North America News

Latest news and developments from North America region

• US DOE announces USD505 million programme for energy storage

  May 17, 2022
  The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the USD505 million Long Duration Energy Storage for Everyone, Everywhere (LD ESEE) initiative under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

• DATA coalition supports FERC’s NOPR on transmission planning

  May 17, 2022
  The Developers Advocating Transmission Advancements (DATA) Coalition, a group of incumbent investor-owned utilities (IOUs), has announced support for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) to reform regional transmission planning and cost allocation.

• California earmarks USD5.2 billion for strategic electricity reliability reserve

  May 17, 2022
  According to a revised budget proposal, California has set aside USD5.2 billion to fund a strategic electricity reliability reserve—a resource of up to 5,000 MW that the state can draw into when the grid is particularly stressed.

• Maine DEP staff back NECEC project ahead of environment permit hearing

  May 17, 2022
  The staff of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which advises the Board of Environment Protection (BEP), have largely disagreed with the opponents of the proposed USD1 billion New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) power line.

• ERCOT anticipates Texas grid ready for summer demand

  May 16, 2022
  The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) expects to have sufficient generation capacity to meet the peak demand in the summer season starting from June to September 2022, under normal system conditions and reserve capacity risk scenarios examined in its latest Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy for the ERCOT Region (SARA).

• Wyoming PSC approves PacifiCorp’s Gateway South/West Segment projects

  May 16, 2022
  The Wyoming Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved the certificates of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) for PacifiCorp subsidiary, Rocky Mountain Power (RMP), to proceed with construction of the Gateway South and a part of the Gateway West Segment D.1 transmission projects.

• Energy storage to maintain Hawaii’s grid reliability post coal plant retirement

  May 16, 2022
  Utility-scale energy storage as well as distributed storage resources are expected to play a major role in helping Hawaii maintain grid reliability as it prepares to close a 180 MW coal plant, the largest power plant on the island of Oahu.

• R Street Institute study recommends transmission reforms to speed up energy transition

  May 11, 2022
  The R Street Institute—a nonpartisan, public policy research organisation, recently released a study depicting electric transmission reform priorities that it has developed, to provide over USD100 billion in consumer net benefits while speeding up the transition to a reliable, cleaner future.

• US DOE launches USD2.5 billion fund to modernise grid [free access]

  May 10, 2022
  The US Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a request for information (RFI) seeking public input on the structure of the USD2.5 billion Transmission Facilitation Program (TFP).

• US regulators discuss solutions to clear interconnection queue backlogs and cost allocation

  May 10, 2022
  Federal and state electricity regulators explored options for reducing the nationwide interconnection queue backlog, with a general consensus that studying interconnection requests in clusters rather than project-by-project, could help speed up the process.

• CEC report recommends 3 GW OSW goal by 2030 in California

  May 9, 2022
  According to a draft report released by California Energy Commission (CEC), California energy regulators are considering a preliminary planning goal of 3 GW of offshore wind by 2030, and somewhere between 10 GW and 15 GW by 2045.

• Idaho Power seeks regulatory permit for 120 MW BESS projects

  May 9, 2022
  Idaho Power has filed a request for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC), for the installation of two battery energy storage system (BESS) projects aggregating 120 MW.

• Hydro One and GLP enter into agreement on Waasigan transmission line

  May 5, 2022
  Canadian Hydro One Networks Inc. (Hydro One) and Gwayakocchigewin Limited Partnership (GLP) have advanced their collaboration by signing an agreement on the Waasigan Transmission Line project.

• US DOE announces additional funding for battery and component manufacturing

  May 3, 2022
  The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the availability of over USD3.1 billion in funding for battery and component manufacturing, recycling, and second-life incentives.

• FERC rejects MISO’s proposal to allow TOs to profit from grid upgrades

  May 3, 2022
  The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has rejected a proposal that would have allowed incumbent transmission owners (TOs) in the Midcontinent Independent Service Operator’s (MISO) region to pay for and profit on grid upgrades needed for merchant high voltage direct current (HVDC) power lines.

• BLM issues draft EIS for 500 kV SunZia transmission project

  May 3, 2022
  The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a US Interior Department agency, has issued a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the 500 kV SunZia transmission project, which is designed to deliver 4,500 MW of mainly renewable energy from New Mexico and Arizona to Southwest markets, including California.

• I&M announces investment for East Mishawaka transmission line project

  May 3, 2022
  Indiana Michigan Power (I&M), a subsidiary of American Electric Power (AEP), has announced an investment of around USD13 million on the 138 kV East Mishawaka transmission line project.

• BLM issues draft EIS for 500kV SunZia transmission project [free access]

  May 3, 2022
  The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a US Interior Department agency, has issued a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the 500 kV SunZia transmission project, which is designed to deliver 4,500 MW of mainly renewable energy from New Mexico and Arizona to Southwest markets, including California.

• BLM begins federal review of Greenlink West project

  May 2, 2022
  The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) began its federal review of the proposed Greenlink West Transmission project on May 1, 2022, which is being developed by the Nevada utility, NV Energy.

• MISO projects shortfall to meet summer projected load

  May 2, 2022
  The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) is projecting a 5 GW shortfall in firm generation to meet projected load this summer.