Energy & Water
South Carolina State Attorney General calls the law that permits a utility to recoup costs for a failed nuclear development “constitutionally suspect.”
What specifically did the A.G. Opinion say about the law? “portions of the Base Load Review Act are constitutionally suspect. The Act fails to strike the constitutionally required balance between investors and ratepayers. It also denies ratepayers procedural due process”
How much is the utility charging customers each month related to the failed nuclear facility? According to the Charlotte Business Journal $37 Million per month
Utility Dive | South Carolina AG: SCANA should not charge customers for failed Summer nuke
A lawsuit in Colorado asks for personhood status for the Colorado River Ecosystem.
A river can have person legal person status? The lawsuit aligns the personhood status to the same afforded to ships, an ecclesiastic corporations or a standard commercial corporations.
Is this legallay weird?
Courthouse News | Environmentalists Seek Personhood for Colorado River Ecosystem
Tyler Morning Telegraph | Editorial: Texas benefits from Mexico’s energy sector reforms
Carlos Rubenstein et. al. write that water markets have been suppressed in 3 manners:
The solution: new omnibus water bill to reform state regulations
The Gilmer Mirror | Carlos Rubinstein of RSAH2O, Herman Settemeyer of RSAH2O, & Megan Ingram of Armstrong Center for Energy & the Enviro | Texas Water Past Present and FutureTexas Water Past Present and Future
San Francisco and Oakland are suing Bay Area-based Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Shell and BP.
What do the cities want? Billions in compensation for the public nuisance created by past and future flooding, coastal erosion and property damage resulting from climate change.
Are there more local governments involved? Yes, the California counties of Marin and San Mateo & the San Diego County city of Imperial Beach
Have similar lawsuits happened before? Yes, in 2008 the Alaskan village of Kivalina filed a similar suit & the federal court found federal clean air rules trumped the nuisance claims raised by the local governments.
How are these California lawsuits different from the Alaska lawsuit that failed? The California suits are filed in state court and not federal court.
San Francisco Chronicle | San Francisco, Oakland sue major oil companies over rising seas
Driving a EV in Wyoming? Need a charge? Wyoming Department of Transportation is making it easier by including charging stations on its publicly available & accessible 511 map.
Equipment World | Wyoming maps out sites for alternative vehicle fueling
Duke Energy is spoending $30 Million to install 2 install battery storage in North Carolina.
The battery storage projects in the company’s regulated market are said to be “the first large-scale energy storage projects built by its regulated utility business.”
The 2 projects:
Utility Dive | Duke to build its first utility-scale regulated battery storage projects
California’s Governor Jerry Brown has proposed water tunnels to move water from the wet areas of the state to Los Angeles, where the populations resides. There have been obstacles, lots of obstacles. Let’s look at 3 of the obstacles:
Utility Dive | How utility pilot programs are driving renewable energy integration
Texas Lt. Governor Patrick appointed Larry Taylor and Lois Kolkhorst to the Joint Interim Committee to Study a Coastal Barrier System.
Co-chair designation was given to Larry Taylor.
The Department of Energy announced this week $50M to “support early stage research and development of next-generation tools and technologies to further improve the resilience of the Nation’s critical energy infrastructure, including the electric grid and oil and natural gas infrastructure”
That’s a lot of words, where is the money going?
If desalination sounds new and fancy, the Department of Energy has funding for you for newer and fancier- solar desalination.
Department of Energy announced a funding oipportunity announcement to fund:
Department Of Energy | Notice of Intent to Issue Solar Desalination
Tennessee created the Tennessee Renewable Energy and Economic Development Council in 2008 with the goal of being neutral on renewable technologies.
So, how is the Switzerland of renewable programs working?
Governing | How Tennessee’s Taken the Politics Out of Renewable Energy
Bill Peacock of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, in The Hill, offers 3 reasons to eliminate renewable energy subsidies:
Bonus feature: The piece adds in Texas being the only state that has a energy-only market
The Hill | Bill Peacock | Eliminating renewable energy subsidies is key to increasing prosperity
If generation is Lex Luther of the DOE Grid Study, then transmission is Superman.
