Grid modernization efforts are increasingly focused on resilience and reliability to protect the system against extreme weather and cyberattacks. Lawmakers and regulators are pursuing reforms to ensure that policies keep pace with the rapidly changing resource mix to facilitate the transformation to a future grid capable of integrating the increasing number of intermittent resources and electric vehicles.
The California Public Utilities Commission on Aug. 4 took major steps and formalized procedures to consider the affordability of utility services in its upcoming activities to address the cost of utility services in the state. The action requires utilities to offer consumers the tools to evaluate the total affordability of planned rate surges throughout industries…...
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission approved new Intermountain Gas Company rate schedules by an interim Purchased Gas Cost Adjustment, or PGA, according to an Aug. 3 press release. Residential natural gas service rates increased by about 24.1 percent and commercial rates increased by about 27 percent. The rate change will increase Intermountain’s revenues by $67…...
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) and the State Department of Commerce (DOC) on Aug. 1 adopted new rules for electric utilities, marking an important step forward in the state’s transition to a clean energy future. The rule addresses various key aspects of the 2019 Clean Energy Transformation Act, or CETA, including the requirement…...
Performance-based regulation (PBR) is gaining momentum across U.S. states driven by policy and technology changes to meet decarbonization goals and changing customer expectations.
The Oregon Public Utilities Commission on July 29 approved an ongoing discount program on monthly bills for Cascade Natural Gas Corporation’s residential customers based on their income. The program contains four levels of discounts, varying from 15 percent to 95 percent, evaluated as a percentage of the bill. Qualifying customers must have an income level…...
New York Governor Kathy Hochul on July 28 announced the rollout of a $567 million COVID-19 bill credit program to help low-income electric and gas utility customers settle accrued bills incurred during the recent pandemic. The credit will reflect on customers’ August bills. Over 327,000 low-income customers are expected to directly benefit from the program…....
The Oregon Public Utility Commission has announced that the state’s electric utilities have filed plans to mitigate and prevent wildfire risk in the region. The plans are the first to be filed in response to legislation enacted in August 2021 requiring utilities to identify high-risk areas within their service territory and reduce those risks. The…
DetailsThe evolving retail electricity marketplace has prompted reforms to strengthen customer protections and expand options to access clean energy while addressing reliability concerns.
The Illinois Commerce Commission on July 22 directed Ameren to carry out a cost-benefit analysis of the company’s continued membership in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) versus joining the PJM Interconnection. MISO’s failure to fulfil resource demand in a capacity auction for the period June 2022-May 2023 triggered rising wholesale prices and utility bills…...
