Massachusetts regulator issues proposed “market reform” concept. On July 16, the Hearing Officer in the Massachusetts DPU proceeding (Docket No. 19-07) considering the future of the state’s retail electricity market, issued a memo on proposals “to ‘reset’ the competitive retail supply market to better protect customers, particularly vulnerable customers, from misleading and deceptive sales and pricing practices.” The memo included a discussion of Staff’s new Market Reset Proposal (MRP), meant to serve as a framework for suppliers and advocates in developing their own MRPs. Suppliers and other markets can submit their own Market Reset Proposals by August 6.
PURA closes front-of-the-meter storage docket due to state law. On July 2, PURA in Connecticut closed a proceeding to develop a Front of the Meter (FTM) storage program separate from the existing statewide storage program. PURA issued a letter stating that pursuant to a new state law, PURA's authority to develop a front-of-the-meter (FTM) storage program has been rescinded, and this docket is now closed. Connecticut non-residential renewable energy programs face headwinds. Electric utilities Eversource and UI in Connecticut filed a joint motion on July 22, seeking PURA’s direction on the impact of s new state law (SB4) on its recent and upcoming Non-Residential Renewable Energy Solutions program procurements for 2025. The utilities are specifically concerned about the impact of the new law in the following areas: (1) Class I low-emissions projects (e.g., fuel cells) and anaerobic digestion facilities are now ineligible for the NRES Program and (2) conforming changes are needed to eliminate the 10MW cap for low-emissions NRES projects for procurements and tariff years starting after January 2025.
New York Supreme Court rules on bond use for broker registration. On June 25, the New York State Supreme Court for Albany County, issued an order reversing the NYPSC’s decision to eliminate bonds as an acceptable form of financial security for retail energy brokers and consultants under the state’s licensing regime under PSC § 66-T.2. The court further stated that the intent of the legislature was to allow bonds as an acceptable method of showing financial accountability and that the New York PSC went to far in restricting the acceptable financial securities that applicants could post as part of the licensing process.
Ohio opens proceeding on new supplier contract notices. The PUC of Ohio has begun the implementation process for the new comprehensive state energy law (HB15 of 2025). One new proceeding will consider the implementation of ORC 4928.102 and ORC 4929.221 (related to customer notices provided prior to expiration of a fixed rate contract that transitions to a variable rate). The PUCO issued proposed regulations to implement these new laws on July 1, seeking comment from parties. The proposed provisions require retail electricity and natural gas suppliers that offer residential and small commercial customers a contract for a fixed introductory rate that converts to a variable rate to send two notices containing certain information regarding the conversion to affected customers.
California sets resource adequacy obligations for suppliers. The California PUC issued a final decision on June 26 related to its resource adequacy (RA) obligations (which all load-serving entities, including community choice aggregators and retail electricity suppliers, have to meet). In the decision, the CPUC (1) adopted 2026-2028 local capacity obligations; (2) adopted 2026 flexible capacity obligations; and (3) adopted refinements to the RA program, including: (i) “adopting a 18% planning reserve margin (PRM), with an extension of the effective PRM procurement target of 1,260-2,300 [MW] for June-October months, for the 2026 and 2027 RA compliance year”; (ii) “modifying the RA measurement hours to align with [CAISO’s] availability assessment hours”; and (iii) “incorporating the central procurement entity data reporting requirements into the annual RA compliance filing process.”
Legislative Update: Senate Joint Resolution SJR 3 was signed into law by Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer on July 16. The resolution directs the Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility (DESEU) to initiate and undertake a study to assess and analyze the costs and benefits of adopting energy storage systems, both in front of and behind the meter, by all electric public utilities in Delaware. The resolution also directs the DESEU to conduct a pilot program and provide guidance and some funding to support utility Delmarva, municipal electric companies, co-ops, and one independent power producer to deploy at least one battery storage pilot project in Delaware.
Commission Comings-and-Goings: On July 21, Gov. Whitmer announced the appointment of Shaquila Myers, one of her senior advisors, to a seat on the Michigan PSC. Prior to her service with Gov. Whitmer, Myers led former House Speaker Joe Tate’s office as chief of staff. Myers will hold a Democratic seat on the MIPSC for a term commencing July 21, 2025, and expiring July 2, 2031, subject to approval from the state senate. Myers succeeds Commissioner Alessandra Carreon, whose term has expired and who will assume the role of Chief Climate Officer with the Department of Great Lakes, Energy, and Environment in August…the New Jersey BPU has announced Commissioner Marian Abdou will step down from her seat, effective August 1. Her term technically expired in October 2024, and she has continued in a holdover capacity. Gov. Murphy will appoint her replacement…The longtime CEO of ISO-New England, Gordon Van Welie, has announced his retirement, effective at the end of 2025; he will be replaced by current COO, Vamsi Chadalavada…Chuck McLean, who has served as the Maryland PSC’s Chief Public Utility Law Judge for the past several years, was elevated to the role of commissioner by Gov. Wes Moore on July 1. McLean began at the MDPSC nearly two decades ago in the Office of Staff Counsel…on June 30, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont re-selected Commissioner Marissa Gillett to serve another two-year term as chairperson of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA). Commissioner Gillett has served on PURA since 2019.
In Brief: DOER in Massachusetts issued an FAQ document on July 11, regarding its new emergency SMART 3.0 regulations…electric utility Unitil in New Hampshire noted in its quarterly customer migration report on July 14 that residential customers served by competitive generation in its territory increased from 28,826 in June 2024 to 44,411 in June 2025...the New Hampshire PUC issued an order approving electric utility Liberty’s August 1 – January 31, 2026 default service rates. The updated rate for Liberty’s Small Customer Group is $0.12420 per kWh, up from $0.08416 per kWh…Utility AGL filed its 2025-2028 capacity supply plan with the Georgia PSC on July 1. Under state law AGL must file a capacity plan that designates the available interstate capacity assets chosen by AGL to make gas available on its system for firm distribution service to retail customers. Intervenor testimony is due by August 7…Con Edison in New York filed an updated GTOP manual on July 15, with changes to the company organization chart, annual customer and sales information, capacity release pipeline percentages, annual percentage weightings applicable to cashouts, and renewable natural gas interconnection procedures…The Pennsylvania PUC has released its 2023-24 Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards compliance report.