PSC Looking for Aggregation Expert The Public Service Commission wants to hire a consultant to help it review and assess the potential costs and benefits of retail aggregation. The job posting, done through the Secretary of State’s office, is part of a legislature-ordered study of aggregation, which would allow groups of...

PSC Delays Vote on Delmarva Reliability Plan The Public Service Commission delayed a vote on Delmarva Power & Light’s infrastructure improvement plan until Exelon completes its acquisition of Delmarva’s parent company, Pepco Holdings Inc. PSC staff was critical of Delmarva’s five-year, $397 million plan to improve its distribution system, calling it...

By Michael Brooks St. Charles site construction (Source: CPV) Competitive Power Ventures plans to begin major construction next month on its 661-MW combined-cycle plant in Maryland despite an unfavorable ruling last week from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. FERC rejected CPV’s request that it declare the company’s contracts with regulated...

State Creates Green Fund to Spur Solar Installations The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the Sustainable Energy Utility are combining efforts in a Joint Green Energy Fund to help residents, businesses and nonprofits install solar and geothermal technology. The SEU, a non-profit organization created by the state,...

Protesters blocked the entrance to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last week, resulting in more than two dozen arrests. (Source: Erik McGregor) By Michael Brooks Cheryl LaFleur has won plaudits for her leadership since taking over as acting chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in November and won 90...

State, Railroads Mum on Bakken Crude Shipments State officials know when large shipments of potentially explosive Bakken crude are shipped by rail to a refinery in the state but won’t release that information to the public because of security concerns, The News Journal reported. CSX Corp. and Norfolk Southern Corp. have...

Delmarva Sets Date for Solar Power Auction Delmarva Power & Light Co. will accept applications for a Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC) Spot Market Auction through July 7. SRECs let renewable energy producers sell credits to Delmarva to help it meet its renewable mandates set by the state. Delmarva intends to...

Utilities in New Jersey and Maryland are fighting an attempt by a generation developer to enforce contracts that federal courts last year ruled invalid. Competitive Power Ventures filed requests June 2 asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to declare just and reasonable the contracts that would provide funding for CPV’s...

Calpine’s New Plant Hosts Governor   [caption id="attachment_8979" align="alignright" width="270"] Garrison plant schematic (Source: Calpine)[/caption] Calpine Corp. led Gov. Jack Markell and Environmental Protection Agency Secretary Gina McCarthy on a tour of its under-construction Garrison Energy Center in Dover last week. "This project is putting people to work and will bring...

By David Jwanier, Ted Caddell and Michael Brooks WASHINGTON – The Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to cut carbon dioxide emissions 30% from 2005 levels won’t fall evenly on all states. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy Coal-heavy Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio will be required to make major changes in their...