Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation will conduct an informational session to discuss its natural gas system and allow stakeholder participation in its long-term planning process. The New York Public Service Commission issued an order in May 2022 establishing a long-term gas system planning process for local gas distribution companies and requiring each company to hold an information session prior to the date of filing its initial long-term plan. The order also directed commission staff to facilitate meetings between a gas utility and stakeholders interested in its long-term plan. 20-G-0131

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection will hold a meeting of the Climate Change Advisory Committee. The agenda includes presentations of the 2024 Pennsylvania Climate Action Plan and 2024 Climate Impacts Assessment, as well as updates on the Climate Action for Environmental Justice Communities project. The meeting will also discuss updates to programs funded under the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.

The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority is expected to issue a final decision on an advanced metering infrastructure, or AMI, framework as part of its investigation into distribution system planning. The authority identified the deployment and effectual utilization of AMI as one of the key objectives to achieving a modernized grid. Recognizing that AMI will require significant capital investments that will be ultimately paid by ratepayers, the framework provides a regulatory roadmap for electric distribution companies, protection for ratepayers, and ensures that the investments advance the economic, energy, and environmental policy goals of the state. The framework also incorporates specific goals for AMI such as improving the utilization of the electric system, enabling businesses to operate more efficiently, and increasing customer engagement with their own energy footprint.

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will hold a public hearing to discuss Dodge County Wind LLC’s application to build an up to 259-megawatt wind project in Dodge, Mower, and Steele Counties. The installed capital costs for the proposed wind farm are estimated to be approximately $437 million to $529 million. The NextEra Energy Resources subsidiary anticipates that construction of the wind generating facility will begin in the second quarter of 2025 and the facility will begin commercial operation by the end of 2025. The company has entered into a power purchase agreement with Great River Energy for the full output of the project for a 30-year term. A remote access meeting will be held on Dec. 20. CN-20-865

The California Energy Commission and Air Resources Board are due to receive comments on the funding for zero-emission school buses and infrastructure under Senate Bill 114. Enacted in 2023, the legislation appropriated a total of $500 million to the agencies for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. The funding allocates $375 million in incentives awarded through the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Voucher Incentive Project for zero-emission emission school buses. The remainder will be awarded to local education agencies through a future program. 18-TRAN-01

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission is due to receive comments on biennial conservation plans filed by Avista Corporation, Puget Sound Energy, Cascade Natural Gas Corporation, and Northwest Natural Gas Company for the 2024-2025 period. The plans outline the companies’ biennial conservation targets and how they intend to achieve them. The commission requires gas utilities to consider all cost-effective demand side management resources in their energy portfolio on an equal and comparable basis with supply side resources. UG-230937