Oregon Public Utility Commission – Global Power Law & Policy

Oregon PUC Opens Docket to Implement an Energy Storage Program; Workshop Scheduled for January 27, 2016

Jan 06 2016

The Oregon Public Utilities Commission (the “OPUC” or “Commission”) opened Docket No. UM 1751 in compliance with House Bill 2193. As discussed in an earlier blog post, HB 2193 requires electric companies to procure qualifying energy storage systems by January 1, 2020, subject to authorization by the OPUC. Section 3(1) of the legislation requires the Commission to adopt guidelines no later than January 1, 2017 for an electric company to use when submitting a proposal for one or more energy projects by January 1, 2018.

OPUC reschedules Community Solar Workshop 2 for September 22, 2015

Sep 09 2015

The second workshop in the Oregon Public Utility Commission (the “Commission”) Docket No. UM 1746 (HB 2941 Community Solar Program Design) has been rescheduled from Wednesday, September 23rd to Tuesday, September 22. The workshop was rescheduled in order to accommodate stakeholders who observe Yom Kippur and to encourage stakeholder participation.

OPUC Seeks Public Comment by September 1 in Its Community Solar Program Docket

Aug 26 2015

In an email sent to interested stakeholders on August 14, 2015, the Staff of the Oregon Public Utility Commission (the “Commission”) provided further guidance on the public comments due in Docket No. UM 1746 on September 1, 2015, and released a revised docket schedule. As we reported in our August 6, 2015, blog post, the Commission opened UM 1746 to examine a range of possible community solar programs and requested that stakeholders submit proposals for community solar designs by August 7, 2015. Seven stakeholders filed proposals or comments, including Oregon’s investor-owned utilities; Citizens’ Utility Board of Oregon; joint nongovernmental organizations (NWSEED, Oregon SEIA, RNW, Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability, Oregonians for Renewable Energy Process, and NWEC); Northwest & Intermountain Power Producers Coalition; Oregon Department of Energy; and Vote Solar. Some of the proposals described specific community solar designs, while others proposed a preferred set of community solar attributes.

Important Upcoming Energy Storage Events on the US West Coast

Mar 12 2014

There’s a busy week ahead for those who are involved in energy storage on the US West Coast.

In California, the three investor owned utilities (Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric) have now applied to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for review and approval of their energy storage procurement plans. The plans explain how each IOU intends to procure by 2020 its share of the 1,325 MW energy storage target set by the CPUC in D. 13-10-040. The CPUC will be holding a workshop to provide information on the applications from 10am to 4pm on Friday, March 14, 2014, at the CPUC’s auditorium at 505 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco. There is also a call in number for the workshop: 866-830-4003, Participant passcode: 9869619.

A little to the north of California, energy storage is becoming a focus of attention in Oregon. Renewables Northwest will be holding its Second Energy Storage Meeting in K&L Gates’ Portland Office, 1 SW Columbia St, 19th Floor, from 10am to Noon on Thursday, March 13. The meeting will help interested parties prepare for an energy storage workshop organized by the Oregon Department of Energy and the Oregon Public Utility Commission, which will be held from 8am to 4:30pm on Wednesday, March 19 at the White Stag Building, 70 NW Couch St, Portland, OR 97209. You can register for the workshop here.

Still further north, K&L Gates will be sponsoring a Washington Clean Technology Alliance meeting on Progress and Promise in U.S. Grid Energy Storage, Including Washington State, featuring special presentations by Dr. Imre Gyuk, U.S. Department of Energy, and Richard Locke, Washington State Department of Commerce. This event will be held on March 20, 2014 from 4:00 to 6:30 pm at K&L Gates’ offices in Seattle, 925 4th Ave, Suite 2900. Advanced tickets are required, and they’ll be on sale through March 16. You can obtain tickets for the event here.

K&L Gates attorneys will be attending each of these events, and we look forward to seeing you there!

Tag:Oregon Public Utility Commission