Utility Dive | Transmission: The unsung hero of the DOE grid reliability study
A review of grid security by Symatec reveals that since 2015 hackers have been trying to gain access to the energy sector.
What new technology targets are hackers after? the hackers are looking for expanded access to operational systems & are taking screenshots of all systems in use to outline their function
How did hackers gained access through malware and phishing? employees of
were all targeted with phishing attacks and malware from false Adobe updates.
The Hill | Sophisticated hacking campaign has targeted energy sector since 2015
SC Media | Dragonfly APT group may be prepping to sabotage U.S. power facilities, report warns
The state: Idaho
The energy company: Franklin Energy
What did Frankin Energy want from Idaho’s Utility Regulator? 20 year contracts for 4 energy storage facilities charged by solar power with the capacity of 2.5 MW.
What did Idaho’s energy regulator decide? Contracts, yes, but only for 2 year terms.
Utility Dive | Idaho PUC says storage projects only eligible for 2-year PURPA contract
Hurricane Harvey exposed the need for energy security legislation by:
How did retailers open and remain open during Hurricane Harvey? Microgrids.
How does the microgrid work when normal utility operations are unavailable?
The 5 states adding carbon costs to utility planning guidelines in various formats. Here’swaht we know:
Utility Dive | Carbon calculus: More states are adding carbon costs to utility planning guidelines
What happened at the Jersey Shore? New Jersey Board of Public Utilities last week launched a stakeholder process to study what happens to electric distribution in the state if the sales of EVs skyrocket
New Jersey Board of Public Utilties President believes policies should be adaptive and flexible.
What we need to know about the report from this stakeholder group?
Utility Dive | New Jersey regulators to study impacts of widespread EV adoption
“U.S Energy Dominance Starts in Texas” a report by Texas Oil & Gas Association says that the Port of Corpus Christi is the largest exporter of crude in the U.S. due to:
The levels of sweet crude exports at the Port of Corpus Christi in 2017, 1st Quarter:
San Antonio Business Journal | Port Corpus Christi top crude oil exporter in United States
Here’s what TPPF identified in the DOE Grid Security Report:
TPPF | TPPF STATEMENT ON THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY’S REPORT ON ELECTRICITY MARKETS AND RELIABILITY
The Department of Energy released its much awaited grid security report.
Highlights from the report:
DOE | Staff Report to the Secretary on Electricity Markets and Reliability
KVCR | Calif. Legislature Considers New Tax To Help Get Rural Communities Safe Drinking Water
Mercury News | First-ever water tax proposed to tackle unsafe drinking water in California
Chesco Township in Pennsylvania is proposing new ordinances that concern the operation pipelines, including:
Mexico is experimenting with biogas generation from the plentiful cacti.
Why cacti?
The Sun Daily | Mexico’s prickly pear cactus: Energy source of the future?
A group of nuns in Pennsylvania own land that the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline would like to occupy.
The nuns have taken the unusual step of suing the federal government claiming that the interstate natural gas pipeline violates their rights under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Its a show down between the 5th Amendment (private property rights home) and the 1st amendment (protection of freedom of religious exercise).
Wholesale markets: FERC should expedite its efforts with states, RTO/ISOs, and other stakeholders to improve energy price formation in centrally-organized wholesale electricity markets
Where feasible and within its statutory authority, FERC should study and make recommendations regarding efforts to require valuation of new and existing ERS by creating fuel-neutral markets and/or regulatory mechanisms that compensate grid participants for services that are necessary to support reliable grid operations.
Bulk Power System (BPS) resilience: DOE should support utility, grid operator, and consumer efforts to enhance system resilience
Promote Research and Development (R&D) of next-generation/21st century grid reliability and resilience tools: DOE should focus R&D efforts to enhance utility, grid operator, and consumer efforts to enhance system reliability and resilience
Support Federal and regional approaches to electricity workforce development and transition assistance: In partnership with other agencies and the private sector, DOE should facilitate programs and regional approaches for electricity sector workforce development.
Energy dominance: Executive Order 13783 (Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth) outlined an approach to promote the clean and safe development of energy resources while at the same time minimizing regulatory barriers to energy production, economic growth, and job creation
Infrastructure development: DOE and related Federal agencies should accelerate and reduce costs for the licensing, relicensing, and permitting of grid infrastructure such as nuclear, hydro, coal, advanced generation technologies, and transmission.
