The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission will consider Unitil Energy Systems Inc’s application for adjustments of retail rates and charges applicable to its electric service. The Unitil Corporation subsidiary asked for an annual revenue increase of $12 million, which would result in a monthly bill increase of 4.4 percent for the average customer, proposed to take effect on May 2, 2021. The company also requested a temporary rate hike of approximately $5.8 million which represents an increase of $3.01 for residential customers consuming an average of 600 kilowatts per hour, to be effective June 1, 2021. DE 21-030

The Maryland Public Service Commission will discuss climate equity and low- to moderate-income goals and programs as part of EmPOWER Maryland, the state’s energy efficiency program. The current goal structure for EmPOWER is mandated by legislation through the end of the 2021-2023 program cycle and the commission is required to provide the General Assembly with recommendations on future goals and cost-effectiveness tests by July 1, 2022. An order issued in December 2020 authorized the transition to the next three-year program cycle and approved various proposals by the program administrators to continue operating the core energy efficiency programs in 2021-2023.

The Illinois Commerce Commission is due to receive reply comments regarding utilities’ preparedness to tackle weather-related crises with minimal impact on customers. The commission opened a notice of inquiry in response to the mid-February winter storm event that affected the south-central U.S., forcing natural gas processing plants and compressor stations to shut down. The reduction in supply, coupled with an increase in demand for home heating, caused prices to soar from about $3.50 to nearly $24 per MMBtu between Feb. 10 and Feb. 17, reaching as high as $255 for gas delivered to Illinois by pipelines. The commission is examining a range of topics including current wholesale and retail policies relevant to pricing during an extreme event, cost recovery mechanisms to mitigate the final impacts on utilities and ratepayers, and coordination between water, electric and gas utilities to strengthen resilience and reliability of utility distribution systems.

The Missouri Public Service Commission will consider Spire Missouri Inc’s. application for adjustments of retail rates and charges applicable to its natural gas service. The Spire Inc. subsidiary asked for an annual revenue increase of $65 million, which would result in a monthly bill increase of $3.28 for the average customer. The company also requested a rebasing of approximately $47 million of the Infrastructure System Replacement Surcharge, which is already being recovered in rates. GR-2021-0108

The Michigan Public Service Commission is due to receive comments on a report that provides draft competitive procurement guidelines for rate-regulated electric utilities. The report is the result of an August 2020 order that directed the commission staff to convene a workgroup to develop recommended competitive bidding rules or guidance, in order to ensure a technology-neutral market response and value for ratepayers through transparency, equitable access, and certainty in bidding processes. The commission called for guidance that aligns with the planning processes being developed through the collaborative under MI Power Grid, a multi-year stakeholder initiative aimed to maximize the benefits of the shift to clean and distributed energy resources. The agency seeks substantive comments on specific topics including whether it should adopt the guidelines and initiate a rulemaking proceeding for competitive procurement. U-20852

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission is due to receive comments on Puget Sound Energy’s transportation electrification plan for the 2021-2026 period. The plan details a five-year strategic framework for activities and expenditures that will advance electrified transportation in the state. The company intends to spend approximately $75 million during the period for various transportation electrification products and services. Within the total budget, 25 percent is dedicated to support disadvantaged communities and income eligible customers. The spending projection may be adjusted due to changes in market forecasts and future rate proceedings. READ MORE