News briefs from the states within the footprint of RTOs.
FLORIDA
Senate Advances Proposal to Reform PSC Energy Rate Process
A bill directing the Public Service Commission to justify rate increases for investor-owned utilities and consider affordability advanced in its first committee stop last week ahead of the 2026 legislative session.
Sen. Don Gaetz (R-Crestview) introduced a “strike-all” amendment before the Senate Regulated Industries Committee revising Florida law regarding the PSC, including: expanding the number of commissioners from five to seven and requiring one to be a certified public accountant and another a chartered financial analyst; requiring the PSC to provide adequate support for its conclusions; requiring the PSC to provide reasoned explanations when accepting or denying a settlement agreement; and requiring the PSC to submit an annual report on public utility rates that includes benchmarking and analysis on economics, costs, return on equity, and executive compensation. The bill was introduced just weeks after the PSC approved a nearly $7 billion rate increase for Florida Power & Light, the largest in history.
The bill was unanimously approved by the committee, 9-0, and moves to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government.
More: Florida Phoenix
GEORGIA
PSC Staff Recommends $16B Deal for Georgia Power
Georgia Public Service Commission staff last week unveiled a deal with Georgia Power that would allow the utility to add 9,885 MW of largely gas-fired generation over the next five years to supply anticipated data centers.
Staff initially recommended approving only one-third of the utility’s request and granting conditional approval to another third but changed their recommendation to agree with Georgia Power to move forward with the full request. In exchange for allowing the buildout of at least $16 billion with 90% intended to power data center growth, Georgia Power promised to lower bills by about $100/year in its subsequent rate case proceedings. Because Georgia Power and the PSC agreed to a three-year rate freeze, the promised savings wouldn’t be considered until after 2028.
The commission is set to make a final decision on the plan on Dec. 19.
More: Georgia Recorder
INDIANA
URC to Investigate NIPSCO over Bill Discrepancies
The Utility Regulatory Commission last week initiated a formal investigation into NIPSCO after it alerted the commission to issues it had been having with new natural gas meters.
In an order, the URC said, “based on our concern with billing discrepancies that may have occurred as a result of these issues as well as the associated communications with its customers regarding these issues, the effect on NIPSCO’s revenues and rates, and the appropriate customer credits and/or refunds, the commission finds it appropriate to commence this formal investigation into any and all matters relating to NIPSCO’s natural gas customer meters.”
NIPSCO has been updating natural gas meters with a technology that will allow gas use to be tracked remotely instead of by sending a utility worker to check it in person. NIPSCO learned of the problem while installing the new meters, but the issue is not the result of the new technology, spokeswoman Jessica Cantarelli said.
More: Lakeshore Public Media
KENTUCKY
East Kentucky Power Seeks Trump Funds for Coal Plants
East Kentucky Power Cooperative last week said it has applied for a $90 million federal grant to extend the lives of its coal plants.
The funds would be used to convert the coal units at the Spurlock plant and Cooper plant to run on either coal or natural gas.
More: WEKU
NEW MEXICO
AG Opposes Sale of New Mexico Gas to Private-equity Firm
Attorney General Raúl Torrez and other government, advocacy and trade groups have maintained opposition to the proposed takeover of New Mexico Gas by private equity group Bernhard Capital Partners.
The Public Regulation Commission is considering the sale of New Mexico Gas for about $1.25 billion. The proposal — announced in 2024 — has drawn strong opposition from consumer and environmental advocates, trade groups and others who have expressed concerns over the potential for increased costs for customers and a lack of transparency from the buyer. Torrez urged the PRC to reject the sale, citing a lack of benefits and increased risks for customers, environmental impacts of natural gas expansion, and the corporate structure of Bernhard Capital complicating oversight by regulators.
The PRC is expected to decide in early 2026.
More: Santa Fe New Mexican
OREGON
BOEM Approves Lithium Mining Exploration Project
The Bureau of Land Management last week announced its approval of a lithium mining exploration project in Malheur County.
The decision allows HiTech Minerals, a subsidiary of Jindalee Resources, to do exploratory drilling for lithium at up to 168 sites across 7,200 acres of BLM land. The company is also cleared to build more than 20 miles of access roads for the project. The site is on the Oregon side of the McDermitt Caldera, an ancient supervolcano that holds one of the largest deposits of lithium in the world.
Jindalee Resources CEO Ian Rodger said the mine would be “years away” and would require “extensive community engagement, regulatory approvals and a full environmental impact assessment.”
More: OPB
SOUTH CAROLINA
Santee Cooper Negotiates $2.7B Payment as Part of Nuclear Reboot Effort
A sales agreement approved last week by Santee Cooper would remove $2.7 billion worth of debt from customers’ power bills as part of a major nuclear restart.
More than eight years after abandoning the project, the utility’s governing board unanimously passed an agreement with New York investment firm Brookfield Asset Management for the purchase of two partially built nuclear reactors at the V.C. Summer nuclear plant. Under the terms, Santee Cooper will maintain an ownership interest in the reactors of up to 25%, which would give customers access to the power if completed.
More: South Carolina Daily Gazette
WASHINGTON
State’s Last Coal Plant to Transition to Natural Gas
TransAlta Corporation last week said it has signed an agreement with Puget Sound Energy to switch the last coal-fired power station in the state to natural gas.
Under the agreement, the conversion will deliver 700 MW under a 16-year contract that runs through Dec. 31, 2044, and will lower its emissions by 50%.
The deal comes as the Centralia plant is set to be shut down at the end of the month.
