Pursuant to Senate Bill (SB) 520, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued an Order Instituting Rulemaking (OIR) on March 25, 2021, to address issues related to providers of last resort (POLR) requirements. In...more
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) electric regulation has traditionally put resources into defined categories (generation, transmission, distribution), but energy storage devices defy easy categorization. They can...more
In a change of policy, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has acknowledged in Black Oak Energy, LLC that the broad remedial authority granted to it in Section 309 of the Federal Power Act (FPA) includes the...more
Reactive power is needed to maintain efficient and reliable operation of the integrated transmission system. However, reactive power cannot be transmitted significant distances, and therefore must be produced in close...more
Energy storage resources such as pumped storage hydroelectric generators, lithium ion batteries, and flywheels, are becoming increasingly significant in maintaining the reliability and resilience of the interstate electricity...more
On December 13 the California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”) will vote on whether to open a new rulemaking to determine when an electric utility can de-energize power lines in cases of dangerous conditions that threaten...more
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is currently considering whether pairing energy storage with a wind power project could change that facility’s status in FERC Docket No. EL18-195-000. ...more
The short answer is: yes, with a few caveats.
On January 19, 2017, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) issued a policy statement that, under appropriate circumstances, electric storage resources may...more
California Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 32 last week codifying into law his office’s emission reduction goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions to 40% below the 1990 level by 2030. By signing this bill, Governor...more
Senate Bill (“SB”) 350, which the California legislature passed in 2015, sets ambitious goals for the state, including a 50% renewables portfolio standard and a doubling of energy efficiency by 2030. To help encourage a...more
As most of you know by now, Senate Bill (“SB”) 350, the much-chronicled and debated Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act of 2015, passed out of the California Legislature and is currently awaiting signature by Governor...more