Last night, the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) voted 3-2 to approve a rate increase for Tucson Electric Power (TEP) to reimburse the utility for the high cost to operate gas and coal-fired power plants. Starting on January 1, 2021, TEP customers will see their electric bills increase -- at a time when people are already struggling to afford essential services due to the impacts of COVID-19. According to TEP, average monthly bills of residential customers with typical usage on TEP’s Basic pricing plan will increase approximately $5.20, compared to 2020 bills.
Richmond, VA -- Today, the Virginia State Corporation Commission issued an order that creates a recovery mechanism for a new energy assistance program for low-income Virginians known as the Percentage of Income Payment Program, or “PIPP.” The PIPP program was included as a provision in the Virginia Clean Economy Act earlier this year with the express goal of lowering the cost of utility bills for lower-income ratepayers. The Commission’s order leaves open crucial elements of the PIPP program, such as the size and scope of energy reduction programs and the role of electrifica
On Friday, the Oregon Public Utility Commission denied PacifiCorp the ability to charge its customers for capital expenditures at its Jim Bridger coal plant, ruling that the utility failed to consider more affordable strategies for complying with the federal Clean Air Act, including retiring the plant. Pacific Power customers in Oregon will see a 1.6 percent decrease in their monthly rates as of Jan. 1, 2021 due in part to these avoided costs.
INDIANA, PA -- On Friday, the Sierra Club, PennFuture, and the Clean Air Council filed suit under the Clean Air Act to challenge the Environmental Protection Agency’s approval of Pennsylvania’s inadequate plan to address unhealthy air quality under the federal National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for sulfur dioxide (SO2) limits.
ANNAPOLIS, MD - Late Friday night, GenOn Holdings, Inc. announced the retirement of the company’s Morgantown coal-fired power plant located in Charles County, MD on the Potomac River. The company will deactivate the coal plant in 2027. Prior to Friday’s announcement, the 50-year old Morgantown plant was the largest coal-fired power plant in Maryland without plans to cease operating.
At Thursday night’s meeting of the Muscatine Power & Water (MPW) board, Sierra Club presented a new analysis finding that investing in a clean energy portfolio would be cheaper than building a new gas plant, which MPW is considering. MPW made public over the summer its initial plans to phase out coal power, replacing part of the 270 MW plant with 30 MW of solar. MPW is currently weighing whether to replace the remaining coal generation with a new combined heat and power gas plant, based on a power supply study that has not been available to the public.
JACKSON -- Today the Mississippi PSC held a special meeting and unanimously approved a new order in Docket No. 2018-AD-145, governing Mississippi Power Company’s Reserve Margin Plan. Recognizing that Mississippi Power is generating far more power than is needed by consumers -- and that rate-payers are paying for the extra costs -- the Commission ordered Mississippi Power to present a plan for reducing its electricity-generating capacity by 950 MW by 2027.
Today, the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) voted to reverse its decision to accelerate the retirements of three Colorado coal units by 2028. On November 20, the AQCC made a preliminary final decision in Phase 1 of Colorado’s Regional Haze Plan, requiring utilities to retire several coal and gas plants no later than December 31, 2028. Today’s vote also reverses the AQCC’s November request to the Air Pollution Control Division to shutter Hayden coal units 1 & 2 by 2028.
Charleston, WV -- Today, the West Virginia Public Service Commission approved a settlement involving the West Virginia Energy Users Group, West Virginia Citizens Action Group, Solar United Neighbors, and the Sierra Club with Monongahela Power Company (MonPower) that will compel the utility to provide transparent accounting of their uneconomic coal plants and justification for continuing plant operations.
Today, the Sierra Club announced its support for the Tennessee Valley Authority announcement that it will be taking steps to promote the widespread adoption of electric vehicles throughout its seven-state service region.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Earlier this week, the DC Public Service Commission put District gas customers on the hook for another $150 million investment in Washington Gas’s outdated pipeline spending proposal. The full, 30-year spending proposal will cost ratepayers up to $4.5 billion on the gas utility’s fossil fuel distribution system, which itself is only valued at $525 million. Washington Gas’s plan is incompatible with DC’s climate commitment to phase out fossil use by 2050 and flies in the face of the real actions needed and outlined in the Clean Energy DC plan.
South Carolina Public Service Commissioners have unanimously rejected Dominion Energy’s proposed plan for how it would provide electricity to customers over the next several years, and have ordered the utility to file a modified plan within 60 days.