On May 19, 2020, the Oregon Public Utility Commission (Oregon Commission) approved, in principle, a proposed tariff for allocating community solar program (CSP) costs across Portland General Electric Company’s (PGE’s) customer classes. In a public settlement agreement, with the Oregon Commission’s approval of its tariff, PGE agreed to allow solar projects that were parties to the settlement agreement to terminate each project’s pre-existing power purchase agreement (PPA) if so requested within 90 days of the Commission order and to sell their power in the CSP. [Read more…]
Washington UTC Approves Multiparty Settlement in Avista Rate Case
April 3, 2020 By
On March 25, 2020, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (“UTC”) approved a multiparty settlement in Avista’s rate case. The decision will ultimately result in a rate increase, yet the Commission approved a number of refunds that will keep electric rates down this year, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. [Read more…]
Oregon PUC Supports Competitive Markets in Revamping PGE’s New Load Direct Access Program
January 16, 2020 By
On January 7, 2020, the Oregon Public Utility Commission (Oregon Commission) ordered the Portland General Electric Company (PGE) to submit new tariffs that implement its Large New Load Direct Access (NLDA) program (Order No. 20-002). The new tariffs will go into effect on February 6, 2020. [Read more…]
Ninth Circuit Reaffirms PURPA’s Must-Purchase and Fixed Contract Price Requirements
August 10, 2019 By
On July 29, 2019, the Ninth Circuit released an opinion in Winding Creek Solar, LLC v. California Public Utility Commission (California Commission or CPUC), finding that the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (“PURPA”) preempted the CPUC’s “Renewable Market Adjusting Tariff” (Re-Mat) and “Standard Offer Contract” programs. Under PURPA, utilities are required to purchase any energy and capacity made available from a qualifying facility (QF) at the utility’s avoided cost, and the QF has the option to have the price it is paid for that energy and capacity determined either at the time of contracting or at the time of delivery. [Read more…]
Oregon Court of Appeals Reverses OPUC on PacifiCorp’s Direct Access Charge
June 28, 2019 By
On June 19, 2019, the Oregon Court of Appeals issued an opinion in Calpine Energy Solutions, LLC v. Oregon Public Utility Commission (Oregon Commission or OPUC), reversing the OPUC’s approval of PacifiCorp’s Transition Adjustment Mechanism (TAM). The core decision by the Court is that a state regulatory agency, like the Oregon Commission, must make its decision based on the evidence brought before it and not information or decisions from prior cases. [Read more…]
