Ayla Burnett

California ISO/West Correspondent at RTO Insider

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Articles

New Tariffs Threaten Solar Imports, Stoking Concern in the West

4 days ago | newsdata.com | Ayla Burnett

Steep new tariffs are expected for imports of the products needed to produce solar panels, thanks to a May 20 U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) determination that American solar panel makers are “materially harmed” by cheaper alternatives from Southeast Asian countries.
NorthWestern Proposes Hefty Rate Increase, Bypasses Regulator Approval

4 days ago | newsdata.com | Ayla Burnett

NorthWestern Energy on May 20 announced a hefty 16.8-percent increase in electric rates that was never approved by the Montana Public Service Commission. The request came just over a year after the Montana Public Service Commission (MPSC) okayed a 28-percent rate increase. Another rate hike to keep the lights on could result in millions of dollars in additional costs being passed to Montana families and businesses, according to the Northern Plains Resource Council.
Grant PUD Proposes Application Fee Increase for Electricity Access

1 week ago | newsdata.com | Ayla Burnett

The Grant County Public Utility District at a May 13 meeting proposed an increase in upfront application fees for customers seeking loads of 500 kW or higher. The move would address the more than 2,000 MW of service requests made to Grant PUD over the past seven years by industrial customers, which are received and delivered on a first-come first-serve basis, according to a recap of the meeting. kAmvC2?E r@F?EJ :D 2 3FC86@?:?8 9F3 7@C A@H6C\9F?8CJ 52E2 46?E6CD[ 2?5 6?6C8J AC@G:56CD :? E96 C68:@?
House Budget Bill Includes Expansion of Montana Coal Mine

1 week ago | newsdata.com | Ayla Burnett

Plans to expand central Montana’s Bull Mountains Mine moved forward after the proposal was folded into the Trump administration’s sweeping budget bill that passed the House May 22.
Washington, California Clean-Vehicle Programs in Jeopardy

1 week ago | newsdata.com | Ayla Burnett

The Washington State Department of Ecology on May 15 announced changes to its Clean Vehicles Program that would lower semitruck sales requirements in 2026 and align with California regulations, increasing flexibility in the industry's transition to zero-emission trucks.
CAISO Responds to PacifiCorp Statement on EDAM Deficiencies

2 weeks ago | newsdata.com | Ayla Burnett

In the latest back-and-forth, the California Independent System Operator on May 19 filed extensive comments in support of PacifiCorp's response to a deficiency letter submitted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission over the utility's intent to join CAISO's extended day-ahead market (EDAM) [ER25-951].
Montana Adopts Wildfire Liability Protections for Utilities

2 weeks ago | newsdata.com | Ayla Burnett

A bill protecting Montana utilities from “strict liability” for sparking wildfires was signed into law on May 13, signaling a victory for utilities and a concerning loss for environmental advocates and others.
Proposed House Spending Bill Threatens Clean-Energy Development

2 weeks ago | newsdata.com | Ayla Burnett

Federal tax credits for clean-energy development are at stake under a budget proposal released May 12 by the Republican-led House Ways and Means Committee, posing potentially significant implications for the renewable-energy sector in the West. The budget reconciliation bill, dubbed the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill,” aims to extend and expand President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts with a $3.8 trillion price tag, according to government analysts.
Efforts to Link Washington Carbon Market With California, Quebec Still Underway

3 weeks ago | newsdata.com | Ayla Burnett

The Washington State Department of Ecology is still working to merge the state’s carbon cap-and-invest program with the already-linked carbon markets in California and Quebec. The move could further reduce emissions and improve long-term program sustainability, according to the department. Ecology has been pursuing linkage of the markets since November 2023, and announced its Cap-and-Invest Linkage rulemaking in April 2024.
Puget Sound Energy Joins Markets+

3 weeks ago | newsdata.com | Ayla Burnett

Puget Sound Energy on May 12 announced its intent to join the Southwest Power Pool’s Markets+ initiative rather than the California Independent System Operator’s extended day-ahead market (EDAM)—a decision that has implications for the energy landscape across the West. PSE and the Bonneville Power Administration have now officially committed to participating in Markets+.