The Vermont Public Utility Commission seeks comments on recommendations for unspent funds regarding electric or natural gas energy efficiency charge or thermal-energy-process-fuels during the 2021-2023 performance period. The commission set a Jan. 14 deadline for filings on identifying whether any unspent funds exist for activities by Vermont Gas Systems Inc., the City of Burlington Electric Department, and the Vermont Department of Public Service, and to determine the allocation of such funds. 24-3694-INV

The Maine Public Utilities Commission will hold a technical conference to discuss Efficiency Maine Trust’s triennial plan for fiscal years 2026-2028, the sixth plan pursuant to the Efficiency Maine Trust Act. Electric utilities and natural gas utilities, the main sources of Efficiency Maine’s funding, are required to procure maximum achievable cost-effective energy efficiency resources. In response to recent legislation, this plan also introduces specific budget allocations, strategies, and metrics for beneficial electrification, a suite of measures counted as part of electricity efficiency savings. 2024-00310

The District of Columbia Public Service Commission seeks comment on a draft proposal for an integrated distribution system planning, or IDSP, framework. The commission initiated the IDSP process for modernizing the electric grid to accommodate the growing demands of a clean energy future while enabling the integration of distributed energy resources, such as solar power, energy storage, and electric vehicles.

The Colorado Public Utilities Commission will hold a technical conference to discuss the Public Service Company of Colorado’s 2025-2027 Wildfire Mitigation Plan and Public Safety Power Shutoff Plan. The Xcel Energy subsidiary’s plan includes measures to replace or mitigate equipment that may be associated with higher wildfire risk, and targeted undergrounding of power lines and expanded vegetation management efforts in high-risk areas. The company has requested $1.9 billion to execute the plan, which if approved, would increase the typical residential customer’s bill by approximately 9.56 percent, or $8.88 per month, through incremental bi-annual changes. 24A-0296E

The Washington Department of Ecology seeks comments on a potential linkage agreement to establish a shared carbon market with that of California and Quebec. In September, the three jurisdictions announced their intent to begin formally discussing a potential agreement. These discussions will take place alongside the completion of California and Québec’s current cap-and-trade regulatory updates and subsequent linkage evaluation processes. Linkage would create joint auctions, enabling market participants to trade across jurisdictions, resulting in uniform allowance prices and a larger pool of allowances available to businesses. Washington’s latest carbon auction saw a rebound, with current allowances clearing at a price 35 percent higher than the previous auction. READ MORE

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission seeks comments on Amazon Data Services Inc.’s request for an exemption from certificate of need requirements for emergency backup generators at its proposed data center in Becker, Minnesota. The company plans to build a data center with a peak power demand of up to 600 megawatts supplied by Xcel Energy. To ensure reliable backup power during outages, Amazon proposes using approximately 250 generators that will operate only during power interruptions or routine maintenance and will be electrically isolated from Xcel Energy’s grid, preventing power flow back into local distribution or transmission systems. The backup system will not require additional infrastructure, such as interconnection facilities or transmission upgrades. CN-24-435