CISA Tabletop Exercise Package Assists With Pandemic Recovery And Continuity Planning
July 22, 2020
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
Posted July 22, 2020
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has developed a COVID-19 Recovery CISA Tabletop Exercise Package (CTEP) to assist private sector stakeholders and critical infrastructure owners and operators in assessing short-term, intermediate, and long-term recovery and business continuity plans related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CTEP also provides organizations with the opportunity to discuss how ongoing recovery efforts would be impacted by concurrent response operations to a potential “second wave” of global pandemic infections.
CISA notes that its tabletop exercise packages are designed and developed to provide a customizable virtual exercise for critical infrastructure and private sector partners to review their emergency plans for a multitude of different scenarios.
CTEPs are intended to assist organizations in developing their own tabletop exercises to tailor meet their specific needs, from planning to execution.
CISA’s CTEPs allow users to leverage pre-built exercise templates with realistic scenarios, to build tabletop exercises to assess, develop, and update information sharing processes, emergency plans, programs, policies, and procedures.
The COVID-19 Recovery CTEP includes instructions and templates to help users conduct an exercise within an organization that follows Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program guidance including a Situation Manual.
The manual includes scope, objectives, core capabilities, exercise agenda, the scenario, and discussion questions. It can be tailored by an organization to meet specific needs and objectives.
Additional information about the COVID-19 Recovery CTEP is available here.
Court Again Turns Down Trump’s Challenge of California’s Cap-And-Trade Program
July 21, 2020
by APPA News
Posted July 21, 2020
A federal court on Friday ruled against the Trump administration’s attempts to block California’s greenhouse gas emissions trading program.
It was the second setback for the administration’s efforts to limit California’s cap-and trade program.
In October, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil complaint against California in United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, arguing that the state’s cap-and-trade agreement with the Canadian Province of Quebec is unconstitutional.
The DOJ sought a permanent injunction against the agreement.
The California legislature passed the California Global Warming Solutions Act in 2006, The California Air Resources Board (CARB) finished the regulation to implement a cap-and-trade program in October 2011. The law included a “framework for linkage” to accept the compliance instruments of other states and provinces.
In 2016, the United States entered into the Paris Agreement of 2015. 2017, President Donald Trump announced the United States would withdraw from the Paris Accord and negotiate a new deal. The United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Accord will be complete on Nov. 4, 2020.
Meanwhile, California linked its cap-and-trad program with those of Quebec and Ontario in January 2018, although the relationship with Ontario ended shortly thereafter.
In the October filing, the DOJ argued that California’s agreement with Quebec was unconstitutional because it was in violation of the Commerce and Treaty clauses and the Foreign Affairs Doctrine.
In March, the district court denied DOJ’s attempt to shut down California’s emissions program on the basis that it violated the Commerce and Treaty clauses. The court left for a subsequent hearing the claims made under the Foreign Affairs Doctrine.
The DOJ complaint cites the supremacy of the president’s authority to conduct foreign affairs as granted by the Constitution and says the agreement between California and Quebec falls “outside the area of any traditional state interest” and interferes with the United States’ foreign policy on greenhouse gas regulation, including but not limited to its intention to withdraw from the Paris Accord.
The DOJ argued two main points. First, DOJ argued that California’s cap-and-trade program creates an obstacle to the president’s ability to implement the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change of 1992 and the Global Climate Protection Act of 1987, which aims to increase worldwide understanding of the greenhouse gas effect and to foster cooperation and coordination among nations on scientific research regarding the greenhouse effect. Second, the DOJ argued that California’s program is inconsistent with President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Accord and should be preempted.
California responded that its program is consistent with both the Global Climate Protection Act and the 1992 Convention and that the program has little to no effect on the president’s ability to withdraw from the Paris Accord.
Citing case law, Judge William Shubb of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California ruled that without a “clear conflict between the policies adopted” by California and federally in the Global Climate Protection Act and the 1992 Convention, conflict preemption is inappropriate.
Regarding the Paris Accord argument, the DOJ argued that California’s program conflicts with Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Accord and undermines the federal government’s ability to develop a new international mitigation arrangement.
However, the district court noted that neither California nor Quebec are parties to the Paris Accord and are, therefore, incapable of authorizing the use of compliance instruments. Nor could California facilitate Canada’s participation in the Paris Accord because as of November, the United States would no longer be a party to the accord.
