The Maryland Public Service Commission will conduct a virtual rulemaking session to consider proposed regulations governing applications for a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the construction of large-scale generating stations. The proceeding seeks to enhance transparency in the requirements, particularly in determining when an application is considered complete, in order to proceed with a review. Commission staff proposed regulations that would establish a new pre-application consultation requirement, establish a clear set of completeness criteria, and ensure that state agencies and local jurisdictions have adequate information to evaluate a proposal.

The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority will discuss the implementation of a process for electric utilities to distribute residential customer credits and reimbursements for storm-related outages. The agency held a technical meeting on March 12, to examine proposals by Eversource Energy and The United Illuminating Company in response to its January order regarding the implementation process. The order detailed specifications to be included in the proposals, such as circumstances, standards, and methodologies for the implementation. The agency also called for proposed parameters to identify customers who meet the specified criteria and issue credits using existing billing and processing procedures. Another hearing will be held on April 1. 20-12-46

Member states of the Transportation and Climate Initiative are due to receive comments on a draft model rule providing details and a schedule to implement the regional program designed to cap and reduce emissions from transportation fuels. The draft rule provides a common framework that each participating jurisdiction will use to develop its own regulations. In December 2020, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia announced a memorandum of understanding, committing to the multi-state initiative. The program is set to begin in 2023 after a reporting year to allow for additional jurisdictions to join. The remaining TCI states are Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Virginia. READ MORE

The New York Public Service Commission is due to receive comments on electric vehicle managed charging proposals from the state’s investor-owned electric utilities in response to the commission’s July 16 order approving the Make Ready Initiative to expedite the deployment of EV charging infrastructure. The commission approved a budget of $701 million for the initiative, of which $206 million will benefit disadvantaged and low- or moderate-income communities. The initiative aims to deploy more than 50,000 charging stations by 2025, coinciding with the state’s goal of reaching 850,000 zero-emission vehicles by that year. The program is expected to improve charging station economics by covering up to 90 percent of the costs to “make-ready” a site for charging. 18-E-0138

The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities is due to receive the 2020 grid modernization reports from the state’s electric distribution companies – National Grid plc, Unitil Corp, and Eversource Energy. The department adopted modifications to the reporting templates to ensure consistent reporting of information, and enable regulators and stakeholders to more easily cross reference and compare each company’s progress in implementing its grid modernization plan. The revisions pertain to calculation of system status data, spending, deployment of new technologies or approaches, and feeder level energy storage data. 21-30

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will consider an application by Regal Solar LLC for a site permit to build a 100-megawatt solar generation project in Benton County. The developer, a subsidiary of National Grid Renewables Development LLC, filed an amended permit application in August, proposing changes to the project, including a new 3.3-mile-long, double-circuit, above-ground, 34.5 kilovolt collection line that would connect the project to a new substation and a new Minnesota Power-owned switching station. The project would span an area of about 800 acres and is estimated to cost around $146 million. GS-19-395

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission is due to receive comments on CenterPoint Energy Resources Corp.’s request for an alternative mechanism to recover an estimated $500 million in additional natural gas costs incurred from Feb. 12-22. Disruptions in gas supply, combined with a steep rise in demand, led to extraordinary market conditions during the mid-February cold weather. Prices at delivery points to Minnesota increased dramatically to as much as $231 per dekatherm compared to the forecasted February weighted average cost of gas at $3.06 per dekatherm. The company said that existing mechanisms are likely not adequate to maintain financial health of the utility and mitigate customer impacts at a time when many customers are facing financial distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic. CenterPoint seeks to recover these costs over a two-year period starting on May 1 or as soon as possible. M-21-138