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Massachusetts Poised to Target More Offshore Wind

LCG, August 2, 2018--The Massachusetts Legislature approved H4857, An Act to Advance Clean Energy, on Tuesday that includes: an increase in the Massachusetts Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) goals to 35 percent by 2030, a 1,000 MW energy storage goal by 2025, and a path to install an additional 1,600 MW of offshore wind capacity. With the current goal of installing 1,600 MW of offshore wind capacity, the total offshore wind capacity would be 3,200 MW. The legislation will now be received by the Governor of Massachusetts.

Pattern Development Completes Power Purchase Agreements for 200 MW Wind Project in New Mexico

LCG, August 1, 2018--Pattern Energy Group 2 LP (Pattern Development) yesterday announced it has signed 15-year power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) and Monterey Bay Community Power (MBCP) to deliver wind power from the 200 MW Duran Mesa Wind project currently in development near Corona, New Mexico. SVCE has signed a PPA for 110 MW, and MBCP has signed a PPA for 90 MW.

Texans Could Get a Summer Electric Bill Rebate

LCG, May 10, 2001The Texas House of Representatives tentatively approved legislation that would give electric utility customers a refund late this summer, despite protests from utilities that "It's premature to be tinkering" with the state's 1999 electric deregulation law.

Customers of Reliant Energy Inc. in the Houston area would see refunds of up to $120 and those of TXU Utilities Co. would get about $54 if the House gives final approval to the measure, it passes in the Senate and is signed into law.

Those are a lot of "ifs" and the utilities say they will fight the measure every step of the way.

When the deregulation law was passed, investor-owned utilities were allowed to accumulate certain "excess" earnings as a hedge against anticipated losses resulting from changes in the industry. The overcharges were to be reconciled with actual losses in 2004.

The losses have not materialized "as yet," say the utilities and some politicians look on the accumulated money as a way to buy votes. "Don't let the message go out that we have a chance to lower their bills and we voted 'No,'" said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Sylvester Turner, a Houston Democrat.

The utilities say coughing up the money could produce financial instability and that could lead to problems like those in California.

But Texas-size problems appear to be a lot smaller than California-size problems. Turner's measure would cost TXU about $212 million, Reliant around $146 million and Central Power & Light Co. a measly $8 million.

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