This update features policy, regulatory, legislative, and regional developments in Connecticut and New England. The policy updates are compiled by the CPES New Energy Professionals Team. If you are interested in learning more about the New Energy Professionals, the Policy Committee, or if you have ideas for future policy updates, we would welcome your input and feedback. Please send comments to Kathryn Dube, CPES Executive Director, via email: kdube@ctpower.org.
In this Update:
- Energy & Technology Committee Public Hearings: Feb 19 and Feb 21
- PURA established Docket No. 19-02-13: Declaratory Ruling Regarding Licensed Electric Supplier Practices of Altering the Prices in Fixed-Price Contracts
- Consumers in Retail Competition Markets Saved $300B Over the Past Decade, Trade Group Says
- Speaker Announced for ISO-NE March CLG Meeting: Jeffrey Grybowski, Co-CEO Ørsted US Offshore Wind
- ISO-NE Announces Spring 2019 Market Training Classes
- 2nd Circuit Sides With Direct Energy Services in Rate Hike Dispute
- Vistra Energy to Expand Retail Business with $328M acquisition
- Future US Electricity Generation Mix Will Depend Largely on Natural Gas Prices
CONNECTICUT
LEGISLATIVE
ENERGY & TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE
The Energy & Technology Committee will hold the following public hearings:
-Tuesday, February 19, 10:15 am in room 1E of the LOB Agenda
– Thursday, February 21, 10:00 am in Rm 1B of the LOB Agenda
The Bil Record Book, which contains proposed House and Senate bills, is available here.
REGULATORY
On February 11, 2019, PURA established Docket No. 19-02-13: Declaratory Ruling Regarding Licensed Electric Supplier Practices of Altering the Prices in Fixed-Price Contracts
REGIONAL/INDUSTRYCONSUMERS IN RETAIL COMPETITION MARKETS SAVED $300B OVER THE PAST DECADE, TRADE GROUP SAYS
Electricity prices in many states with retail choice are high, but RESA’s analysis concludes they are moving lower, as consumers reap the benefits of cheap natural gas and lower electricity demand. But the same cannot be said for states with monopoly utility structures. MORE
SPEAKER ANNOUNCED FOR ISO-NE MARCH CLG MEETING: JEFFREY GRYBOWSKI, CO-CEO ØRSTED US OFSHORE WIND
Jeffrey Grybowski, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Ørsted US Offshore Wind, will give the keynote address at the March 14th meeting of the Consumer Liaison Group (CLG) at the Omni Providence Hotel. Following, a panel will discuss Transforming the Power Sector: Customer Choice in a Changing Energy Landscape.
ISO-NE ANNOUNCES SPRING 2019 MARKET TRAINING CLASSES
ISO-NE’s Customer Training will hold Introduction to Wholesale Electricity Markets April 29- May 3 and Intermediate Wholesale Electricity Markets June 11-13. Learn more and register here.
2ND CIRCUIT SIDES WITH DIRECT ENERGY SERVICES IN RATE HIKE DISPUTE
Connecticut resident Gary Richards had sued private electricity supplier Direct Energy Services LLP, claiming it unfairly hiked prices by switching from a fixed to variable rate. A Second Circuit panel, ruling 2-1, upheld a lower court ruling that sided with the electricity supplier. MORE
VISTRA ENERGY TO EXPAND RETAIL BUSINESS WITH $328M ACQUISITION
Vistra Energy Corp. has entered into an agreement to acquire Crius Energy Trust for about $328 million, the company announced in a news release Thursday. The move comes as Irving-based Vistra (NYSE: VST) seeks to expand its retail business. With the acquisition of Crius Energy, Vistra would serve 19 states and the District of Columbia in the electricity and natural gas product market for residential and small business customers. MORE
FUTURE US ELECTRICITY GENERATION MIX WILL DEPEND LARGELY ON NATURAL GAS PRICES
The mix of fuels used to generate electricity in the US has changed in response to differences in the relative costs of electricity-generating technologies and their fuels. EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook 2019 shows that projected generation and capacity is significantly influenced by natural gas prices. MORE