Electric-gas coordination: Utilities, states, FERC, and DOE should support increased coordination between the electric and natural gas industries to address potential reliability and resilience concerns associated with organizational and infrastructure differences.
DOE | Staff Report to the Secretary on Electricity Markets and Reliability
The Department of Energy released its much awaited grid security report.
Highlights from the report:
DOE | Staff Report to the Secretary on Electricity Markets and Reliability
Commissioner Sitton statements concenring Mexico de-regulation:
Rivard Report | Texas and Mexico Energy Sectors Strengthening Trade Alliances
The Company utilizing fuel cells: Equinix data centers
The capacity of the fuel cells: 37 MW of capacity under 15-year power purchase agreements
The benefits to businesses of fuel cells: energy efficiency and financial
Utility Dive | Bloom claims largest fuel cell data center deployment with Equinix
Kauai Island Utility Cooperative has 2 proposals for rooftop solar that it presented to the Hawaii Public Utility Commission:
Customer Self-Supply
Residents would agree not to export any amount of energy except for “inadvertent” volumes
No compensation for any amount of energy export
Sets a minimum electric bill
Smart Export option
compensated only at times when “exported energy has value to the utility
compensates customers at a fixed rate between $0.15/kWh to $0.28/kWh, which is lower than the retail rate, and set a cap for both.
Background: IN 2015, Hawaii eliminated its net metering system with the goal of replacing the system
Utility Dive | Hawaii electric cooperative proposes new pair of rooftop solar compensation options
Missouri’s Western District Court of Appeals held that all counties along the Grain Belt Express, wind transmission line, must approve the project. Appeal of this ruling has been declined by the state supreme court.
Missouri’s Public Service Commission relied on this ruling to deny approval until all counties sign off on the plan.
Missouri is the oinly state to withhold approval, and thereby deny the project the power of eminent domain.
The automanufacturer: Nissan
How it would work: charging stations will pay EV owners for selling juice back to the power grid
What jargon do I need to know: vehicle-to-grid (V2G) mobile energy storage
The goal of vehicle to grid energy storage: improve grid stability by collecting excess energy from V2G stations and redistributing it to cars or homes
Aaron Velasco, the new Texas Railroad Commission seismologist:
Orlando is the 40th city to pledge a shift to 100% renewables.
The target date? 2050. 2030, for city operations.
What’s the hubub? In June 2017, the U.S. Conference of Mayors passed a resolution supporting 100% renewables by 2035
Did the U.S. Conference of Mayors offer local campaign matrials? Yes, yes, they did. Ready for 100 campaign
Utility Dive | Orlando becomes 40th US city to pledge 100% renewable energy
Oklahoma’s recently enacted HB 1449 imposes a $100 fee on an electric vehicle and a $30 fee on a hybrid.
After the bill was signed by the OK Governor, a lawsuit has been filed by the Sierra Club & a Republican candidate for Governor caliming the fee runs afoul with state legal requirements for legislation that raises revenue.
The revenue issue: OK has a $900 M shortfall, a big deal for OK. The EV and hybrid fee is estimated to bring in $1M annually to fund highway construction and maintenance
The energy issue: Is a fee on EV and hybrid vehicles effectively a tax on energy storage?
Bloomberg | Oklahoma’s $100 Electric Car Fee Challenged by Sierra Club
The U.S. Supreme Court this term may decide a case involving the extent to which states can regulate groundwater rights.
The Attorneys General of Nevada, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming are asking the Supremes to calrify whether the implied federal reserved water rights doctrine preepts state groundwater regulation.
What is this legal mumbo jumbo? Native Americans in California obtained a 9th Circuit ruling that they have priority right to groundwater in the Cochella Valley because federal law preempts.
las Vegas Review Journal | Nevada attorney general joins coalition to defend water rights
Governing | California Gives Local Officials Power to Quickly Shut Down Polluters
California is experiencing a new EV market- blockchain enabled EV charging. Distributive peer to peer charging.
The system allows for owners of personal EV charges to receive payment from others for their use.
