REGIONAL 

NARUC Executive Director Greg White Announces Retirement

NARUC Executive Director Greg R. White on April 15 announced plans to retire at the end of 2024. 

“It’s been my greatest privilege to work alongside the incredibly talented and dedicated staff at NARUC, both past and present, including the team at NRRI. They are simply the best and I thank them all,” White said. 

White assumed his position with NARUC in December 2015. 

More: NARUC 

ARKANSAS 

Lawmakers Advance Crypto Mining Resolutions

The House Select Committee on Rules on April 16 authorized the House of Representatives to consider allowing the introduction of bills to regulate cryptocurrency mining during the fiscal session. 

The committee approved eight resolutions amending the Arkansas Data Centers Act of 2023, which limited the state’s and local governments’ ability to regulate crypto mining operations.  

The Senate cleared the way for lawmakers to take up crypto-related legislation when it approved resolutions last week. 

More: Arkansas Advocate 

FLORIDA 

Hillsborough Greenlights Carbon Capture Proposal

Hillsborough County commissioners on April 17 voted 5-2 to approve a carbon capture pilot program. 

The decision authorizes LowCarbon to build a facility that will capture 1 ton of carbon dioxide daily from the county’s waste-to-energy plant in Brandon.  

At the end of the trial period, commissioners may choose to move forward with a larger, permanent facility and will open bids to the company and others like it. 

More: Tampa Bay Times 

JEA Board Hires Vickie Cavey as Interim CEO

The JEA Board of Directors on April 15 voted to name former administrator Vickie Cavey as the utility’s interim CEO. 

Cavey left retirement in March when the board hired her as its adviser and staff liaison to JEA administrators. 

Cavey will replace Jay Stowe, who agreed to part ways following discussions about how the utility will move forward . 

More: Jacksonville Florida Times-Union 

GEORGIA 

PSC Approves Georgia Power to Use Fossil Fuels to Power Data Centers

The Public Service Commission on April 16 approved Georgia Power’s updated plans to significantly expand its generation capacity by investing in fossil fuels and adding more renewable energy over the next several years. 

The plans include building natural gas or oil-burning generators and solar battery energy facilities to meet increasing demands from data centers and other large industrial users in the next decade. It will also allow Georgia Power to bypass the normal construction bidding process at Plant Yates to quickly construct units designed to produce electricity for another 40 years. 

Georgia Power projects the updated plans will save the typical residential customer about $2.89 on their monthly bills from 2026 to 2028. 

More: Georgia Recorder 

KANSAS 

Douglas County Approves Solar Farm Permit

The Douglas County Commission on April 13 unanimously voted to approve a permit for the Kansas Sky Energy Center, a massive solar farm to be built north of Lawrence. 

The 159-MW solar farm will be built, owned and operated by Evergy. 

Commissioners noted that a lot of community concerns discussed were not factors required in considering approval of the permit. 

More: The Lawrence Times 

LOUISIANA 

Top Employees at DEQ Resign in Clash with Leader

Four officials named to prominent positions at the Department of Environmental Quality have left after clashing with Republican Gov. Jeff Landry’s appointee to the agency’s top job, Aurelia Giacometto, according to documents and interviews with senior aides. 

Chandra Pidgeon, undersecretary at the Office of Management and Finance, along with Communications Director Megan Molter, Chief of Staff Justin Crossie and Director of External Communications Myles Brumfield have all resigned since Giacometto began in November. A redacted version of Pidgeon’s resignation letter was later released. 

Senior officials who remain at the DEQ and spoke on condition of anonymity said the agency is also in turmoil over Giacometto’s insistence on pre-approving contact made by employees with individuals in other state agencies, federal agencies, businesses and industries, and nongovernmental organizations. 

More: The Advocate 

MAINE 

Lawmakers Reverse Course, Pass Sand Dune Plan for OSW Port

The House of Representatives on April 17 voted 77-65 to approve a proposal from Gov. Janet Mills (D) exeppmting the Sears Island offshore wind terminal from coastal sand dune protections. 

The decision to agree with the Senate in supporting the governor’s bill was a dramatic change following the House’s initial 80-65 vote to oppose it. 

