Independent System Operator Corporation’s reliability coordinator service, named RC West, is set to begin operations. The RC will offer services for 16 balancing authorities and transmission operators in California, including one in northern Mexico. The grid operator expects RC West to offer its services to 24 additional entities after further review by NERC and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council, expanding reliability oversight for 87 percent of the U.S. electricity load in the Western Interconnection. READ MORE

The Colorado Public Utilities Commission is scheduled to receive amendments to Xcel Energy’s clean energy plan following some failed bids. The company will also issue the new request for proposals by this date. The $2.5 billion plan seeks to add up to 1 gigawatt of wind, 700 megawatts of solar, 700 megawatts of natural gas and 225 megawatts of energy storage as well as the closure of two coal-fired power plants. The plan is projected to save customers about $215 million. Public Service Company of Colorado is a subsidiary of Xcel Energy. 16A-0396E