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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

California Axes Five Consultants with Interest Conflicts

LCG, July 30, 2001The office of California Gov. Gray Davis, burned by newspaper accounts of state power purchasers owning stock in the companies from which they were buying electricity, admitted late Friday that five of them had been fired and a sixth quit.

Newspaper stories about the conflicts of interest grew out of a demand by California Secretary of State Bill Jones, a Republican, that the Securities and Exchange Commission investigate stock purchases by consultants working for the California Department of Water Resources, the state agency that is purchasing power on behalf of the state's cash-strapped utilities.

In addition to the six departures, the chief lawyers for the water agency was removed from her position because of perceived mishandling of the conflicts.

The governor's office claimed that the potential conflict came to light only last week, after the consultants were asked to file economic disclosure statements. Davis had earlier insisted that such statements were not required because the consultants are beyond the reach of the state's political reform laws.

Four of the water agency energy traders were dismissed for owning shares in Calpine Corp., a San Jose-based power generator that has landed the largest share of the $43 billion in long-term state power contracts.

Among them was Richard Ferreira, who was being paid $200 per hour on a $500,000 contract to negotiate contracts, according to state records. The other traders were identified as William F. Mead, Herman Leung, Constantine Louie and Peggy Cheng.

All had become consultants after the breakup of their former employer, the now-defunct California Power Exchange. They had been engaged by the state in February and March under contracts calling for payments of between $15,000 and $23,000 per month, including expenses.

The sixth trader, Elaine Griffin, also a former Cal-PX employee, abruptly quit the water agency on July 14, three days after filing her financial disclosure statement. The statement reports that she purchased between $10,000 and $100,000 worth of Calpine stock on February 1, during the last week she worked at Cal-PX.

Shortly thereafter, records show, Calpine announced a $4.6 billion, 10-year contract to sell power to the California Department of Water Resources. On February 20, Griffin joined the water agency as a consultant, which was negotiating another $8.3 billion batch of contracts with Calpine. A 20-year contract was signed on February 27.

Calpine wasn't the only power producer the consultants own stock in. Two reported owning shares of Enron, two more in SoCal Ed and another in Reliant Energy Inc.

Media sources contributed to this story.

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