State officials have noted various environmental impact studies and permits are still needed before construction begins on the port. 

More: Bangor Daily News 

MASSACHUSETTS 

Boston Appoints Chief Climate Officer

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu on April 17 appointed city hall veteran Brian Swett as the city’s first chief climate officer. He will begin in June. 

Swett served as Boston’s chief of environment, energy and open space from 2012 to 2015 and is a principal at Arup, a global engineering, design and consulting firm focused on sustainable development. 

Swett will lead the Environment, Energy and Open Space cabinet, which includes the Environment Department, the Parks and Recreation Department, the Office of Historic Preservation and the Office of Food Justice. 

More: WBUR 

MINNESOTA 

Xcel Drops Rate Fight with PUC

Xcel Energy is no longer appealing the Public Utility Commission’s decision to limit a crucial profit measure after dropping part of its lawsuit against the regulator. 

Xcel dropped a central part of its lawsuit against the PUC, which in June granted a 9.6% rate increase through three years that fell short of Xcel’s 10.2%. Xcel had fiercely contested the ruling and its limit on return on equity, saying it would hamper the company’s transition away from fossil fuels. 

Xcel did not withdraw its lawsuit entirely. The utility is still challenging aspects of the PUC ruling, including a limit on how much it can make customers pay for top executives’ salaries. 

More: Star Tribune 

PENNSYLVANIA 

Judge Orders PUC to Turn Over Inspection Reports Regarding West Reading Explosion

A federal judge on April 16 ordered the Public Utilities Commission to turn over unredacted inspection reports to the National Transportation Safety Board regarding UGI Utilities. 

UGI Utilities operates the natural gas pipeline involved in a fatal explosion at a West Reading chocolate factory in March 2023. Initial findings have shown the blast was caused by a natural gas leak. 

The PUC refused to provide the documents, saying in September it cannot share the material because it is considered confidential security information. The NTSB issued a subpoena for the records and asked a federal judge to order the PUC to comply with it. 

More: Reading Eagle 

TEXAS 

CEQ Fines Freeport LNG for Environmental Breaches

The Commission on Environmental Quality on April 16 fined liquefied natural gas exporter Freeport LNG $152,173 for violating state air pollution emissions rules between 2019 and 2021. 

The CEQ said Freeport LNG had released more carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and volatile organic compounds than allowed over several years from flaring at its Quintana, Texas, plant. 

More: Reuters 

VERMONT 

Supreme Court: PUC Failed to Follow Rules in VGS Pipeline Case

The state Supreme Court on April 17 said the Public Utility Commission didn’t follow its own rules when enforcing penalties against Vermont Gas during the construction of the Addison County pipeline. 

Despite making “substantial changes” not approved under the project’s original Certificate of Public Good, the PUC allowed the company to amend the permit. In its ruling, the Supreme Court sided with opponents of the project, finding the PUC failed to conduct the proper public input process. 

More: WCAX 

VIRGINIA 

Dominion Energy Launches RFP for Solar, Storage Projects

Dominion Energy on April 15 announced it is seeking proposals for solar, wind and energy storage projects in the state. 

Dominion will accept five types of proposals, including new solar PV projects and new PV solar generation co-located with energy storage. It will also look at new onshore wind, onshore wind co-located with energy storage and standalone energy storage. 

The projects will help the utility reach its goal of net zero greenhouse emissions by 2050, part of which is deploying 3.1 GW of energy storage by 2035. 

More: Energy Storage News 

WISCONSIN 

We Energies, WPS Apply for Rate Hikes

We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service — both owned by WEC Energy Group — filed applications April 12 with the Public Service Commission to increase electric and gas rates in 2025 and 2026. 

We Energies hopes to increase electric rates 6.9% in 2025 and 4.6% in 2026, according to the application. It also requested increases for both its gas utilities. Wisconsin Public Service requested an 8.5% electric rate increase in 2025 and a 4.9% increase in 2026. WPS also requested gas rate increases of 6.8% next year and 3.9% in 2026. 

The PSC will hold public hearings on the cases later this year and could decide by November. 

More: Wisconsin Public Radio