How and when do you regulate the peer to peer sale of EV charging on private property? Is there a tax tied to the transaction? How does the shared EV charger work in a city with parking permit requirements?
Green Tech Media | Blockchain-Enabled Electric Car Charging Comes to California
The Coin Telegraph | California to Offer Blockchain-Linked EV Charging Stations
Fitch Ratings found that Texas utility water facility related debt will continue to rise due to:
Bond Buyer | Aging Texas water facilities may require more debt
Fidelity Investments | Aging Texas water facilities may require more debt
A bill that required an industry study on solar distributed energy has triggered study stnadards by the Montana Public Service Commission.
The study will include data that:
Montana Public Service Press Release
Utility Dive | Montana regulators set criteria for NorthWestern’s net metering study
Maine Public Utility Regulators are working to phase out solar incetives for homeowners.
How did Maine get to the point of phasing out solar incentives? The legislature did not pass a bill to continue the solar incentives.
What is the current incentive for residential rooftop solar? excess power is compensated with a credit at the full retail rate of that electricity. Yes, Maine is a net metering state.
What is the Maine PUC proposed rollback?
Portland Press Herald | With incentives bill killed, PUC solar rules ready for enactment
Idaho Power is asking state regulators to step away from net metering and to put residences with rooftop solar into a separate rate paying category.
Utility Dive | Idaho Power wants to put rooftop solar customers in separate rate class
Idaho Power’s request for a separate rate structure for rooftop solar
The rapid retirement of power plants contributes to power grid security vulnerabilities for the following reasons:
CA, MA, OR and NY are the 4 states that have energy storage procurement targets.
Establishing as energy storage procurement targets on the state level will:
Utility Dive | Energy storage group outlines ways for states to promote the technology
The world’s first floating wind famr is being deployed off the coast of Scotland.
How do floating wind turbines differ from current water based wind turbines?
The Guardian | World’s first floating windfarm to take shape off coast of Scotland
California floods have come and gone, but the clean up and prevention has not. To expedite flood control projects, a California legislator is proposing an expedited permitting process in 4 insgtances:
These expeidted permit criteria aren’t limited in use to floods when drafting.
Sacramento Bee | Oroville, other flood-safety projects would be fast-tracked under new bill
Do you support “elected officials work[ing] to prevent and limit the use of eminent domain to take property rights from private landowners for use in oil and gas pipelines?”
That’s the question Whatcom County Council in Washington State wants to ask its residents in November.
KAFE 104.1 | Private property won’t get extra protection from eminent domain
What you need to know about the new study:
3 key points for policy makers and utilities:
Utility Dive | National Academies report finds grid vulnerable to cyber, physical attacks
Grand Rapids Michigan is creating a renewable energy district that will:
Utility Dive | Consumers Energy announces first solar+storage project for Michigan city
A german Battery Storage company, Sonnen, has signed an agreement with an Arizona home builder to include battery storage in all its new construction.
2 Ways the partenrship will help Arizonans meet energy goals:
Utility Dive | Sonnen inks deal to install batteries in new Arizona homes
The eminent domain case involving Denbury’s pipeline through land owned by Texas Rice Partners is before the Texas Supreme Court for the 3rd time.
Will the 3rd time be a charm for closure?
What has these two kids back before the the Texas Supremes?
What could this mean for future eminent domain bills? Clarification of whether a condemining entity lawfully takes possession when a court enjoins access to the compensation
SE Texas Record | Eminent domain fight between Denbury Green Pipeline and rice farmers now before Texas SC
California’s SB 700 passed the Senate and died in the House.
The policy goal of SB 700:
The Great North: Oklahoma
The agency implementing emergency long lateral drilling rules: Oklahoma Corporation Commission
What triggered emergency rules? Senate Bill 867, the Extended Horizontal Well Development Act
What the emergency rules will do:
What’s unclear on what the rules will address:
News OK | Oklahoma Corporation Commission studies emergency rules for long-lateral drilling law
The last week of June, the North Carolina legislature enacted House Bill 589, to amend integration of renewable energy integration and distributed resources access. It’s a mouth full.
HB 589 was a 9 month stakeholder negotiation that some say was upended by a floor amendment calling for a 4 year moratorium on wind to protect military installations.
