The Commission adopted a policy statement on buy-through programs. APS has had a buy through for large commercial and industrial customers known as Rider AG-X. The newly adopted policy statement requires additional utilities to make filings on proposed buy-through programs and to expand the eligible customers to include medium sized customers.

The Policy Statement specifically requires that:

"1. The Commission directs Arizona Public Service Company to either expand and modify its current AG-X to allow medium size commercial customers to participate or propose a new AG-Y alternative generation/buy-through program that would be for medium size commercial customers in its next rate case.
2. The Commission directs Tucson Electric Power Company to propose an AG-Y alterative generation/buy-through program for medium and large commercial and industrial customers in its next rate case.
3. The Commission directs UNS Electric, Inc. to propose an AG-Y alternative generation/buy-through program for medium and large commercial and industrial
customers in its next rate case.
4. The Commission directs the Utilities when modifying or expanding AG-X or proposing an AG-Y alterative generation/buy-through program, at the minimum, to address the following:
* eligibility requirements,
* customer load aggregation,
* rate structure,
* administrative, credit, and other costs of the program,
* rate impacts on non-participating customers,
* utility cost recovery provisions,
* customers returning to full requirements tariff,
* whether there would be a cap on participation,
* if there is a participation cap, how will the participants be selected,
* whether there would be a minimum participation timeline,
* whether the program would be experimental, and
* resource adequacy and planning issues.
5. Utilities may offer participating customers an option to procure energy and capacity from the wholesale market as part of the Utility's competitive procurement process.
6. Utilities may offer different purchasing structures based on the size and load factor of eligible customers.
7. The Commission directs the Utilities to consult with customers who may be potential participants on program design prior to filing the program proposal.
8 . The Commission directs that the proposed program shall not shih costs to non-participating customers.
9. The Commission directs that the program shall address any implications for a utility's renewable and energy efficiency standard compliance.
10. The Commission directs that the program shall consider consumer protections for both participants and non-participants.
11. The Commission directs that any modification or expansion of AG-X or a new AG-Y alternative generation/buy-through program shall be addressed in a rate case proceeding."

The full text of the Policy Statement on Buy Through Programs is available on the NEM Website.

The next meeting dates in the Competitive Markets Working Group have been announced. Supplier enhancements, billing and the Commission website will be discussed on February 21, 2019, beginning at 10AM at BGE's downtown Baltimore office. Green Button Connect will be discussed on February 22, 2019, beginning at 10AM at the Commission in the 15h floor conference room. Additional details and a dial-in number will be circulated prior to the meetings.

In Governor Cuomo's State of the State address he announced a Green New Deal for New York. The Green New Deal includes a proposed mandate of 100% clean, carbon-free electricity in the state by 2040. To achieve this, the Clean Energy Standard mandate would increase from 50 percent to 70 percent by 2030. Components of this plan will include:

* Quadrupling New York’s offshore wind target to 9,000 megawatts by 2035, up from 2,400 megawatts by 2030;
* Doubling distributed solar deployment to 6,000 megawatts by 2025, up from 3,000 megawatts by 2023;
* Deploying 3,000 megawatts of energy storage by 2030;
* More than doubling new large-scale land-based wind and solar resources through the Clean Energy Standard;
* Maximizing the contributions and potential of New York's existing renewable resources; and
* Expanding and enhancing the Solar For All program to increase access to affordable and clean energy for low-income, environmental justice and other underserved communities.

Governor Cuomo will also create a Climate Action Council, comprised of the heads of relevant state agencies, to develop a plan to make New York entirely carbon neutral.

The full text of the State of the State Address is available here.