The New York Public Service Commission is due to receive comments on a new proceeding to address the electrification needs of the medium- and heavy-duty, or MHD, vehicle sector. So far, the commission’s proceedings and policies to incentivize the development of EV charging infrastructure and programs have largely focused on light-duty passenger EVs. Therefore, this proceeding is intended to ensure a holistic approach that supports the decarbonization goals in the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. In March, commission staff issued a mid-point review of the Make Ready program run by the state’s large investor-owned utilities to provide incentives for the installation of light-duty EV infrastructure. The review proposed interim programmatic changes to the initiative, including a $30 million increase in funding for the MHD Make-Ready Pilot and streamlining the Fleet Assessment Service application process. 23-E-0070

The New York Public Service Commission will hold the seventh meeting of the Avoided Cost of Gas Working Group to discuss lost and unaccounted-for gas, or LAUF, estimate and gas for company use. LAUF refers to loss associated with leakage of natural gas, as well as other factors, from the distribution system that utilities manage. The working group, established by a May 2022 order, is tasked with addressing a range of issues including commodity, peaking, and pipeline capacity costs; the marginal cost of gas related to transmission and distribution facilities; gas for company use; and system losses. Under the order, utilities must file long-term plans every three years including at least one scenario with no new traditional gas infrastructure, and quantify emissions. READ MORE

The North Carolina Utilities Commission is due to receive comments on a draft proposed rule governing the biennial carbon plan and integrated resource plan of Duke Energy Carolinas LLC and Duke Energy Progress LLC. Legislation enacted in 2021 mandates a 70 percent reduction in emissions from electricity generating assets in North Carolina owned or utilized by the companies by 2030, relative to 2005 levels, and carbon neutrality by 2050. The commission adopted an initial carbon plan in December 2022, providing direction for the companies to engage with staff and stakeholders to draft the proposal. READ MORE

The California Energy Commission is due to receive comments on the results of consulting firm Energy and Environmental Economic Inc.’s final analysis assessing the role of energy storage, including long duration energy storage, in meeting California’s clean energy goals. A 2018 state law requires all retail electricity to be supplied by zero-carbon resources by 2045. Previous studies by the firm have indicated that greenhouse gas reductions of 90 percent or more in the electricity sector are achievable with current technology, which includes a mix of solar photovoltaics, wind resources – both in-state and out-of-state – and existing energy storage technologies such as lithium-ion batteries and pumped hydro or compressed air. However, reaching a 100 percent emissions reduction goal may require newer technologies, including different types of long-duration energy storage. 20-MISC-01

The Idaho Public Utility Commission is due to receive comments on Idaho Power’s application to modify the timeframe for determining the prudence of expenditures related to the Hells Canyon Complex, which consists of three hydropower projects located in Idaho and Oregon on the Snake River. The company seeks to extend the timeframe for expenses incurred after Dec. 31, 2015. The IDACORP Inc. subsidiary has been operating the 1,167-megawatt hydropower project under annual licenses since 2005. Idaho Power has an application pending with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to obtain relicensing and anticipates a draft supplemental environmental review in June, with a final review expected in December, and expects a final FERC determination and license in 2024 or 2025. The company said that this anticipated FERC determination supports modifying the timeframe as it would otherwise be required to file two requests for prudence determination in a short period of time. IPC-E-23-13

The California Air Resources Board and Québec’s Ministry of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change will release the results of their 35th joint quarterly carbon auction, which offered allowances for current and future years. The current auction offered 2023 vintage allowances totaling nearly 56.1 million, and the advance auction offered 2026 future allowances totaling about 7.6 million. The previous auction held in February sold all of the nearly 56.4 million current allowances at a price of $27.85 per allowance and 7.6 million future allowances at $27.01 per allowance. California’s cap-and trade program places an economy-wide cap on major emitting sources. READ MORE