EnergyOnline
Services

RSS FEED

EnergyOnline.com rss

News

DTE Energy Invests in 1.5 GW of Michigan-made Battery Energy Storage Systems for Eight Projects

LCG, May 28, 2026--DTE Energy yesterday announced a $1.6 billion investment to develop Michigan-made battery energy storage systems across Michigan through partnering with LG Energy Solution Vertech, the U.S. energy storage division of LG Energy Solution.

Read more

Microsoft and Avangrid Sign PPA for Bluebird Solar Project in Washington State

LCG, May 27, 2026--Avangrid, Inc., a member of the Iberdrola Group, today announced the signing of a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Microsoft for the 140 MWdc (100 MWac) Bluebird Solar project in Klickitat County, Washington. Bluebird is located near four other energy projects owned and operated by Avangrid in Klickitat County and represents another $300 million investment in the community. The Bluebird Solar project is expected to achieve commercial operation in 2028.

Read more

Industry News

Decision Made on California Direct Access Customers Surcharge

LCG, Nov. 8, 2002--Large energy customers who were allowed to buy electricity from marketers and wholesale suppliers other than California's major investor-owned utilities will pay a surcharge to repay the state for its power purchases, with California Public Utilities Commissioners split on whether the amount is sufficient.

Yesterday, a 3-2 vote by California PUC regulators was made to impose a 2.7-cents per kilowatt-hour charge on usage by electricity purchasers who had signed their own supply contracts, starting Jan. 1. PUC President Loretta Lynch and Carl Wood, who advocated that the surcharge be higher, voted in the minority. Lynch thought other, generally small customers, who buy electricity from the investor-owned utilities, would be left paying a disproportionate share of the costs incurred by the state through its electricity purchases. She asserted that "This massive transfer of wealth is discriminatory and unreasonable."

Jeff Brown, who voted with the majority, said it is necessary to keep a central feature of earlier deregulation plans in place, by allowing direct access customers to continue their relationships with alternative suppliers. "If actual costs are imposed each year, direct access would become uneconomic and would cease to exist," he said. He also indicated that not allowing direct access would represent "a terrible signal to the business community," according to the Sacramento Bee. He believed, however, that the 2.7-cent surcharge is likely to rise next year.

Those who entered into direct access contracts include industrial and retail facilities, as well as hospitals and schools.
Copyright © 2026 LCG Consulting. All rights reserved. Terms and Copyright
UPLAN-NPM
The Locational Marginal Price Model (LMP) Network Power Model
Uniform Storage Model
A Battery Simulation Model
UPLAN-ACE
Day Ahead and Real Time Market Simulation
UPLAN-G
The Gas Procurement and Competitive Analysis System
PLATO
Database of Plants, Loads, Assets, Transmission...
CAISO CRR Auctions
Monthly Price and Congestion Forecasting Service