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DTE Energy Invests in 1.5 GW of Michigan-made Battery Energy Storage Systems for Eight Projects

LCG, May 28, 2026--DTE Energy yesterday announced a $1.6 billion investment to develop Michigan-made battery energy storage systems across Michigan through partnering with LG Energy Solution Vertech, the U.S. energy storage division of LG Energy Solution.

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Microsoft and Avangrid Sign PPA for Bluebird Solar Project in Washington State

LCG, May 27, 2026--Avangrid, Inc., a member of the Iberdrola Group, today announced the signing of a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Microsoft for the 140 MWdc (100 MWac) Bluebird Solar project in Klickitat County, Washington. Bluebird is located near four other energy projects owned and operated by Avangrid in Klickitat County and represents another $300 million investment in the community. The Bluebird Solar project is expected to achieve commercial operation in 2028.

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Industry News

FERC Threatens Trading Licenses of Energy Companies

LCG, June 5, 2002--Today the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) warned that the trading licenses of four companies were in jeopardy due their lack of cooperation in an electricity market investigation.

Williams Cos. Ltd., El Paso Electric, which is independent of El Paso Corporation, Avista Corp., and Portland General Electric Co. were ordered to "show cause why the commission should not revoke their market-based rate authority" within ten days. According to FERC, the companies failed to properly respond to an order requiring that they state whether or not they had participated in manipulative market practices.

FERC's order, signed by three commissioners, said that the four energy traders' responses were "indicative of a failure by these companies to cooperate with our investigation."

Williams was told that it did not answer the original order in a straightforward manner, a statement that Williams contests.

Over 100 companies are under scrutiny in FERC's investigation, which came after memos were released relating Enron trading strategies to market manipulation. The Enron strategies in question include "ricochet," which called for selling electricity out-of-state prior to selling it in-state for the purposes of avoiding price caps and increasing profit.

FERC asserts that trading records from Portland General link that company and Avista to manipulative practices and that trading between the companies were "designed to further the Ricochet and Death Star trading strategies."

Although a public memo refers to $7.3 million in joint revenue between El Paso Electric and Enron, El Paso claimed a mere ball-park $700,000 in its affidavit to FERC and ignorance to any Enron actions taken on its behalf, which FERC asserts is "simply not credible."

Stocks of the four companies are seeing negative effects from the FERC order.

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