The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities is due to receive comments on proposed municipal aggregation guidelines aimed to create a more efficient and streamlined process for Massachusetts cities and towns to establish municipal aggregation programs for their residents and businesses. The department has proposed guidelines, as well as a proposed template plan designed to aid municipalities in developing new municipal aggregation plans. The new simplified process and rules would accelerate the department’s review of these plans and enhance consumer protections.

The New York Public Service Commission will hold a hearing to discuss Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corporation’s proposal to increase its annual electric and gas delivery revenues effective July 1, 2024. The company seeks an increase in electric delivery revenues of $139.5 million, a 31.9 percent increase in base delivery revenues or a 16.4 percent increase in total revenues. For natural gas, the company proposes an increase of $41.5 million, which represents a 29.2 percent increase in base delivery revenues or a 19 percent increase in total revenues. Comments on the case are due by Sep. 29.

The Maryland Public Service Commission will hold a hearing to discuss Baltimore Gas and Electric Company’s three-year proposal to increase its electric and gas delivery revenues. The company seeks a combined electric and gas rate increase of $602.4 million over three years, which represents a total bill increase of five percent per year for the average residential customer. The company’s proposed return on equity in this case is 10.4 percent. Comments on the case are due by Sep. 29. 9692

The New York Public Service Commission will hold a joint meeting of the Indian Point Closure Task Force and Decommissioning Oversight Board established to provide guidance and support for communities affected by the three-unit Indian Point Energy Center ceasing operations. The task force is charged with exploring ways to mitigate local tax and workforce impacts and evaluate new economic opportunities and initiatives, as well as identifying a decommissioning timeline that is in the interest of local communities. The oversight board is required to assess ways to protect the interest of affected communities including current workforce and public safety. Indian Point, which had a capacity of 1,040 megawatts, shut down its last nuclear reactor on April 30, 2021, marking the end of 59 years of continuous power generation.

The Maryland Public Service Commission will hold a hearing to discuss Washington Gas Light Company’s application for adjustments of retail rates and charges applicable to natural gas services. The WGL Holdings subsidiary is seeking a net increase of $49.4 million, which is expected to increase the average residential heating and cooling customer’s bill by 5.3 percent per year, with a return on equity of 10.75 percent. 9704

The California Public Utilities Commission is due to receive comments regarding the proposed 2024 Wildfire Fund Non-Bypassable Charge. The fund, established under a 2019 law, aims to pay eligible claims from covered wildfires, as defined by statute. The law required that the commission consider using its existing authority to require certain investor-owned utilities to impose an annual charge on eligible customers for the revenue requirement that would support the wildfire fund. The commission determined that establishing a wildfire fund charge was just and reasonable, and established a total combined annual revenue requirement of $902.4 million through 2035, and determined that the charge is to be collected from eligible customers on a dollar per kilowatt-hour basis. READ MORE

The California Energy Commission is due to receive comments on a report assessing the amount and type of charging infrastructure needed to support electric vehicles in California in 2030 and 2035. A 2018 law required the commission to publish a biennial report on the charging infrastructure needed for California to meet its zero-emission vehicle targets by 2030. A 2020 executive order expanded the targets including a goal for all in-state sales of new passenger cars and trucks to be zero-emission by 2035 and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to be zero-emission by 2045 for operations where feasible and by 2035 for drayage trucks. The commission recently held a workshop to discuss the assessment’s charging infrastructure needs and the differences from the first report, and to solicit public feedback. 19-AB-2127

The California Energy Commission is due to receive comments on the potential adoption of hydrogen to help decarbonize the electric generation and transportation sectors as part of the 2023 Integrated Energy Policy Report, or IEPR. The commission recently held a workshop where staff presented initial findings and perspectives on preliminary analysis of the potential adoption of hydrogen to support decarbonization. Staff also solicited feedback and identified priority areas of future analyses including in the 2025 IEPR. The commission’s Energy Research and Development Division also gave a presentation on hydrogen-focused research and development projects being funded through the Gas R&D, Electric Program Investment Charge, and Clean Hydrogen programs. 23-IEPR-06