The New York State Public Service Commission will hold virtual hearings to receive public comments concerning Alle-Catt Wind Energy LLC’s application to construct a transmission line for a 340-megawatt wind electric generating facility in Cattaraugus County. In June 2020, Alle-Catt received approval to build and operate the wind farm. The transmission facility is designed to connect the planned project to an interconnection point that would be built adjacent to an existing line owned by New York State Electric and Gas Corporation and National Grid. 21-T-0059, 21-00108

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority will hold a public hearing on draft criteria for identifying disadvantaged communities to guide the equitable implementation of the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Under the law, New York must reduce economywide greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 and 85 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels, and attain a carbon-free power system by 2040. The draft provides an interactive map and a list of communities as well as criteria to direct initiatives that cut emissions, open economic development opportunities, and support investments in clean energy and energy efficiency. The department has scheduled 11 hearings during May and June to receive public input on the draft criteria based on geographic, public health, environmental hazard, and socioeconomic factors.

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 Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission will discuss Cascade Natural Gas Corporation’s application for adjustments of retail rates and charges applicable to natural gas services. The MDU Resources subsidiary is seeking an increase in base revenues of $13.7 million, or 5.12 percent, with a return on equity of 9.4 percent.

The California Independent System Operator Corp. will discuss a straw proposal for its Extended Day-Ahead Market initiative, or EDAM, a voluntary electricity market with the potential to deliver significant economic, environmental, and reliability benefits for participants across the West. The proposal seeks to extend the regional market into the day-ahead time frame, where the majority of energy transactions occur, in order to facilitate energy providers collaboration to share in the diversity of resources and system needs for enhanced reliability.

The California Air Resources Board and Québec’s Ministry of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change will release the results of their 31st joint quarterly carbon auction, which offered allowances for current and future years. The current auction offered 2016, 2020, and 2022 vintage allowances totaling nearly 58.33 million, and the advance auction offered 2025 future allowances totaling about 7.94 million. The previous auction sold all of the nearly 58.52 million current allowances at a price of $29.15 per allowance and over 7.07 million future allowances at $19.70 each. California’s cap-and trade program, which places an economy-wide cap on major emitting sources, is a central part of the state’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission is due to receive comments on a noise monitoring study for the Freeborn Wind Project. The project is designed to generate up to 200 megawatts of wind energy, with 48 megawatts being generated in Minnesota and the remaining 152 megawatts in Iowa. The commission issued a permit for the project in December 2018, and subsequently granted a request to transfer the permit to Xcel Energy Inc., which acquired the project in the following year. WS-17-410