The Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) ruled that it lacks jurisdiction to approve a merchant transmission company’s plan for providing wholesale electric transmission service in Kentucky. The commission found that the new company, AEP Kentucky Transmission Company, Inc. (KY Transco), did not fit the definition of a utility under the state utility code even though the company had averred that its transmission service would be subject to both PSC and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) jurisdiction. Dissenting Vice Chairman James W.

The Missouri Court of Appeals affirmed a ruling by the Missouri Public Service Commission that had disallowed from retail electric rates federally approved costs associated with the transmission of electricity from one of the subject utility’s out-of-state generating plants, even while at the same time allowing recovery of the costs of constructing and operating the plant. The court rejected arguments by the utility, KCP&L Greater Missouri Operations Company (KCP&L-GMO), that the filed rate doctrine obligated the commission to include federally approved charges in retail rates.

Finding that the proposed deal will bring “significant, tangible benefits” to jurisdictional ratepayers, the New York Public Service Commission approved the acquisition of CH Energy Group Inc. by Newfoundland-based Fortis Inc. CH Energy Group is the parent company of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, while Fortis is a utilities holding company with numerous subsidiaries and assets throughout Canada, Central America, and the Caribbean.

The New York Public Service Commission increased each utility’s system-wide net metering limits for solar photovoltaic projects, farm anaerobic digestion facilities, small hydro micro combined heat and power projects, and fuel cells. As modified, the cap was raised from the current one percent of system peak load to three percent. The commission deemed it expedient to increase the net metering limits so as to accommodate the anticipated increase in demand as more solar projects are installed.

The New York Public Service Commission announced that it has approved moving $32 million in funds from Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) allocations to support the state’s call to increase development of solar power. The commission concomitantly authorized reallocation of $2 million in existing funding for competitive solar programs from downstate to upstate projects to meet current market demand. According to the commission, the program has been successful in promoting larger PV systems that could not economically compete in a statewide bidding program.

The Illinois Commerce Commission accepted an annual report filed by Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) documenting its efforts to implement its advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) plan, including steps taken by the utility to educate customers on the upcoming deployment of the smart meters. Earlier in June, the commission had approved a revised schedule for installation of 60,000 new meters in ComEd’s service area beginning in the third quarter of 2013.

In response to recent state legislation that explicitly provides for rate-regulated utilities to pursue multiyear rate plans, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission adopted a set of guiding principles for the development of such plans. The law, passed in 2011, allows utilities to request multiyear plans, up to a maximum three-year rate-effective period, under which the rates to be charged in each year of the set period will be established in but a single rate proceeding.

Although finding that an electric utility had raised valid issues about net metering policies that should be more closely examined, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission has denied most of the utility’s plan for modifying compensation schedules applicable to net-metering customers. The utility, Idaho Power Company, had proposed that residential and small commercial customers who net meter by generating their own power be moved into new customer classes and be paid differently for the energy they generate.

For the second time in two years, the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) authorized Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco) to raise its rates. Like the utility’s 2012 rate increase, parts of the latest rate hike are made contingent upon continued improvements in service reliability.

The Michigan Public Service Commission, concerned that existing consumer privacy policies were not expansive enough and were disproportionately directed at customer data collected through advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) equipment, amended its privacy policies to assure that all customer usage information possessed by the state’s energy utilities, and not just that collected via AMI, would be protected. The commission explained that as metering and billing technologies evolve, so, too, must customer privacy practices adapt. (Case No.