The DOJ also argued that the California program would “undermine the federal government’s ability to develop a new international mitigation arrangement.” And while the DOJ argued that the administration need not state and exact foreign policy, the district court ruled that “case law holds otherwise.” Both “the Supreme Court and the Ninth Circuit [Court of Appeals] have recognized conflict preemption only in the face of a clear and definite foreign policy.”
The DOJ “cites no authority for the proposition that an intent to negotiate for a ‘better deal’ at some point in the future is enough to preempt state law. Indeed, there is a clear distinction between the act of negotiation and the resulting policy,” Shubb wrote, concluding that the DOJ’s case falls short of meeting the requirements of conflict preemption and California’s program is not barred by conflict preemption.
That left the broader challenge of field preemption, which can occur in the absence of a treaty or federal statute if a state attempts to establish its own foreign policy.
While the district court acknowledged California’s authority to enact legislation to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, the court found that California’s cap-and-trade program exceeds traditional state interests because of its expressed intent to have “far-reaching effects,” including “encouraging other … countries to act.” That, according to the district court, extends California’s cap-and-trade program beyond the area of traditional state responsibility.
On the issue of intrusion into federal government powers, however, case law holds that a state’s action “must have more than some incidental or indirect effect on foreign affairs,” Shubb wrote. He noted that the DOJ failed to offer evidence that “California’s cap-and-trade program interferes with the President’s powers” or that the program has interfered with either negotiations for a better deal or the nation’s imminent withdrawal from the Paris Accord.
In conclusion, Shubb ruled that the DOJ failed to show that California’s program impermissibly intrudes on the federal government’s foreign affairs power “because the court must find both that a state law has exceeded a traditional state responsibility and intrudes on the federal government’s foreign affairs power to be preempted.”
The court granted the California parties’ motions for summary judgment on DOJ’s field preemption claim and denied DOJ’s motion for a summary judgment.
Boulder Issues RFP For Power Supplies, Financing Tied To Possible Municipal Utility Formation
July 21, 2020
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
Posted July 21, 2020
The City of Boulder, Colo., recently issued a request for proposals that seeks power supply and innovative financing for a potential city municipal utility.
Responses to the RFP, which are due Aug. 14, will allow the city to finalize key details of the utility, the city noted.
“We are interested to see what the open market can provide to Boulder,” said Steve Catanach, who heads the city’s Local Power project. “We know there are companies eager to show Boulder they can provide high levels of renewables and meet our energy goals at reasonable costs, and I look forward to seeing their proposals.”
The RFP seeks bids that will help the city determine key details for the electric utility, including:
* The cost to purchase power from an independent power supplier;
* The amount of renewables a city-run electricity could achieve on day one of operations, and by 2030, when the city seeks to achieve 100% renewable electricity; and
* Opportunities to participate in community-scale renewable power within the city limits and Boulder County, as well as large-scale renewable projects in the region.
The city is also seeking innovative financing mechanisms to help the city complete municipalization. This could include financing for work leading up to the community vote, and/or — after voter approval — financing for start-up costs, separation costs and costs to purchase the necessary electric distribution infrastructure from investor-owned Xcel Energy.
A core focus of this phase of the city’s municipalization work is determining key details of the costs and benefits of a local electric utility prior to the community decision, the city noted.
Boulder said that the RFP released last week has long been in the Local Power work plan and builds on a 2018 request for indicative pricing that demonstrated that there are power providers that can provide a reliable electricity supply to the city while meeting the city’s energy goals at reasonable costs.
Negotiations with Xcel Energy continue in parallel with Local Power work
Meanwhile, the city’s negotiations with Xcel Energy continue in parallel to the city’s Local Power work.
An update on the negotiations and a summary of public feedback is scheduled to be provided at a city council meeting on Tuesday, July 21.
Boulder, Colo., and Xcel Energy in May initiated discussions that could lead to different options for the city to pursue other than a city-run, community owned electric utility in order to reach its energy-related goals.
Gainesville, Fla., City Commission Approves Solar Plus Storage Project
July 21, 2020
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
Posted July 21, 2020
The Gainesville, Fla., City Commission on July 16 unanimously approved a project that will bring 50 megwatts of solar power to the public power community by 2022. The project also includes 12-MW of energy storage.
Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) previously reached an agreement to add 50 MW of solar power generation to its renewable energy portfolio through a power purchase agreement with Origis Energy.
The agreement moves the city closer to a goal of 100 percent renewable by 2045.
GRU’s current renewable resources include the Deerhaven Renewable Generating Station (103 MW), landfill gas-fueled power (3.6 MW), and Solar Feed-in-Tariff (18.5 MW).
GRU also has approximately nine MW of customer-owned and net-metered solar connected to its distribution system.
The solar facility will be located approximately two miles south of GRU’s Parker Road substation.
SMUD Board Commits To Pursuing Goal Of Delivering Carbon Neutral Power By 2030
July 20, 2020
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
Posted July 21, 2020
The Board of Directors of California public power utility SMUD recently adopted a climate emergency declaration that commits to working toward a goal of delivering carbon neutral electricity by 2030.
“The Board’s adoption of the climate emergency declaration acknowledges the ambitious steps SMUD has already undertaken and will continue to take to reduce the carbon footprint in our region, while continuing to deliver safe, reliable and affordable power,” said SMUD Board President Rob Kerth. “This resolution commits SMUD to finding reductions in the quickest way possible and investing in our most vulnerable communities.”
SMUD noted that it has a long history of environmental leadership, helping to pioneer renewable energy programs and standards.
In 2018, SMUD successfully reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent from 1990 levels, the equivalent of removing 377,000 vehicles from the road.
Furthermore, SMUD has reduced the carbon intensity of its power mix, which is now 50 percent carbon free on average. SMUD has also partnered to plant more than 500,000 shade trees throughout the Sacramento region to improve air quality, sequester carbon and reduce customer bills, it noted.
In 2018, then-California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill that puts California on a path toward reaching 100% clean energy by 2045.
SMUD also helped grow the local market for solar development by providing $130 million in customer incentives to install solar on over 15,000 local rooftops.
IRP
SMUD adopted its most recent integrated resources plan in 2018 that set a roadmap to achieving carbon neutrality by 2040, five years ahead of the state.
The plan, approved in January 2020 by the California Energy Commission, focuses on local renewables and includes a $7 billion investment to achieve the following aggressive goals:
Nearly 2,900 megawatts (MW) of new carbon-free resources including:
* 670 MW of wind
* 1,500 MW of utility-scale solar, of which, nearly 300 MW will be built in the next 3 years
* 180 MW of geothermal
* 560 MW of utility-scale energy storage
An aggressive strategy to expand demand-side resources including:
* Nearly 600 MW of installed rooftop solar
* The equivalent of 900,000 local electric vehicles and 400,000 all-electric homes
* Nearly 200 MW of demand response programs
* Over 200 MW of customer-installed batteries
SMUD said the resolution “indicates a strong commitment to finding additional opportunities to accelerate decarbonization, and staff will work to immediately support the goals of the resolution.”
Public Power, Other Industry Officials Weigh In On COVID-19 Response At FERC Conference
July 20, 2020
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
Posted July 20, 2020
Public power leaders from the New York Power Authority, Seattle City Light and City Utilities of Springfield, Mo., were joined by a wide range of officials from other parts of the energy sector at a recent two-day technical conference held by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that examined the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the energy industry.
“The Commission has been thinking a lot about how this pandemic may affect the energy industry going forward as we recover from the economic upheaval it unleashed,” FERC Chairman Neil Chatterjee said in remarks made on July 8 at the start of the conference.
“Since March, we’ve been seeing decreased demand for electricity, gas and oil,” he noted. “We expect to see demand to rebound as we enter summer peak season, but ultimately we don’t know yet where these trends are heading and we all face uncertainty, especially as we see a resurgence of cases in various regions of the country.”
FERC Commissioner Richard Glick said that the energy sector “has risen up to the challenge” of the pandemic, “keeping the air conditioning running, keeping the heat on, keeping the lights on.”
Glick said that a significant reason for that is the emergency planning and drills that the energy industry regularly conducts.
FERC Commissioners James Danly and Bernard McNamee also participated in the two-day conference.
One of the panels on day one of the conference that focused on system operations and planning challenges included Mike Haynes, Chief Operating Officer at public power utility Seattle City Light.
