The District of Columbia Government, Washington Gas Light Company, and Sierra Club are expected to convene a settlement and stipulation conference concerning the company’s pipe-replacement plan. The company is seeking the District of Columbia Public Service Commission’s approval of its District Strategic Accelerated Facility Enhancement, or SAFE, Plan, a revised replacement of its PROJECTpipes plan. Through the SAFE plan, the company aims to continue addressing the highest-risk segments of aging, leak-prone mains and services while ensuring safe, reliable gas delivery and considering environmental impacts in the district. FC1179

Duke Energy is expected to file its 2025 Integrated Resource Plan Update with the South Carolina Public Service Commission. In October, the company filed its 2025 Carolinas Resource Plan, a biennial long-range energy modernization plan that supports grid reliability and clean energy integration across North Carolina and South Carolina. Customer energy needs across the Carolinas over the next 15 years are projected to grow at eight times the rate of the prior 15 years. The plan incorporates major policy changes at state and federal levels, including changes in federal regulations and tax credits that support advanced nuclear and battery storage while providing flexibility for existing coal and new natural gas generation. The projected increase in energy use is more than double the growth forecasted when the 2023 plan was filed.

The Oregon Public Utilities Commission seeks comments on proposed rule changes to streamline the implementation of intervenor funding, as required by House Bill 2475 enacted in 2021. This bill directed the commission to adopt rules for financial assistance agreements between public utilities and advocates for “environmental justice communities” and “low-income communities.” The funding, recoverable in utility rates, supports these groups’ participation in regulatory proceedings. The commission approved an agreement in early 2023 and subsequently adopted rules. The agreement was extended for one year, with the extension expiring Dec. 31, 2025. In October, the commission adopted an amended Justice Funding Agreement effective Jan. 1, 2026. The proposed rule changes are needed to codify the related updates and processes. AR 680

The Michigan Public Service Commission invites reply comments on Upper Peninsula Power Company’s distribution system plan. The company continues to enhance system reliability and performance through approved capital expenditure funds for distribution-related improvements, including creating switching corridors, performing cyclic vegetation management, and executing timely asset renewals. The commission recently issued distribution system plan filing guidelines to provide a standard approach for electric utilities’ distribution plans and to establish a comprehensive understanding of anticipated needs, priorities, and spending outside the contested rate case process. This allows stakeholders to evaluate investments to help meet the commission’s key planning objectives: safety, reliability and resiliency, cost-effectiveness and affordability, and accessibility. The commission is also reviewing plans filed by Alpena Power Company and Northern States Power Company. READ MORE

The California Energy Commission seeks comments on draft results related to energy demand forecast load modifiers and utility energization requests for the 2025 Integrated Energy Policy Report, or IEPR. Load modifiers include data centers and behind-the-meter distributed generation and storage, as well as additional achievable energy efficiency, fuel substitution, and transportation electrification. 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 California Air Resources Board and Québec’s Ministry of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks will release the results of their 45th joint quarterly carbon auction, which offered allowances for current and future years. The current auction offered 2023, 2024, and 2025 vintage allowances totaling about 51.3 million, and the advance auction offered 2028 future allowances totaling about 6.8 million. The previous auction held in August sold all of the nearly 51.9 million current allowances at a price of $28.76 per allowance and 7.2 million future allowances at $28.50 per allowance. California’s cap-and trade program places an economy-wide cap on major emitting sources. READ MORE