The New York Public Service Commission will hold a stakeholder conference to discuss a draft low- to moderate-income energy efficiency and building electrification implementation plan detailing programs and strategies to accelerate the achievement of energy savings over the next five years. The conference, focused on the downstate region, will include presentations on the draft plan and program design considerations, as well as an opportunity for stakeholder input. In May, the commission authorized approximately $1 billion per year over the next five years—to be administered by the state’s large investor-owned utilities and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority—to increase access to energy efficiency and clean energy solutions across the buildings sector. An additional stakeholder conference focused on the upstate region will be held on Aug. 7. 18-M-0084

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is due to receive concept papers for an $8 million competitive grant offered through the Pennsylvania Grid Resilience Grants Program for eligible resilience measures intended to mitigate the impact of electric grid disruptive events. The program is funded under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. The department seeks proposals for advanced, innovative, and transformative projects that enhance the reliability and resiliency of the grid while promoting the expansion of clean energy generation, workforce benefits and positive outcomes in disadvantaged communities. Full applications are due by Nov. 1.

The California Energy Commission will host a remote-access workshop to review data inputs and assumptions to be used for energy demand forecasting as part of its 2025 Integrated Energy Policy Report, or IEPR, proceeding. Commission staff will discuss federal policy changes and uncertainties that may impact the energy demand forecast and provide an overview of this year’s forecasting approach to address them. The IEPR is prepared every two years to provide assessments and forecasts of energy industry supply, production, transportation, delivery and distribution, demand, and prices. 25-IEPR-03

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will consider Coneflower Energy LLC’s application for site permits to construct a solar energy generating facility of up to 235 megawatts in Lyon County. The proposed project would span approximately 2,299 acres, with the solar facility expected to occupy 1,723 acres of the total land. The Apex Clean Energy Holdings subsidiary has proposed two options for facility interconnection. In the first scenario, the project would connect to Xcel Energy’s switching station adjacent to the proposed project site. The second involves a new transmission line connecting to a yet-to-be-permitted and constructed substation, which is the subject of a separate commission proceeding. GS-24-215

The California Public Utilities Commission will hold virtual public forums on the designation of priority neighborhood decarbonization zones that may become sites for pilot projects that transition customers off the natural gas distribution system to zero-emission energy services. The move is in response to Senate Bill 1221, enacted in 2024, directing the commission to designate these zones by Jan. 1, 2026 and to establish a voluntary program of up to 30 pilot projects by July 1, 2026 to help transition customers in those areas from natural gas service to cost-effective, zero-emission alternatives, such as electric appliances. Utilities have submitted maps of their natural gas distribution systems, planned pipeline replacements, and recommended decarbonization zones to advance this effort. The commission may only approve pilot projects in zones where at least 67 percent of natural gas customers provide written consent.

The California Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety seeks comments on Liberty Utilities’ 2026-2028 Base Wildfire Mitigation Plan. A recent workshop examined the mitigation plans proposed by Liberty Utilities, PacifiCorp, Horizon West Transmission, Trans Bay Cable, and LS Power Grid California. During the workshop, each utility presented responses to questions on a range of topics, including inspection technologies, equipment maintenance, and vegetation management. Comments on PacifiCorp’s plan are due by Aug. 22; for the remaining three utilities, comments are due by Sept. 5. 2026-2028-Base-WMPs