Archives for April 2019

Ninth Circuit Rules in Favor of Renewable QFs

On April 24, 2019, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (Ninth Circuit) issued an opinion regarding the California Public Utilities Commission’s (“California Commission”) failure to properly implement the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA). Specifically, the Ninth Circuit held that the avoided cost price paid to a qualifying facility (QF) cannot be based on energy sources that do not meet California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), if the state has an RPS and the utility is using the QF’s energy to meet the RPS.  [Read more…]

Montana District Court Finds that Public Service Commission Acted Arbitrarily and Unreasonably

On April 3, 2019, a Montana District Court Judge, Judge Manley, issued an order reversing the Montana Public Service Commission’s (“Montana Commission”) orders 7500c and 7500d that cut Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (“PURPA”) standard avoided cost prices and contract lengths for qualifying facilities (“QFs”) offered by Montana utility NorthWestern Energy (“NorthWestern”).  [Read more…]