The California Air Resources Board last week approved a rule that requires all new cars and light trucks sold in California will be zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, by 2035.

While it is gratified that a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) includes an effort to promote joint transmission ownership arrangements, the American Public Power Association (APPA) wants FERC to adopt a more narrowly tailored conditional right of first refusal (ROFR) focused on promoting joint ownership opportunities for public power utilities and other load-serving entities (LSEs).

California public power utility SMUD on Aug. 15 announced a new managed electric vehicle (EV) charging pilot with BMW of North America, Ford and General Motors, which SMUD said will help EV customers align their charging needs to the time of day when it is most affordable.

President Biden on Aug. 16 signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which will extend and expand various energy tax incentives and give public power utilities direct access to such credits through a refundable direct payment tax credit.

In a recent Q&A with Public Power Current, George Morrissey, Director of Public Works for Cuba City, Wis., and a recipient of the American Public Power Association’s Larry Hobart Seven Hats Award this year, detailed his current responsibilities and said receiving the award has been “very humbling and rewarding.”