The Maryland Public Service Commission will consider utilities’ plans for EmPOWER Maryland, the state’s energy efficiency program, for the 2021-2023 period. Utilities are required to achieve energy savings reductions equivalent to two percent of sales per year for the 2020-2030 program cycle based on 2016 gross retail sales and electricity losses. The commission staff recommends that a new goal be considered to design future programs and allow enough time for stakeholders and the commission to determine the best course for the program beginning in 2024. The hearing will consider other filings and reports under the program including the Cost Recovery Work Group report and financing proposals for the 2021-2023 program cycle. 9648

The District of Columbia Public Service Commission is due to receive concept papers on potential pilot projects to advance the district’s clean energy and grid modernization goals. The PowerPath DC Governance Board is seeking concepts that support the goals identified by stakeholders throughout the PowerPath DC working group process, such as lowering emissions, expanding distributed resources, and increasing enrollment of low- and moderate-income customers. Launched in August 2019, PowerPath replaces the 2015 MEDSIS initiative to advance the commission’s grid modernization efforts. The district has a goal of achieving 50 percent emissions reduction and 100 percent renewable energy in 2032.

The New York Public Service Commission will discuss Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corporation’s application for adjustments of retail rates and charges applicable to its electric and gas services. The Fortis Inc. subsidiary asked for an annual revenue increase of $32.8 million for electric services, with a proposal to moderate the hike with $20 million in bill credits for projected net regulatory liability balances, which would raise residential bills by about 2.82 percent. The company proposed to increase its gas delivery revenues by about $14.4 million with a similar proposal to moderate the impact with $8 million of bill credits, resulting in a 2.76 percent increase in the total bill of an average residential heating customer. 20-E-0428, 20-G-0429

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission will discuss the status of projects and initiatives under the Renewable Procurement and Community-Based Renewable Energy program. Among the key topics of discussion, the conference will consider projects in the first phase of the program and the impacts of interconnection processes on project costs and timeliness. The commission will also discuss proposed delays of certain renewable energy projects resulting from Hawaiian Electric Company Inc.’s interconnection requirements studies, as well as plans to replace projects that have withdrawn from power purchase contract negotiations. 2015-0389

The Utah Public Service Commission will discuss an application by Rocky Mountain Power, a unit of PacifiCorp, for adjustment of rates and charges applicable to electric service. The hearing pertains to Phase I of the company’s general rate case addressing cost of capital and revenue requirement. In its application filed in May, PacifiCorp asked for an increase of $95.8 million to current base rates and a return on equity of 10.2 percent for an overall Utah revenue requirement of $2.097 billion. The major revenue requirement components are new capital investments and changes in depreciation rates. The company anticipates about $4.9 billion in capital projects, on a total-company basis, to be placed into service to serve Utah customers between Jan.1, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2021. 20-035-04

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission is due to receive reply comments regarding the evaluation of utilities’ ongoing or planned investments that may help the state’s economy recover from the slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In May, the commission directed regulated electric and gas utilities to provide a list of investments pertaining to utility system benefits, infrastructure or pipeline safety plans, and conservation plans, among others. The agency seeks input on several topics including the process for evaluating the investment and available options to reduce ratepayer impacts. Utilities have filed the first tranche of investments planned to start construction in 2021. Xcel Energy Inc. has filed a plan to invest almost $3 billion in accelerated and incremental projects. CI-20-492