Here’s the framework of what passed:
NC Sustainable Energy Association statement on HB589
Utility Dive | North Carolina wind moratorium threatens hard-won solar compromise
Property rights advocates are challenging an Idaho law requiring forced integration of oil and gas rights.
What does Idaho’s law say? Owners with at least 55 % of the mineral rights in an area agree to lease, the remaining minority can be forced to take part.
Could this have broad impact? Ultimately yes, as the challenge is in federal court alleging a violation of the US Constitution
AP via The State | Lawsuit: Idaho oil and gas rules violate landowner rights
The business: Apex-CAES
2 Steps to Underground Wind Energy Storage:
Company purports these goals from underground wind storage:
Compressed air v. battery storage, according to compressed air storage:
Houston Chronicle | Houston startup plans to store wind energy underground
The FBI and Homeland Security are issuing an urgent amber warning to utility companies.
Good news:
Bad news:
SC Media | Reports: Feds issue alert after adversary breaches power plant business networks
Philadelphia has a solution to making water rates more accessible: charge people based on how much income they have.
What income standard will Philadelphia use to set a lower water rates? Lower water rates will apply for people who are at or below 150% of the federal poverty line
What will the lower water rate be? Philadephians at or below 150% of the federal poverty line will pay 2-4% of their come, which could translate to as low as $12/mo
New York became the latest state to pass energy storage legislation in the form of S 5190 and AB 6571, and it is expected that regulators will impose a mandate.
The other states that have enacted energy storage legislation:
Utility Dive | New York expected to set high bar for energy storage after target bill passage
New Hampshire’s PUC adopted temporary net metering rules that would:
New Hampshire has set a goal to find common ground and will revise the net metering rules after results from a study on distributed energy resource valuation.
Utility DIve | New Hampshire Regulators Approve New Net Metering Tariffs
Energy Secretary Rick Perry made the following 3 points about his agency’s grid reliability study:
To whom is the right attributing these statements that renewables harm grid security? 3 people
What did the former chair of the UK Grid allegedly say? Renewables are decentralized and web connected making them vulnerable to cyber threats
Libertarian Republic | Experts Say Green Energy Made Cyber-Attacks On Power Grid Much Easier
Daily Caller | Experts Say Green Energy Made Cyber Attacks On Power Grid Much Easier
State: North Carolina
5G Legislation: House Bill 310 (2017)
North Carolina’s HB 310 allows 5G facilities to be placed on telephone poles. Opponents say this triggers eminent domain for 3 reasons:
Initiative & Referendum in small cities in California seeks to stop sanctuary city policies by repealing the city’s utility user tax. In small cities this amounts to $1 million + in revenue for cities as small as 24,000.
The initiative and referendum is being pushed until the targeted cities repeal their sanctuary city policies.
An interview with John Carrington of Stem, a commercial-scale intelligent energy storage company says this is the #1 thing to drive down energy costs from energy storage:
long-term policy certainty that sets “larger, longer policies that create a Texas market big enough to drive down costs for both standalone and solar-storage systems”
Stem and hte CIty of Austin have a “partnership to test new customer offerings that result in sustainable aggregation models.”
Renewable Energy Magazine | Energy Storage in Texas: An interview with John Carrington of Stem
Santa Clara, California has installed EV charging stations:
The California Public Utility Commission has ruled to permit:
The agency also found that aggregated net-metered bills do not raise costs for non-net metered customers.
The data the agency utilitized:
Utility Dive | California will allow small utilities to aggregate bills for net metering
PV Magazine | Small utilities score huge victory in California aggregate net metering case
Nevada Governor Sandoval (R) vetoed SB 392 due to:
Las Vegas Sun | Sandoval vetoes community solar, higher clean-energy standard
Utility Dive | Nevada governor vetoes popular RPS, community solar bills
HB 1166 By : Stephenson Relating to liability of certain electric utilities that allow certain uses of land that the electric utility owns, occupies, or leases.
The veto statement makes these assertions:
HB 1284 By : Thompson, Senfronia Relating to the licensing and regulation of a journeyman lineman.
The veto statement makes this point:
The 2017 vetoes on water related bills:
HB 2377 By Larson | et al. Relating to the development of brackish groundwater.
