The New York Department of Public Service will hold a technical conference regarding performance metrics for utility thermal energy network, or UTEN, projects pursuant to the 2022 Utility Thermal Energy Network and Jobs Act. The law allows for the creation of utility-scale thermal energy plants that would connect several buildings in a shared network. Such networks offer clean energy alternatives to natural gas, allowing utilities to offer customers a renewable energy source to meet their energy needs for heating and cooling. Prior conferences provided an opportunity for discussion of potential UTEN performance metrics, focusing on the topics of financial, customer, and societal metrics. The purpose of this conference is to review and discuss stakeholder submissions. 22-M-0429

Maryland utilities with retail choice are required to begin compliance with the Maryland Public Service Commission’s directives to implement price caps for residential electric and gas retail supply under Senate Bill 1 enacted earlier this year. Beginning in 2025, electricity suppliers may not charge residential customers for electric supply, other than green power, in excess of the trailing 12-month average standard offer service rate. Similarly, residential gas suppliers must charge no more than the trailing 12-year average default gas commodity price. Each utility is required to submit its calculated 12-month trailing average, as well as monthly updated 12-month average to begin implementing the price caps. READ MORE

The North Dakota Public Service Commission will conduct a public hearing regarding Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.’s proposed adjustments to retail rates and charges applicable to natural gas service. The MDU Resources Group Inc. subsidiary proposes an annual increase in natural gas service revenue of approximately $11.6 million, or 7.45 percent, with a return on equity of 10.5 percent.

The California Energy Commission will host a meeting of the Clean Transportation Program Investment Plan Advisory Committee to discuss funding allocations in a revised draft version of the 2024-2025 Investment Plan Update for the program. The meeting will include presentations on the implementation of the program and related zero-emission vehicle infrastructure analysis. A 2007 law established the program and authorized the commission to develop and deploy zero-emission and other advanced fuels and transportation technologies to help attain the state’s climate goals. Legislation enacted last year reauthorized the program until July 1, 2035 with some additions and revisions. The program has a base annual budget of about $100 million to support projects including electric vehicle charging and hydrogen refueling infrastructure and workforce training programs. In recent years, the commission has also received state General Funds and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds.

The California Energy Commission is due to receive comments regarding updates to the state’s home energy rating and labeling program. The commission recently held the second pre-rulemaking workshop to discuss updates to the voluntary program, which intends to assist homeowners, homebuyers, renters, and others in understanding the estimated energy performance of their homes. The discussion centered on key program requirements, including calculating a home’s electric and gas usage by end-use, estimating utility costs, and determining greenhouse gas emissions through building energy modeling software or similar methods. The overall goal of the program is to provide consumers with reliable information regarding the relative energy efficiency of a home. The program’s regulations have not been updated since they were adopted in 2008. 23-HERS-02