Glick asked panelists to comment on how the pandemic could lead to long-term teleworking and, if that materializes, the implications for residential energy efficiency.
“What’s very important to us – especially in the municipal world – is not to lose sight of the underserved communities,” said Haynes. “We think that energy efficiency – in home measures in particular,” offers a “huge opportunity to fill a gap there,” he said.
“These recent events over the last three, four months have highlighted our need to really focus on, I think, the underserved communities so we’re going to create that opportunity and work really hard to make sure that energy efficiency proliferates, but also that the opportunities that are made across the board to everybody who wants access will get access to those measures,” Haynes said.
Gil Quiniones, President and CEO of the New York Power Authority (NYPA), who participated in a separate panel on the first day of the conference, said that “energy efficiency is extremely, extremely important in many aspects.”
He noted that energy efficiency “saves money in the utility bills of our consumers and our businesses and makes our businesses more competitive.”
He further pointed out that energy efficiency “is the biggest job creator in all of the clean energy sectors. It’s been hit very hard because of this COVID pandemic.”
Moreover, “if done right, it can also help our buildings and homes be more flexible and really take advantage of that demand flexibility in transforming our grid from the current system to a smart, integrated and cleaner grid.”
Quiniones said that “if we do more and more electrification, we must do energy efficiency. Otherwise, the investment in reinforcements of the grid will be too expensive.”
NERC’s Robb says there has been no degradation to reliable operation of bulk power system
Meanwhile, Jim Robb, President and CEO of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, said that “throughout the crisis thus far, we have not observed any degradation” to the reliable operation of the bulk power system.
He noted that “our efforts at NERC have focused on three primary areas – heightened situational awareness, active coordination with government partners and industry and use of regulatory discretion.”
Robb said that “basic cyber hygiene remains extraordinarily important.”
He said that there have been a number of key patching events “over the last couple of months with Microsoft products and other ubiquitous products across the sector. It’s critical that utilities keep their systems patched.”
In a recent interview with the American Public Power Association, Robb said the power sector deserves “a tremendous amount of credit” for the way in which it has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Quiniones says power industry is doing an “exemplary job”
NYPA’s Quiniones echoed the praise of the industry’s handling of the COVID-19 emergency. “The electric industry is doing an exemplary job of maintaining reliable service while managing through the many challenges presented by the pandemic,” said Quiniones, who participated in a panel that focused on electricity demand and transmission planning.
“Trade groups like the American Public Power Association, Large Public Power Council and collaborative bodies such as the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council, in coordination with government partners, are supporting collective industry response efforts,” he said.
“They include the sharing of planning considerations and mutual aid for utilities particularly impacted by COVID-19,” Quiniones said.
He noted that New York, which was one of the original epicenters of the pandemic, experienced a nearly 10 percent reduction in electric load statewide at the height of the pandemic.
“In addition, New York State’s strong economy, a prime driver of the state’s electric load, has seen a decline and might not return to 2019 levels for quite some time,” Quiniones said.
The reduction in load and the uncertain pace of recovery will have a direct effect on “planning the much-needed expansion and upgrades to major power infrastructure. While transmission planning might be difficult, now is the time to invest in the power grid to meet clean energy goals and to help restart the economy.”
NYPA recently resumed work on certain projects that were suspended so that the Authority could focus on the continued safe operation of its power plants and transmission system in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Quiniones also said that it is critical “that we help address the disproportionate impact of pandemics such as COVID-19” on low-income communities, especially communities of color.
Panel looks at oil and natural gas supply
On Thursday, July 9, a panel during the second day of the conference explored the impacts of COVID-19 on natural gas and oil supply, demand, transportation, and infrastructure planning, including the number and types of proposed projects, pipeline construction, and rate filings.
Included among the panelists was Gary Gibson, General Manager and CEO for City Utilities of Springfield, Mo. Gibson appeared on behalf of the American Public Gas Association (APGA).
Gibson, who noted that APGA members are locally owned and governed to be accountable to the communities they serve, said APGA members – including City Utilities – “have taken significant steps to ensure natural gas continues to safely flow to all during this crisis, especially to those with emergency financial needs.”
Gibson said that APGA members have been pausing shut offs, waiving fees and penalties for late payments and restoring services to those in need.
