The New York Public Service Commission is due to receive comments on a rate case settlement filed by New York State Electric & Gas Corporation and Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation, both subsidiaries of Avangrid Inc., for three years starting from May 1, 2020. Under the proposal, electric revenue increases for NYSEG and RG&E would be $219 million and $74 million, respectively for the three-year period. The companies also proposed to decrease their natural gas revenues in the first year and subsequently increase said revenues in the following two years.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority is due to receive submissions for large-scale renewable energy projects capable of generating 1.6 million megawatt hours or more per year. In July, Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo announced solicitations seeking up to 4 gigawatts of renewable capacity, including 2.5 gigawatts of offshore wind and 1.5 gigawatts of land-based large-scale projects. The agency will coordinate with the New York Power Authority in conducting land-based project solicitations. The selected projects will be fast-tracked under a recent law, which established a renewable energy siting office to accelerate large-scale projects. READ MORE

The Michigan Public Service Commission will discuss Enbridge Energy LP’s request for siting authority to relocate a segment of the Line 5 oil and gas pipeline to a tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac. In June, the commission rejected a request for a declaratory ruling that Enbridge already has authority to replace the segment under a 1953 order that approved the pipeline, since the proposal differs significantly from the original project. Considering the significant public interest in the issue, the commission deferred action on Enbridge’s April 17 application for approval of the replacement, in order to consider whether new authority is required. The commission decided to address the proposal through a contested case. READ MORE

The California Public Utilities Commission will discuss the opportunities and challenges regarding the use of energy alternatives to power safe-to-energize substations during utility public safety power shut-offs. Electric utilities may shut off power as a last-resort safety measure to reduce the risk of utility infrastructure starting wildfires. The commission adopted additional guidelines for the investor-owned electric utilities ahead of the 2020 wildfire season to address some of the issues that came to light during the 2019 shut off events. As a temporary measure, PG&E is implementing mobile diesel power generators at substations. The workshop will also examine the role of microgrids in enhancing resilience. READ MORE

The California Energy Commission is due to receive comments on plug-in electric vehicle charging infrastructure following a series of workshops held as part of its 2020 integrated energy policy report update. The commission is exploring ways to improve planning and modelling efforts together with community engagement to ensure equitable access to robust technology. Additionally, the agency is examining funding programs for zero emission vehicles and the opportunities for economic recovery and workforce development through clean transportation investments. 20-IEPR-02