Tag Archives: Legislature

CPES Policy Committee Update: March 17, 2020

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 Committee or if you have ideas for future policy updates, we welcome your input and feedback. Please send comments to Kathryn Dube, CPES Executive Director, via email: kdube@ctpower.org.

In this Update:

  • PURA Directs Utilities to Cease Residential Shut-Offs During COVID-19 Outbreak
  • PURA’s 2020 Report to the General Assembly Regarding the CT Electric Efficiency Partners Program
  • Connecticut Cities, Solar Installers Locked in Legal Fight Over Property Taxes
  • Solar and Wind Power are Pushing Down Electricity Prices in New England, but Carbon Fuels Still Dominate          
  • 2020 Legislative Session Update
  • Sens. Manchin, Murkowski introduce American Energy Innovation Act
  • ISO-NE Releases the 2020 Regional Electricity Outlook: The Road to a Clean Energy Future
  • ISO’s Final Draft 2020 10-yr Forecasts for Heating Electrification and EVs
  • New England Sees Back-to-Back Afternoon Demand Lows 

CONNECTICUT

PURA Directs Utilities to Cease Residential Shut-Offs During COVID-19 Outbreak
Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) announced that it issued a ruling directing all regulated electric, natural gas, and water companies in the state to cease residential service terminations for non-payment as a protective measure during the current public health emergency. Docket 20-03-15 

PURA Publishes the 2020 Report to the General Assembly Regarding the CT Electric Efficiency Partners Program

Connecticut Cities, Solar Installers Locked in Legal Fight Over Property Taxes
At least 15 municipalities in Connecticut are locked in court battles with solar companies who say they are wrongfully taxing residential solar installations. Since 2017, nearly 200 lawsuits involving hundreds of properties around the state have been filed in the state Superior Court. At the root of the challenges is a state statute granting a property tax exemption to renewable energy sources that generate electricity for “private residential use.” A

Solar and Wind Power are Pushing Down Electricity Prices in New England, but Carbon Fuels Still Dominate
Renewable energy is beginning to have an impact where it counts, in the cost of electricity, as generators pledge to sell power to the New England grid at prices that keep falling and will be down more than 70% over four years by 2023. As a result, consumers will likely pay less, but the dollar impact on electricity bills is not known because utilities will factor the costs differently in rates.

2020 Legislative Session
The state Capitol is currently closed due to COVID-19.  There is no information on how the extended closing will impact the legislative session or the legislative process. Legislative leaders plan to revisit the decision as they receive additional information. Information will be shared as it becomes available. COVID-19 updates are available here.

Energy and Technology Committee
March 5th Public Hearing: The agenda included the Governor’s bill, SB 10, which codifies the Governor’s Executive Order No. 3 to require a statewide zero carbon electric sector by 2040. The Committee has made electricity storage a priority this session. HB 5351 encourages 1,000 MW of storage by December 31, 2030 and shares similar language regarding storage with the Governor’s bill, SB 10. HB 5350, which concerns natural gas infrastructure connectivity, gained a lot of traction during Thursday’s public hearing. This bill, which has been referred to as “the gas bill,” repeals the gas pipeline tax to prevent natural gas expansion in addition to requiring PURA to establish a hurdle-rate utilizing a 25-year payback period to compare revenue requirements of connecting new customers to gas distribution systems. 

February 27th Public Hearing: This hearing was largely focused on the technology side regarding Public, Educational, or Government (PEG) Programming fees, and Net Neutrality. A Distributed Energy Resource bill, which helps the procurement process of natural gas from anaerobic digestion facilities, was discussed. View PURA’s testimony here and DEEP’s testimony here.  An energy efficiency bill also made an appearance again this year. This bill updates energy and water efficiency standards for common household and commercial appliances.

INDUSTRY

Sens. Manchin, Murkowski introduce American Energy Innovation Act
U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released on Feb. 27, the text of the American Energy Innovation Act (AEIA), a compilation of more than 50 energy-related measures individually reported by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (ENR) last year. MORE

ISO-NE Releases the 2020 Regional Electricity Outlook: The Road to a Clean Energy Future
ISO-NE’s annual report looks at the trends affecting New England’s power system and the innovative solutions the ISO is pursuing to ensure reliable electricity for homes and businesses as the region moves along its decarbonization journey. See the press release and the report for more information.

ISO’s Final Draft 2020 10-yr Forecasts for Heating Electrification and EVs
ISO published its first Final Draft 2020 Heating Electrification Forecast and Final Draft 2020 Transportation Electrification Forecast to capture growth in air source heat pumps and light-duty electric vehicles and to quantify resulting increases in grid electricity demand. The ISO forecasts that by 2029 roughly 750,000 air source heat pumps will be installed in New England with a near 600 megawatt (MW) increase in load during the winter months. Light-duty electric vehicles (including cars and light-duty trucks) are estimated to number over 515,000 region-wide, adding up to 400 MW of load a month by the end of 2029. Learn more at ISO’s Newswire.

New England Sees Back-to-Back Afternoon Demand Lows 
February 22 and 23 solar generation lead to a mid-day drop in grid demand followed by a steep evening increase- see the charts and read more at ISO’s website.

CPES Policy Committee Update: February 26, 2020

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 Committee or if you have ideas for future policy updates, we welcome your input and feedback. Please send comments to Kathryn Dube, CPES Executive Director, via email: kdube@ctpower.org.