“As a result, many APGA members have had customers request deferrals of payments, resulting in the deferrals of hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue for some systems,” he noted.
He said that APGA members and other pipeline operators have developed COVID-related procedures to ensure that personnel have the resources and technologies they need so that they can perform their roles and minimize exposure to the virus.
Gibson said that “pipeline safety has remained the top priority during these challenging times. Employees of APGA members have been on the front lines, supporting their customer owners by responding to a variety of service calls.”
He further noted that municipal gas utilities “have also fallen victim to the hardships presented by this pandemic, having lost roughly $140 million since March” and being projected to realized additional revenue losses in the coming months.
“While Congress has acted swiftly to provide much needed aid to various industries, local governments, including municipal utilities, have been largely ineligible for many of these programs. Consequently, APGA has requested congressional assistance to help offset revenue losses as a result of COVID-19,” Gibson said.
“Until public utilities receive appropriate support, APGA members will continue to have significant financial hardships, which could impact infrastructure projects moving forward,” he said.
“With these challenging times, there has been heightened awareness of many APGA members’ dependence on one pipeline for gas supply. While no issues were experienced during this pandemic, the Commission is encouraged to ensure that it is taking the appropriate steps in improving infrastructure that allows for America’s abundant energy resources to reach the homes and businesses that need them.”
COVID-19 Has Minimal Effect On Power Plant Startups, EIA Says
July 20, 2020
by Peter Maloney
APPA News
Posted July 20, 2020
Efforts to mitigate the spread the COVID-19 have delayed the start dates of proposed power plants slightly more than average, according to the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) March and April preliminary monthly electric generator inventory data.
About 20% of the power projects due online within 12 months in 2018 and 2019 experienced some delays. In March and April, 21% and 29% of projects, respectively, experienced delays, some of which were attributed to efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the EIA reported.
The minimal increase in delays suggests that COVID-19 mitigation efforts “may have been a contributing factor” in some project delays reported in March and April, but not the only factor involved, EIA said. “The majority of projects in development are still on schedule,” the authors said.
Generating projects that expect to begin commercial operation within 12 months report their status to the EIA. If a project is delayed, project developers must provide the EIA with a cause for the delay.
In an effort to better understand the impact of COVID-19 mitigation efforts, such as state-mandated stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns, the EIA emphasized an existing survey question that allowed respondents to specify whether or not project delays were attributable to COVID-19.
In March 2020, 163 of the 772 proposed power projects reported delays in their startup dates, with 41 citing COVID-19 for the delay. In April, 746 power projects reported they expected to begin operation within 12 months. Of those, 220 reported delays and 67 cited COVID-19 as a reason.
The COVID-19 related delays reported in March and April represent 3.1 gigawatts (GW), or 18% of total delayed capacity. The median delay reported was two months, regardless of whether or not COVID-19 was cited as the cause of delay.
The EIA data showed that projects in construction were more likely to be delayed as a result of COVID-19 than projects in earlier stages of development. Sixty-one projects, totaling 2.4 GW, that were under construction in March and April were delayed as a result of the COVID-19.
Even though construction workers are considered essential, building a power project requires scheduling of simultaneous and dependent activities that involve numerous components, equipment, and specialized workers, EIA noted. The impacts of COVID-19 mitigation efforts, including supply chain disruptions, permitting delays, and restricted travel of specialized workers, affected project scheduling and increased the risk of project delays, the EIA report said.
COVID-19 related delays aside, most of the delays reported in March were for project in construction while most of the delays reported in April were for projects in the permitting process.
Among technology types, solar photovoltaic projects were most affected by COVID-19 restrictions.
In March and April, 53 solar projects, totaling 1.3 GW, were delayed as a result of COVID-19. Wind power projects were the second most affected by COVID-19, with 1.2 GW of wind projects citing the pandemic’s mitigation factors as a cause for delays.
New York Governor Unveils Several Initiatives Aimed At Boosting EVs
July 17, 2020
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
Posted July 17, 2020
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on July 16 unveiled several initiatives aimed at boosting the deployment of electric vehicles in the state.
The New York Public Service Commission on July 16 approved an “EV Make-Ready Program” that will be funded by investor-owned utilities in New York State and create a cost-sharing program that incentivizes utilities and charging station developers to site EV charging infrastructure in places that will provide a maximal benefit to consumers.