HB 2378 By Larson Relating to extensions of an expired permit for the transfer of groundwater from a groundwater conservation district.
HB 2798 By Farrar Relating to the authority of a county to implement a pilot program to reuse wastewater at county facilities.
HB 2943 By Larson Relating to the use of money in the state water pollution control revolving fund.
HB 3025 By: King, Tracy O. | et al. Relating to open, uncovered, abandoned, or deteriorated wells.
HB 3987 By: Larson | et al. Relating to the authority of the Texas Water Development Board to use the state participation account of the water development fund to provide financial assistance for the development of certain facilities.
HB 4310 By: Isaac Relating to the temporary board of and financing of certain facilities and improvements by the LaSalle Municipal Utility District No. 1; providing authority to impose an assessment.
HB 4311 By : Isaac Relating to the temporary board of and financing of certain facilities and improvements by the LaSalle Municipal Utility District No. 2; providing authority to impose an assessment.
HB 4312 By: Isaac Relating to the temporary board of and financing of certain facilities and improvements by the LaSalle Municipal Utility District No. 3; providing authority to impose an assessment.
HB 4313 By : Isaac Relating to the temporary board of and financing of certain facilities and improvements by the LaSalle Municipal Utility District No. 4; providing authority to impose an assessment.
HB 4314 By: Isaac Relating to the temporary board of and financing of certain facilities and improvements by the LaSalle Municipal Utility District No. 5; providing authority to impose an assessment.
SB 1525 By: Perry Relating to studies by the Texas Water Development Board of water needs and availability in this state.
The biggest boon: hydrocarbons
The Economist | American energy firms are enjoying a bonanza south of the border
The bill: Securing Energy Infrastructure Act
The author: Angus King (I-ME)
What the bill does:
The Hill | ‘Crash Override’ malware heightens fears for US electric grid
Michigan’s Attorney General charged Michigan’s Health and Human Services Director with the following 2 felonies:
Michigan’s Attorney General also charged Michigan’s chief medical executive with 2 crimes:
In total, 15 current or former state or city officials have been charged.
The Hill | Michigan health director charged with involuntary manslaughter
A Fuel Fix article, Texas lack of statewide metering policy slows adoption of rooftop solar, that examines the adoption of solar in El Paso makes these popints about Texas solar energy policy:
The Dallas Morning News Editorial, The best reason Texas needs a business plan for clean energy: It worked before, makes the following key points for its argument:
90% of Pecos County property tax revenues are based on oil and gas industry.
During the oil bust, property tax revenues in Pecos County declined, but are being filled by wind and solar energy projects. Such as:
Houston Chronicle | Big solar projects potential boon for rural areas
Grid Security Consortium: Illinois’ Cyber Resilient Energy Delivery Consortium
Goals of the Cyber Resilient Energy Delivery Consortium:
Is there a state agency connection between the Consortium and the State of Illinois? Yes, the Illinois Commerce Commission created the Office of Cybersecurity and Risk Management
How is the Consortium funded?
Investor owned utilities have 13 community solar programs representing 91 MW of capacity.
Municipal power has 22 programs with a combined 29 MW capacity.
Electric cooperatives have 63 programs with a 43 MW capacity.
National Renewable Energy Labortatory makes these predictions about community solar by 2020 2ill:
Utility Dive | What makes a successful utility-led community solar program?
North Carolina Legislature is moving a solar reform bill, House Bill 589, that will:
Charlotte Business Journal | Solar reform bill moves to the N.C. Senate
Why are pipelines seen as the referendum issue in the campaign for Virginia’s next Governor?
The Franklin News Post | Virginia governor’s race ‘a referendum on pipelines’
Kansas City Power & Light operates in both Kansas and Missouri. How each of the states has regulated its thermostat DSM project shows the different regulatory models:
Kansas regulators are in the process of review:
Missouri regulatory framework allows for:
Utility Dive | KCP&L thermostat program shows how regulatory design can make or break DSM
Hawaii’s HB 1593 will:
Utility Dive | Maryland, Hawaii turn to storage incentives as state markets gain momentum
Where is this happening? Pennsylvania
What’s the legislation in Pennsylvania? HB 1412
What does PA’s HB 1412 do?