In this Update:

  • DEEP Integrated Resources Plan Technical Meetings Scheduled
  • Energy & Technology Committee will hold a Public Hearing on 2/27            
  • Upcoming Regulatory Meetings
  • FERC deals blow to New York renewable, storage projects, adding hurdles to NYISO capacity market
  • Final ISO-NE FCA #14 Results Filed with FERC
  • ISO-NE Updates Online FCM Participation Guide
  • HBJ article: Energy-capacity auction results in record low New England price

CONNECTICUT

DEEP Integrated Resources Plan
DEEP is developing a new Integrated Resources Plan (IRP) for the State of Connecticut and will hold a second technical meeting on February 28 at 9 a.m. in Hearing Room 1 at its offices in in New Britain. The purpose of the meeting is to continue the discussion from the January 22, 2020 technical meeting, and to assess the strengths and weaknesses of alternative market designs highlighted during the stakeholder process. DEEP is soliciting stakeholder participation in the form of presentations on various alternative market design proposals.

DEEP is also hosting a separate IRP technical meeting to explore a renewable portfolio standard for thermal energy. This technical meeting will be held March 16, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Hearing Room 1 at its offices in in New Britain to explore issues related to the biodiesel market; biodiesel blending infrastructure; certification mechanisms for biodiesel blending; accounting for greenhouse gas emissions associated with biodiesel use; and alternative mechanisms for the promotion of biodiesel as a thermal fuel.

2020 Legislative Session
The Energy & Technology Committee will hold a public hearing on Thursday, February 27 at 11:00 am in Room 2B of the Legislative Office Bldg  Agenda

Upcoming Regulatory Meetings
For more information on regulatory matters, see the current PURA and Siting Council agendas. This information is updated regularly.

INDUSTRY

FERC deals blow to New York renewable, storage projects, adding hurdles to NYISO capacity market
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved four separate orders to narrow exemptions of buyer-side mitigation (BSM) market rules in the New York Independent System Operator’s (NYISO) capacity zones during Thursday’s public meeting, which critics say will stifle the competitiveness of clean energy resources.

Final ISO-NE FCA #14 Results Filed with FERC
ISO New England filed the final Forward Capacity Auction (FCA) #14 results  with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).  The finalized results confirm that New England’s annual capacity auction concluded with sufficient resources to meet electricity demand in 2023–2024, and at the lowest price in auction history.

ISO-NE Updates Online FCM Participation Guide
ISO’s Forward Capacity Market (FCM) Participation Guide has been updated to reflect the latest procedures, reference materials, hyperlinks, and terminology.

Hartford Business Journal “Energy-capacity auction results in record low New England price”

CPES Policy Committee Update: January 20, 2020

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 Committee or if you have ideas for future policy updates, we welcome your input and feedback. Please send comments to Kathryn Dube, CPES Executive Director, via email: kdube@ctpower.org.

In this Update:

  • DEEP’s 2020 Legislative Proposals

Connecticut
2020 Legislative Session
The 2020 Legislative Session will convene on Wednesday, February 5th. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection 2020 Legislative Proposals

CPES Policy Committee Update: May 29, 2019

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:

  • House Passes HB 5002 An Act Concerning a Green Economy and Environmental Protection 
  • ISO-NE IMM Issues 2018 Annual Markets Report

CONNECTICUT

House Passes HB 5002 An Act Concerning a Green Economy and Environmental Protection 
On Tuesday, May 28 the House of Representatives passed HB 5002, An Act Concerning a Green Economy and Environmental Protection. The bill now moves to the Senate for futher action.

INDUSTRY

ISO-NE IMM Issues 2018 Annual Markets Report
The 2018 Annual Markets Report, issued by the Internal Market Monitor (IMM) at ISO New England, concluded that New England’s wholesale power markets were competitive in 2018.  Read the report here.

CPES Policy Committee Update: January 15, 2019

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:

  • Government shutdown delays Vineyard Wind meetings
  • ISO-NE’s ICR Values for FCA #13 Accepted
  • Ramping up renewable energy remains lawmakers’ focus in 2019
  • The Energy & Technology Committee will meet on January 15 at 1:00 PM

REGIONAL/INDUSTRY

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN DELAYS VINEYARD WIND MEETINGS
Due to the government shutdown, two meetings with the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management regarding the Vineyard Wind Project in Massachusetts, were delayed. At this point, there is no indication that these delays will impact the construction schedule. Read article

ISO-NE’s ICR VALUES FOR FCA #13 ACCEPTED
FERC issued an order accepting the ISO’s filing of ICR-related values for the thirteenth Forward Capacity Auction, which is associated with the 2022-2023 Capacity Commitment Period.

CONNECTICUT

RAMPING UP RENEWABLE ENERGY REMAINS LAWMAKERS’ FOCUS IN 2019
The new administration and the legislature are prioritizing renewable energy in 2019. Lamont has called for combatting climate change, through greater investment in renewable sources and improvements to the grid. Bipartisan cooperation on offshore wind development is also expected. Read article

LEGISLATIVE
The Energy & Technology Committee will meet on January 15 at 1:00 PM for remarks by the chairs and ranking members and introductions of members and staff.  The meeting agenda is available here.  

The Bil Record Book, which contains proposed House and Senate bills, is available here.