The PSC order caps the total budget at $701 million and will run through 2025, with $206 million allocated toward equitable access and benefits for lower-socio-economic and disadvantaged communities which will also be eligible for a higher incentive supporting up to 100 percent of the costs to make a site ready for EV charging.
The PSC’s action will provide funding for the infrastructure required to support more than 50,000 Level 2 charging plugs, capable of charging a vehicle at least two times faster than a standard wall outlet, and 1,500 public direct current fast charger stations in New York in recognition of the essential role that public fast charging stations will play in the near term to allay range anxiety, Cuomo’s office said in a news release.
$48.8 million of Volkswagen settlement funding
In addition to the make ready funding from investor-owned utilities, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is allocating $48.8 million from the Volkswagen diesel emissions settlement to transit bus and school bus operators and EV charging station owners to advance local growth of electric vehicle infrastructure, clean public transportation and transit options, and electric school buses.
LIPA announces goal to support 180,000 new EVs on Long Island
Meanwhile, the Long Island Power Authority, with its service provider, PSEG Long Island, also announced a goal to support 180,000 new EVs on Long Island with 4,650 new EV charging ports by 2025, beginning with a proposed 2021 investment of $4.4 million in make-ready infrastructure.
“Governor Cuomo’s efforts to expand electric vehicles is a boost for the climate and the economy,” said LIPA CEO Tom Falcone.
NYPA partnerships
As part of the Governor’s State of the State commitment to electrify transit buses for five major transit operators across the state, the New York Power Authority and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) will partner with these transit operators and provide up to $1 million to study the challenges of zero emissions bus fleets and identify solutions for electrification including bus options, charging needs and other logistical challenges.
And, as part of the state’s commitment to EV infrastructure, the New York State Department of State (DOS) is collaborating with NYPA to significantly expand deployment of DC fast chargers in downtown communities through Cuomo’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI).
DOS and NYPA will work with local governments and key stakeholders to identify communities participating in the DRI that may be interested in hosting public fast chargers.
The first downtown chargers will be installed through this program fall of 2021.
In addition, through its EVolve NY initiative, NYPA has recently installed two new DC fast charger stations in key Mid-Hudson locations and is working with the New York State Thruway to upgrade its plaza charging stations.
“NYPA is pleased to support Governor Cuomo’s bold and innovative efforts to decarbonize the transportation sector,” said NYPA President and CEO Gil Quiniones.
“The Make Ready program will help leverage the full potential of comprehensive state and utility EV programs. I am excited to see the electrification of the transportation sector and all its benefits realized in the near future,” he said.
Quiniones said that NYPA’s Evolve NY team “is making electric vehicle driving the easier choice by installing fast charging equipment along New York’s highways and byways, in urban centers and suburban downtowns, and at high-traffic bus depots upstate and downstate. At every corner, NYPA is building EV charging infrastructure for public transportation fleets, and for EV drivers to help decrease range anxiety and ensure New Yorkers and visitors can travel our great state from one end to the other while driving electric.”
Electrification MOU
Meanwhile, in order to further accelerate the electrification of light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicle fleets and in support of a multi-state medium- and heavy-duty transportation electrification MOU announced this month, the PSC has also directed utilities to create a Fleet Assessment Service that includes site feasibility and rate analysis, to aide fleet owners in identifying cost- and time- saving synergies.
The deployment of charging infrastructure that will occur under the order will enable access to public charging for EV adopters, which coupled with innovative rate designs for home charging to promote off-peak charging, will maximize utility system efficiency, Cuomo’s office said. The need to make rate design modifications will be reviewed as the EV initiative moves forward.
On July 14, Cuomo announced that New York, along with 14 states and the District of Columbia will develop an action plan to ramp up electrification of buses and trucks.
The goal of the MOU is to ensure that 100 percent of all new medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sales be zero emission vehicles by 2050 with an interim target of 30 percent zero-emission vehicle sales in these categories of vehicles by 2030.
Signatories of the MOU are: California, Connecticut, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and the District of Columbia.
Along with initiatives to electrify vehicles and truck fleets benefiting environmental justice and disadvantaged communities, the Commission has also directed NYSERDA to propose an integrated competition, with up to $85 million of the EV Make Ready total budget, designed to directly address emissions, equity and electrification in communities near high-density and congested streets and public highways.