Utility Dive | Pennsylvania bill would allow utilities to earn returns on microgrids, storage
5 States are home to pending proposals by utilities to employenergy storage solutions:
San Antonio Business Journal | San Antonio companies landing lucrative energy deals in Mexico
Rep. Landgraf touts Texas newly passed grant program for local governmental entities purchaseing natural gas powered vehicles by saying:
Background: Ohio is looking for way to protect its nuclear generation. To protect the nuclear plant, Ohio is considering a fee for utility customers.
Since a fee to subsidize nuclear is a hard sell, the author is proposing a familiar amendment: A one time opt-out option for all customers.
Why is this a familiar amendment? Ohio tacked on a similar opt-out provision for a renewable bill
The Court: Texas Supreme Court
What’s the issue: Whether trespass occurs on Land B when a Mineral Owner drills horizontally from its landA, through Land B owned by another, to its landC.
Is it the mineral owner of LandB or the surface owner of Land C that gets to negotiate this? The surface owner. The mineral owner does not “possess the specific place or space where the minerals are located”
The decision: No trespass
Lightening Oil Company v. Anadarko E& P Offshore LLP NO. 15-0910
Fronteras | Mexico Energy Reform Spurs Larger Scale Cross-Border Electricity Transmission
State: Missouri
The economic development goal:
What lure do the companies need to move into the economically repressed area of Missouri?
What’s the opposition say? Doing this would allow electric companies to raise rates on residential customers
AP | Missouri Lawmakers Power up for Electric Special Session
State: Ohio
The legislative protection of coal generation plants: subsidies to ensure the plants operate even when it costs more to operate than price of electricity
How long will the subsidy be in effect: As long as the coal plants are operational
Is this the first time Ohio has subsidized coal plants? No, this bill assists 2 plants owned by Ohio Valley Electric Corp. Existing subsidies are in place for coal plants owned by American Electric Power & FirstEnergy
Did any policy issues bubble up during this process? yes, legislators explained that the subsidies were not re-regulation of the deregulated market
Columbus Dispatch | Bill in Ohio House would permanently subsidize 2 coal-fired power plants
According to E&E News, Cyber raises threat against America’s energy backbone, there are no requirements to disclosure a cyber threat unless 1 of 2 other laws are triggered:
What disclosure did the Houston company make? Enterprise Products Partners LP, based in Houston, warned investors that there is a possibility that “one or more facilities or electronic systems that we own or that deliver products to us” could be damaged by a cyberattack, severe weather or other disruption.
Nevada Governor Sandoval (R) has before him the following package of energy sotrage bills:
Senate Bill 204 directs state regulators to consider requiring utilities to purchase energy storage in the next couple of years’=
Senate Bill 145 establishes an incentive program for energy storage within the state’s solar program. It would also create incentives for the development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Assembly Bill 223 directs utilities to develop efficiency and conservation plans, with at least 5% dedicated to low-income customers.
Senate Bill 314 makes changes to the siting of wind turbines to ensure uniformity of standards.
Utility Dive | Nevada lawmakers pass bills for storage incentives, possible mandate
Renewables are pushing back against a Department of Energy grid study because:
Which renewable energy groups have signed onto this position?
The Hill | Renewable groups push back on Energy Department electric grid study
Mexico’s energy agency has an American fostering relationships with electric providers in the US: Chicago-born Jeff Pavlovic is managing director of Electric Industry Coordination at SENER — Mexico’s energy secretariat.
3 Cross Border Elecricity Projects highlighted:
“If Texas gives us electricity more cheaply, I would buy it,” said Mexico City resident Jose Aviña in Spanish.
Fronteras | Mexico Energy Reform Spurs Larger Scale Cross-Border Electricity Transmission
University: California State University
Battery storage sought: software-driven energy storage services a 1 MW / 4.2 MWh system to be housed on campus in Carson
Will there be integration? Yes, in coordination with battery storage in a Los Angeles campus, there will be a total of 2 MW / 6.2 MWh & will eventually be paired with solar generation
Electric Light and Power | Stem to install energy storage system at CSU Dominguez Hills
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