regulated utilities

Environmental groups have filed a lawsuit against the Montana Public Service Commission, accusing the regulator of refusing to consider climate change in its decisions on utilities and energy planning. The case is drawing coverage from local outlets including NBC Montana and Montana Free Press, and challenges whether the commission must weigh climate impacts when approving energy projects.

A coalition of 17 groups has filed a lawsuit against the Montana Public Service Commission, demanding that the regulator consider climate change when making decisions about utilities. The suit was covered by local outlets including the Bozeman Daily Chronicle and Daily Montanan. The case seeks to force climate impacts into the commission's official review process for energy planning in the state.

Proposed reliability standards covering large energy users such as AI data centers and cryptocurrency mining operations have moved a step closer to adoption, according to Utility Dive. The standards aim to address the growing strain these facilities place on power grids, and observers are watching how grid operators and regulators balance supporting new industries with maintaining system stability.

Residents in Russia are being urged to check the new rules for verifying utility meters, which came into effect with changes to housing regulations. Local outlets, including media in Tambov, explain what the new verification requirements mean and warn that failing to comply on time could result in fines. Readers are asking how the rules affect payments and household utility charges.

Heating is trending in France as new rules on wood-burning stoves raise questions for tenants and landlords, with legal experts explaining who must replace a banned appliance in a rented home and how tenants can pressure property owners. At the same time, coverage of measures helping small businesses switch to electric utility vehicles is keeping energy and heating costs in the public conversation.

Environmental groups have filed a lawsuit against Montana's state utility regulator, seeking to compel the board to take climate change into account when approving utility plans and investments. The suit argues the Public Service Commission has failed in its duty to address greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector. It is the latest in a growing wave of legal actions pushing US state agencies to act on climate.

Dominion Energy has released an updated energy roadmap that continues to rely on fossil fuels while significantly expanding solar power capacity. The plan, covering its service territory in Virginia, has drawn attention because it balances new renewable investment with continued fossil fuel use, a combination likely to spark debate among clean energy advocates, regulators and customers over the pace of the utility's energy transition.

A trade publication argues that commercial landlords need explicit lease rights to access tenants' energy consumption records. Without such provisions, building owners cannot accurately measure whole-building energy use, pursue efficiency upgrades, or meet emerging disclosure rules and sustainability targets. The piece suggests landlords address the gap by adding data-sharing clauses to leases, an issue gaining attention as energy reporting requirements tighten.

Colorado utility regulators are set to decide whether Xcel Energy's proposed tariff for powering large data centers adequately protects regular customers. The proposal addresses how the costs of serving energy-hungry data centers are allocated, amid concerns that ordinary ratepayers could end up subsidizing the massive electricity demand from the booming data center industry.

Control of Georgia's Public Service Commission, the body that regulates utilities and sets electricity rates, is on the ballot in the upcoming midterm election. The outcome could shift the commission's balance of power and influence decisions on energy costs and policy for consumers across the state.

Two seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities and sets electricity rates, are on the ballot in the state's midterm election. The outcome will determine the commission's political balance, with implications for utility costs and energy policy for Georgia ratepayers.

Businesses and regulators are grappling with PFAS, the so-called forever chemicals, as rules diverge across jurisdictions and lawsuits multiply. A new legal commentary outlines how companies face an inconsistent patchwork of national and state-level restrictions, alongside a fast-evolving litigation landscape over contamination and liability. The discussion highlights growing compliance costs and legal exposure for manufacturers and water utilities.

The Montana Public Service Commission is facing a lawsuit over its failure to consider climate change in its regulatory decisions. The suit challenges the commission's snub of climate considerations in its proceedings. Environmental advocates argue the regulator has a duty to weigh climate impacts when approving utility projects, and the case is drawing attention to how state utility regulators account for emissions.

Michigan voters are set to decide on a measure that would limit political donations by utility companies and government contractors. The proposal aims to curb the influence of businesses that rely on state contracts or regulated utility rates on Michigan election campaigns and policymakers.

A company says it will withdraw from a $250 million solar project unless the California Public Utilities Commission acts by October 31. The warning puts pressure on the regulator ahead of the deadline and raises questions about the future of the investment and the state's solar development plans if no decision is made.

Virginia congresswoman Abigail Spanberger is demanding a six-year rate freeze as a condition of the Dominion Energy merger, arguing customers should be protected from price increases. The demand puts pressure on regulators and the utility over consumer costs in Virginia, though further details of her position and the company's response remain limited.

Campaign contributions from Wisconsin's utilities are down ahead of the 2026 election cycle, according to reporting by PBS Wisconsin. The decline is drawing attention because utility companies have long been significant donors in state races, and reduced giving could shift fundraising patterns for candidates and influence debates over energy policy and regulation.