Three prize areas will focus on supporting clean transportation options which benefit lower socio-economic and environmental justice communities.
Other initiatives and programs
Other initiatives and programs designed to achieve Cuomo’s Charge NY goal of 10,000 EV charging stations by the end of 2021 and 850,000 zero emission vehicles by 2025 are already underway.
Under NYSERDA’s Drive Clean Rebate program, more than $35 million in rebates have now resulted in over 25,000 electric vehicle purchases as of June of this year.
APPA EV activities tracker
The American Public Power Association has developed a Public Power EV Activities Tracker that summarizes key efforts undertaken by members — including incentives, electric vehicle deployment, charging infrastructure investments, rate design, pilot programs, and more.
Silicon Valley Clean Energy Receives Moody’s Investment-Grade Credit Rating
July 17, 2020
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
Posted July 17, 2020
Moody’s Investor Service on July 15 assigned a first time Baa2 issuer rating to Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE), a California community choice aggregator.
Moody’s issuer rating is an independent assessment of SVCE’s financial strength over the long term and acknowledges the agency’s economic stability. SVCE is the third CCA to receive an investment-grade credit rating.
“SV Clean Energy is pleased to have received the Baa2 rating from Moody’s as we continue to enhance financial strength in our customers’ interest,” said Howard Miller, SVCE Board Chair and City of Saratoga Mayor. “With this credit rating, the agency will be even more equipped to continue investing in cost-effective, new renewable energy projects to provide our customers and communities with affordable, clean energy.”
The Baa2 rating recognizes SVCE’s stability within the California CCA business model and the strong socio-economic conditions of the SVCE service area, despite the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Additional value consideration was given to SVCE’s ability to maintain rate competitiveness relative to PG&E since 2017 by offering rate discounts between 1-6% to PG&E’s rates, while growing its cash position to $120 million.
The benefits of a Baa2 rating include access to new energy supply contracts, greater negotiation resulting in lower energy rates, and further transparency for SVCE customers on the agency’s financial standings, SVCE noted.
Moody’s in May 2108 issued the first ever credit rating for a CCA, a Baa2 rating and stable outlook for California-based CCA Marin Clean Energy.
In May 2019, Moody’s assigned a first-time Baa2 issuer rating to Peninsula Clean Energy, a California CCA.
The American Public Power Association has initiated a new category of membership for community choice aggregation programs.
Largest Battery Storage System In U.S. Connects To California ISO Grid
July 17, 2020
by Taelor Bentley
APPA News
Posted July 17, 2020
The California Independent System Operator (ISO) connected the largest battery storage resource in the nation to its power grid last month.
The initial phase of LS Power Group’s Gateway Energy Storage Project in San Diego County came online June 9 and added 62.5 megawatts (MW) of storage interconnection to the ISO grid.
Serving about 80% of California and a small portion of Nevada, the CAISO power grid currently has over 216 MW of storage capacity in commercial operation. If all planned projects in the interconnection queue are completed on schedule, storage capacity will jump to 923 MW by the end of 2020. Making it a six-fold increase from 136 MW at the beginning of the year.
Steve Berberich, ISO president and CEO, predicts that as much as 15,000 MW of battery storage of different duration levels and various technologies will be needed to help the state reach its goal of cutting carbon from power grids by 100% by 2045. The ISO expects large increases in its battery storage resources through 2023 based on the state’s procurement targets.
The Gateway project is a lithium-ion battery system that will have a total capacity of 250 MW when it is in full operation. The company plans for it to be fully online in August 2020, when it will reportedly be the largest operating Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in the world. The initial 62.5 MW of storage already makes it the largest BESS in the nation. Out of a total of more than 170 BESS facilities of 1 MW or more currently operating in the United States, the two second-largest are 40 MW, one each in California and Alaska.
Larger projects are also in the works in the United States, including plans for a system of more than 400 MW in Florida, and another in Nevada expected to be 380 MW.
Additional battery storage is expected to be added to the ISO market in the new few years, most notably 300 MW of a 400-MW project planned by Vistra Energy Corp. at Moss Landing in Monterey Bay, and the remaining 187.5 MW at the Gateway station.