Regulation & Policy: Page 72
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Exelon, PSEG urge New Jersey to adopt FRR alternative to PJM, as competitive providers push for CASPR
Utilities and competitive suppliers have expressed concern that FERC's Minimum Offer Price Rule would harm coastal states' nascent offshore wind industry, but have competing proposals over how to save it.
By Catherine Morehouse • May 21, 2020 -
D.C. Circuit gives new life to Maryland drive to tighten pollution limits for upwind coal plants
The Tuesday ruling could not only help Maryland, but other states seeking remedies to meet federal ozone standards as well.
By Larry Pearl • May 20, 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 -
Oregon proposes omitting power plants from 'cap and reduce' plan to meet GHG target
A new report from environmental regulators questions the ability of state-specific emissions caps to drive greenhouse gas reductions in the power sector, so officials are considering another approach: ratemaking.
By Emma Penrod • May 20, 2020 -
PJM, retail suppliers scrambling to appease MOPR concerns amid state threats to exit capacity market
Critical stakeholders are signaling they may be willing to negotiate as Maryland, New Jersey and others are looking for a way out of the capacity market.
By Catherine Morehouse • May 20, 2020 -
PJM MOPR could cost market consumers up to $2.6B annually, report finds
While stakeholders widely agree that the next auction will likely not lead to cost increases, a recent report finds long-term impacts could cost up to $24 billion over the next nine years.
By Catherine Morehouse • May 19, 2020 -
Opinion
6 reasons why California needs to deploy dynamic pricing by 2030
The state's mandate for 100% renewable energy by 2045 will create challenges for system reliability, which can be maintained if load responds dynamically to changing system conditions, a Brattle Group Principal writes.
By Ahmad Faruqui • May 19, 2020 -
Maryland lawmakers struggle to mitigate MOPR harm to offshore wind with shortened legislative session
Eighteen legislators filed joint comments with FERC on Friday and over 60 are calling on state regulators to provide developers with a contingency auction for offshore wind.
By Catherine Morehouse • May 18, 2020 -
DOE targets operational advanced reactors as soon as 2025, launches $230M program
With a growing number of traditional nuclear power plants closing, advocates are looking to a new generation of reactors to propel the industry and help meet ambitious carbon reduction goals.
By Larry Pearl • May 15, 2020 -
Opinion
Markets over regulation: Driving lower emissions generation through a carbon tax
Taxing carbon emissions would increase the price discrepancy between natural gas and coal and appropriately build into the prices the cost of CO2 emissions on the economy and our society, the authors write.
By Deborah A. Carroll, Kelly A. Stevens and John W. Rowe • May 15, 2020 -
Ditching PJM capacity market could cost New Jersey $386M through 2022, market monitor finds
New Jersey regulators opened a docket to investigate how the state could reach its 100% clean energy goals under the constraints of new rules in the PJM market.
By Catherine Morehouse • May 15, 2020 -
Deep Dive
Colorado Tri-State ruling could provide co-op exit template amid rising tensions with G&T providers
Tri-State is struggling to respond to member demands for renewable energy. The conflict could have implications that drive an energy transition — or tear the electric cooperative system apart.
By Herman K. Trabish • May 13, 2020 -
NRC commissioner blasts proposed emergency preparedness rules for SMRs as a 'radical departure'
Small modular reactors could be exempt from a 10-mile evacuation zone requirement under a new proposal. Could the Nuclear Regulatory Commission offer its emergency preparedness alternative to existing facilities?
By Guy Burdick • May 13, 2020 -
Treasury Department offers wind industry coronavirus lifeline with safe harbor extension
The renewables sector is urging Congress to enact temporary refundability for renewable energy credits and take other "commonsense measures," to aid the industry.
By Catherine Morehouse • Updated May 28, 2020 -
Opinion
Dominion's nearly $50 monthly power bill hike in Virginia is a warning for other states
The utility's monopoly status is functionally similar to the Fixed Resource Requirement offramp that some states across PJM are seeking, and could mean trouble for ratepayers, writes EPSA President and CEO Todd Snitchler.
By Todd Snitchler • May 11, 2020 -
CPUC imposes largest ever penalty of $1.9B on PG&E for Northern California wildfires
However, the agency permanently suspended PG&E's obligation to pay an additional $200 million fine that the utility said could derail its bankruptcy exit.
By Kavya Balaraman • May 11, 2020 -
Trump's security order could have 'chilling effect,' slow smart grid deployment, experts say
An executive order issued May 1 by the White House effectively blocks the power sector from sourcing grid components from China, say trade and cybersecurity attorneys and consultants.
By Robert Walton • May 7, 2020 -
Opinion
Securing relief amid COVID-19: 4 considerations for utilities
To lessen the liquidity burden for utilities, there are some crucial tax avenues and regulatory matters for utilities to consider, writes Kimberly Johnston, National Power & Utilities Tax Partner at Ernst & Young.
By Kimberly Johnston • May 7, 2020 -
MISO: Majority of coal is self-committed, 12% was uneconomic over 3-year period
Advocacy groups say the numbers support their arguments that running coal plants uneconomically is costing ratepayers billions of dollars.
By Catherine Morehouse • May 7, 2020 -
DC Circuit grills NARUC, FERC on whether Order 841 will harm state ability to regulate distribution
The fundamental question for judges is whether FERC's landmark energy storage order will harm states' ability to operate the safety and reliability of their distribution systems.
By Catherine Morehouse • May 6, 2020 -
New York to include small combustion turbines in annual carbon emission limits
New York is the last of the 10 states in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to outline how it will meet the lower regional CO2 limits set to begin in 2021 and continue with annual reductions through 2030.
By John Funk • Updated Dec. 2, 2020 -
Dominion steels itself for market volatility, anticipating slow economic reopening in Virginia, South Carolina
The electric utility anticipates a slow recovery from pandemic conditions through the late summer as the states plan to lift restrictions.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 6, 2020 -
Dominion jacks up renewables and storage in Virginia IRP, following landmark clean energy rule
In its newest plan for the state, Dominion would add between 11 and 40 GW of solar in the next 25 years and up to 5 GW of offshore wind in the next 15 years, while still keeping some natural gas in the system.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 5, 2020 -
Opinion
States should leave markets that don't work for families and businesses after bad FERC decisions
Reentering PJM and other markets can be reconsidered when a new FERC majority is ready to care at all about consumers instead of political donors, the author writes.
By Mark Kresowik • May 5, 2020 -
PG&E foresees $600M or greater loss for Kincade Fire, files to securitize $7.5B in fire costs
PG&E expects to have its reorganization plan confirmed by the bankruptcy court by June 30 and officially exit bankruptcy by Aug. 29.
By Kavya Balaraman • May 4, 2020 -
Pueblo, Colorado, voters reject Black Hills Energy exit
The city's mayor told Utility Dive that forming a municipal utility will help the city lower rates and reach its 100% renewable energy goal by 2035.
By Catherine Morehouse • Updated May 6, 2020