Regulation & Policy: Page 69
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Duke, AEP, FirstEnergy tell FERC future COVID-19 uncertainty presents 'significant risk'
Although utilities have not yet seen substantive threats to their capital, they insist to federal regulators that potential future hurdles will require "adequate and timely" cost recovery from states.
By Catherine Morehouse • July 10, 2020 -
Pennsylvania House OKs bill curbing state's ability to join RGGI in ongoing dispute with governor
The move comes as regulators released an analysis showing that limits on carbon dioxide and other power plant pollutants would produce significant economic and health benefits.
By Larry Pearl • July 9, 2020 -
Trendline
The Energy Transition to Renewables
New policy and business actions are giving a significant boost to renewable energy in the U.S., but opposition is growing and grid interconnection, permitting, labor and other challenges remain.
By Utility Dive staff -
California regulators instruct utilities to incorporate climate planning into rate cases
The CPUC is the first regulator in the country evaluating the potential of climate change impact on utility planning, according to a senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council.
By Kavya Balaraman • Updated Aug. 28, 2020 -
Natural gas pipeline developers aim to differentiate from Atlantic Coast and avoid its fate
The Constitution Pipeline and Atlantic Coast Pipeline have been abandoned within months of each other, and natural gas developers are working to establish differences between themselves and the unsuccessful projects.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • July 8, 2020 -
DC Circuit pipeline ruling could prompt dramatic shift in FERC power sector actions, attorneys say
The ruling could have major consequences for stakeholders requesting a rehearing from the commission in the gas and electricity sectors.
By Catherine Morehouse • July 8, 2020 -
Regulators reject utility moves to recover revenue lost to COVID-19 as analysts, advocates see trend continuing
After swift dismissals in Indiana and Wisconsin, analysts say utilities' requests to raise rates could have a disproportionately negative impact on ratepayers, especially if load decreases become permanent.
By Emma Penrod • July 7, 2020 -
Deep Dive
Momentum grows for piloting Netflix-like fixed subscription rates, but not everyone's on board
For customers who want predictable bills, pairing automated smart distribution technologies with flat rates can resolve the overuse challenge of traditional fixed bills.
By Herman K. Trabish • July 7, 2020 -
Interior Department to streamline offshore wind permitting, nix unsolicited leasing
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management plans to issue proposed rules this month to deregulate offshore wind and facilitate more development, according to the Trump administration's Spring Regulatory Agenda.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • July 6, 2020 -
Column
Taking Charge: Wisconsin's newest utility commissioner on the state's 'utility-scale changeover'
Wisconsin Public Service Commissioner Tyler Huebner spoke to Utility Dive about the state's transition from coal and toward a greener, more distributed grid.
By Catherine Morehouse • July 6, 2020 -
NERA counters broad opposition to FERC net metering petition, reveals utility-linked member
Attorneys for the New England Ratepayers Association have revealed one of its members — the president and founder of energy consulting firm Brant Energy, whose clients include National Grid, Eversource and DTE Energy.
By Catherine Morehouse • July 2, 2020 -
Florida's customer-sited solar reaches new heights as regulators oppose federal petition to upend net metering
The Florida Public Service Commission joined other states to oppose a national petition in support of state-led net metering policies.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • July 1, 2020 -
House Democrats release sweeping climate proposal calling for net-zero US emissions by 2050
The proposal does not eliminate natural gas fracking and leaves the door open for carbon capture technology.
By Catherine Morehouse • July 1, 2020 -
Opinion
How utilities can support diverse business entities impacted by the COVID-19 crisis
Diverse business entities are facing financial uncertainty, reductions in allowable work and cash flow crises due to the pandemic, the authors write.
By Ronnette Anderson and Laura Orfanedes • July 1, 2020 -
Deep Dive
Battery energy storage is getting cheaper, but how much deployment is too much?
As renewable penetrations rise, batteries are the answer to variability, but it is not clear when buying more storage stops increasing reliability.
By Herman K. Trabish • June 30, 2020 -
Opinion
Federalizing net metering is unequivocally anti-conservative
If the conservative movement is to achieve more victories at the energy regulatory margin, it needs to coalesce, move past generic posturing and start diving deep into institutional contexts, the author writes.
By Devin Hartman • June 30, 2020 -
Comprehensive energy bill could see Senate floor as early as July: Murkowski chief counsel
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, "is absolutely 110% committed to this bill," Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chief Counsel Lucy Murfitt said. "She's gonna fight until there's just simply no path forward left for the bill."
By Catherine Morehouse • June 30, 2020 -
House Democrats unveil major clean energy bill as Senate GOP mulls timeline for economic stimulus
Democrats' clean energy push has not gained traction, but Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., says Republicans will come to the table eventually.
By Catherine Morehouse • Updated July 2, 2020 -
Opinion
A short-term vision for sustainable recovery
A new report from the International Energy Agency envisions a green economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, but the plan lacks long-term vision, the author writes.
By Saara Kujala • June 29, 2020 -
'A critical milestone': PG&E first gas-electric IOU to publicly support California's all-electric construction
A company executive said it "welcomes the opportunity to avoid investments in new gas assets that might later prove underutilized as local governments and the state work together to realize long-term decarbonization objectives."
By Kavya Balaraman • June 26, 2020 -
Opinion
California's storage limbo: Over $300M in projects are stuck on a CPUC waitlist, but there's an easy fix
California has $600 million in idle funds that can be used to advance energy storage projects; reallocating them would be the shot in the arm the state needs now, the author writes.
By Ted Ko • June 25, 2020 -
Nevada moves to adopt stricter vehicle emission standards amid continuing federal-state battle
The Trump administration has rescinded waivers necessary for states to set their own vehicle emission standards, but that hasn't stopped Nevada and others from showing interest.
By Robert Walton • June 24, 2020 -
Opinion
Hard truths about net metering and the perils of regulatory nihilism
Due to poor retail rate design, full retail net metering as calculated today is overwhelmingly regressive, former FERC Commissioner Tony Clark says.
By Tony Clark • June 24, 2020 -
Manchin presses FERC to keep West Virginia coal online, as advocate questions identity of new plant owners
Longview Power declared bankruptcy in April, citing pressure from natural gas, a mild winter and the COVID-19 pandemic on its sole asset, a 700 MW merchant coal-fired plant.
By Catherine Morehouse • June 24, 2020 -
US localities signed 335 renewable energy deals since 2015: report
A new renewables action tracker details the energy transactions made by local governments in the last five years, and the complementing efforts to influence renewable energy policy.
By Chris Teale • June 24, 2020 -
ACEEE highlights 10 building energy performance standards to help meet climate goals
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy issued a white paper Monday outlining different standards, ranging from Tokyo's cap-and-trade program to Washington State's clean buildings bill.
By Kristin Musulin • June 24, 2020