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The Energy Landscape: What a Difference a Year Makes!

 June 16, 2016

In the fall 2015, falling oil prices were a recent phenomenon and many believed prices would rebound. Today, oil prices have fallen as low as $30/barrel this heating season and some suggest further decline and/or low prices will continue for some time. In the recent past, high oil prices put retail oil dealers on the defensive, seeing many oil consumers switch to natural gas to save money. Today, low oil prices have put retail oil dealers on the offensive, with a renewed focus on pricing, in addition to efficiency, environmental benefits, and service, which were traditional selling points for natural gas.


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FERC Order No. 1000: Five Years On

 June 15, 2016

Nearly five years have passed since the issuance of Order No. 1000, a rule focused on transmission planning and cost allocation by transmission owning and operating public utilities. As the industry approaches this anniversary, it is time to revisit the original objectives of Order No. 1000 and assess to what extent they have been achieved.

This complimentary white paper addresses the objectives of Order No. 1000, what has been accomplished, and key challenges with its implementation.

Effective Generation Fleet Management

 June 9, 2016

A ScottMadden partner joined wind energy thought leaders as a speaker at the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) WINDPOWER 2016 conference where he reviewed the concept of a playbook for effective operation of generating assets.

Las Vegas Casinos to Pay Impact Fees to Leave Nevada Power as Energy Provider

 June 8, 2016

In May 2016, MGM Resorts (MGM) and Wynn Resorts (Wynn) each filed with the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada to replace Nevada Power with an alternative energy provider. In filing this application, MGM and Wynn agreed to pay $86.9 million and $15.7 million, respectively, in impact fees to Nevada Power.


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Talking Safety

 June 6, 2016

In this article, included in the February 2009 issue of American Gas Magazine, Vermont Gas shares its strategies for helping customers use natural gas safely.

Country Strong

 June 6, 2016

In this article, included in the June 2011 issue of American Gas Magazine, Vermont Gas shares its comprehensive effort to expand natural gas service into rural communities. See how the second-most rural state in the nation approached expanding natural gas services.

Duke Energy Looks to Deploy Commercial Battery Storage in Regulated Markets

 May 27, 2016

In a recent interview with SNL Energy, Duke Energy signaled interest in installing commercial battery storage projects in regulated markets. The development follows several battery storage pilot projects, as well as unregulated commercial installations in competitive, deregulated markets.


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Clean Power Plan Arguments Rescheduled to September; En Banc Review Ordered

 May 24, 2016

Developments continue as legal maneuvers impact the implementation of the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan (CPP). As recent as February 9, a stay was granted halting the implementation of the CPP, pending a review of the merits of the rule by the D.C. Circuit Court. On May 16, in an unexpected twist, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Court indicated it would hear challenges to the CPP sitting en banc[1]. En banc means the full panel of circuit court justices will hear the case rather than the more traditional panel of three justices. The decision to have an en banc review has the potential to expedite the ruling and the implementation timeline of the CPP. Hearing arguments en banc reinforces the complexity and significance of the CPP.


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EPA Issues Final Rule Targeting Methane Emissions; Industry Responds Critically with Cost Concerns

 May 20, 2016

On May 12, the EPA finalized its rule to limit methane emissions from new and heavily modified oil and gas facilities. The rule, which updates the New Source Performance Standards, is projected to reduce methane emissions by 510,000 tons by 2025. These reductions will be made possible by setting emissions limits, requiring a fixed schedule for monitoring leaks, and phasing in “green completion” for hydraulically fractured oil wells.


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Primer on Bonus Depreciation

 May 19, 2016

While bonus depreciation is not a new concept, the extension of bonus depreciation provisions as part of the $1.1 trillion tax extender bill passed in December 2015 was unexpected by some. Electric and gas utilities have since been weighing options and determining how to make the most of this development in lieu of their unique financial situations—with short decision timelines and potential impacts on cash flow, rate base, and earnings in the billions of dollars for the industry as a whole.

The purpose of this white paper is to provide an overview of the issue of bonus depreciation and to illustrate a few potential impacts and implications that utilities may want to consider as they determine how to proceed.

PG&E to Pilot Pay-for-Performance Residential Energy Efficiency

 May 18, 2016

In March 2016, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) submitted plans for a pay-for-performance residential energy efficiency pilot program. The PG&E plan uses newly available and standardized energy and project data, combined with open-source standard methods to calculate savings. The result is a market that pays for actual performance of energy efficiency instead of upfront savings estimates.


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700-Mile Clean Line Project Overcomes State Restrictions via DOE Partnership

 May 17, 2016

On March 25, 2016, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it would partner with Clean Line Energy Partners (Clean Line) to support the development of the Plains & Eastern 700-mile HVDC transmission line. Once completed, the transmission line will transport up to 4,000 MWs of wind power from the Oklahoma Panhandle to the Southeast. Clean Line’s partnership with the DOE revived the project, which was blocked in 2011 by Arkansas regulators.


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Sussex Economic Advisors is now part of ScottMadden. We invite you to learn more about our expanded firm. Please use the Contact Us form to request additional information.