November 9, 2020

REGULATORY UPDATE FOR NOVEMBER 9 (COVERING WEEK OF NOVEMBER 2)

Our energy regulatory team has compiled a list of state and federal energy regulatory developments to keep you up to speed on key energy regulatory matters from across the United States. Stoel’s energy regulatory team is always available to answer questions about any of these developments.

Weekly Highlights

FERC

President Trump swapped out the chairman of FERC, replacing former Chairman Chatterjee (R) with new Chairman Danly (R).

MINNESOTA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

Both Otter Tail Power Company and Xcel Energy filed rate cases with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (“Commission”) on November 2, 2020. In addition to its rate-case filing, Xcel Energy also filed a rate-case stay-out request seeking Commission approval of various true-up mechanisms in exchange for withdrawing its rate-case filing. The Commission approved a similar request in 2019. The Commission noticed comment periods in all three matters and parties will submit initial comments by November 12, 2020.

CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

At its voting meeting last week, the Commission voted out an alternate decision by Commissioner Randolph which places a moratorium on the Energy Savings Performance Incentive program in its current form, until the Commission resolves policy issues related to potential and goal-setting and until after the portfolio transition process for statewide and third-party programs is completed over the next few years.

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