The New York Public Service Commission will hold a hearing to receive public comments regarding the proposed changes in the electric and gas delivery rates and practices of New York State Electric & Gas Corporation (NYSEG) and Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation (RG&E), subsidiaries of Avangrid Inc. Earlier in May 2022, both companies filed changes to their electric and gas tariff schedules, proposing to increase their annual electric and gas delivery revenues effective May 1, 2023. NYSEG proposes to increase its electric and natural gas delivery revenues by approximately $274 million and $43.4 million, respectively. Meanwhile, RG&E seeks revenue increases of about $93.8 million for electric delivery and $37.7 million for natural gas. 22-E-0317

The New York Public Service Commission is due to receive comments on issues related to the decommissioning of the Indian Point Energy Center, which ceased operations last year. The commission recently held a joint meeting of the Indian Point Closure Task Force and Decommissioning Oversight Board to examine their scope and goals, and receive presentations on key issues related to the decommissioning and spent fuel management. The task force is charged with exploring ways to mitigate local tax and workforce impacts and evaluate new economic opportunities and initiatives, as well as identifying a decommissioning timeline that is in the interest of local communities. The oversight board is required to assess ways to protect the interest of affected communities including current workforce and public safety. The three-unit Indian Point shut down its last nuclear reactor having a capacity of 1,040 megawatts on April 30, 2021, marking the end of 59 years of continuous power generation.

The California Energy Commission will hold a pre-application workshop regarding a solicitation to fund a block grant for projects aimed to promote and fund in-state battery manufacturing for zero-emission vehicles and related infrastructure. The commission staff developed a competitive block grant funding opportunity that will provide up to $100 million for ZEV battery manufacturing. The opportunity is part of the California Budget Act of 2021 which provides $3.9 billion over three fiscal years to support the transition toward ZEV technologies, including $1.165 billion to be administered by the commission. This includes $125 million for fiscal year 2021-22.

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission will hold a public comment hearing on Puget Sound Energy’ proposal to increase its electric and gas delivery revenues. The company has proposed a three-year rate plan for the 2023-2025 period and a return on equity of 9.9 percent. The plan proposes an increase in electric delivery revenues of about $310.5 million for 2023, $63 million for 2024, and $31.8 million for 2025. For natural gas revenues, the utility seeks increases of $143 million, $28.5 million, and $23.3 million for the first, second, and third years, respectively. Under the plan, a residential customer would see an average monthly bill increase of $12 for electricity and $9 for gas next year. READ MORE

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will consider Northern Wind Energy Redevelopment LLC’s request for a partial transfer of the permit for a portion of the 122-megawatt Northern Wind Repower project to Rock Aetna Power Partners LLC. The project consists of repowering of the existing 12-megawatt Viking wind project and the 85.5-megawatt Chanarambie wind project with the addition of the 20-megawatt Rock Aetna Power Partners Interconnection. The commission approved the project in March and issued a construction authorization in May. The project will also include the decommissioning of the existing Viking and Chanarambie projects. The company has requested a transfer of permit for the Rock Aetna portion of the project. WS-20-860

The Missouri Public Service Commission is due to receive applications to intervene or participate in its proceeding regarding amendments to the current certificate of convenience and necessity for the Grain Belt Express power line between Kansas and Indiana. In a notice filed in July, Grain Belt Express LLC said that the application to amend addresses a proposed 25 percent expansion of the total project capacity, from the original design of 4,000 megawatts to 5,000 megawatts. The proposed changes also include a five-fold increase in the line’s mid-point delivery capacity, enabling 50 percent of power to be delivered via the project’s Missouri converter station to be sized at 2,500 megawatts. No material changes to the route, right-of-way, or facility design are anticipated as a result of the requested amendments. In March 2019, the commission approved the project, which involves the construction and operation of the 780-mile high-voltage transmission line and associated facilities within eight Missouri counties. EA-2023-0017

The Hawaiian Electric Companies are due to select projects under the Community Based Renewable Energy, or CBRE, program. Following the end of a four-month window in July to conduct a competitive credit procurement mechanism, the companies announced that capacity shall be awarded to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. The program, established in 2015, allows utility customers to purchase shares in a renewable energy facility to offset their monthly energy consumption via a credit on their bills. 2015-0389

The California Energy Commission is due to receive comments on a funding solicitation concept for battery electric school buses under the Clean Transportation Program Investment Plan. For fiscal year 2021-2023, the plan allocates about $391 million for MD/HD infrastructure from the Clean Transportation Program and a one-time investment from the state general fund. The solicitation aims to advance and prepare the state’s schools to utilize vehicle-grid-integration for battery electric school buses in order to mitigate public safety power shutoff events and wildfires and create additional energy resources during high electricity demand periods.