Biden plans limited Arctic refuge oil and gas lease sale

OIL & GAS: The Biden administration schedules an oil and gas lease sale for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge offering 400,000 acres — the minimum allowed by a 2017 law — with restrictions aimed at reducing environmental impacts. (Alaska Beacon)

ALSO:

• Advocates worry the Willow oil and gas project under development on Alaska’s North Slope will open the door to decades of new drilling that could reshape the Western Arctic. (Sierra)
• California scientists urge Gov. Gavin Newsom to close the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility that experienced a catastrophic blowout in 2015, saying its continued operation threatens public health. (Los Angeles Daily News)

SOLAR:

• Developers bring a 384 MW solar-plus-storage project online in southern California. (Electrek)
• Developers complete construction on a 44 MW community solar project in southern California. (news release)
• Arizona Public Service agrees to purchase power from a proposed 100 MW solar-plus-storage installation in the central part of the state. (Power)

WIND: An eastern Montana county considers developing land-use regulations for utility-scale industrial and energy projects after a developer proposes a wind power facility. (Bozeman Daily Chronicle)

STORAGE: California energy experts say San Diego County’s proposed rules for new grid-scale battery energy storage systems would have the same effect as banning them outright. (Voice of San Diego)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Southern California Edison acquires 280 electric work trucks as part of an effort to transition its fleet. (EV Report)

TRANSPORTATION: Elon Musk indicates he will slash federal funding for California’s high-speed rail project if he becomes a member of the incoming Trump administration. (Gizmodo)

GRID:

• Pacific Gas & Electric launches a pilot project allowing large power users to connect EV charging systems and other loads to the grid sooner in exchange for limiting those facilities’ electricity use during peak demand. (Canary Media)
• Southern California utilities consider public safety power shutoffs for up to 350,000 customers as Santa Ana winds and low humidity lead to elevated wildfire hazard. (Los Angeles Times)
• Puget Sound Energy agrees to help develop the proposed North Plains Connector high-voltage direct-current transmission line designed to link the Western and Eastern grids. (news release)
• Bonneville Power Administration stakeholders call on the utility to provide more transparency around its plans to ​“evolve” its grid to meet rising demand and clean energy targets. (RTO Insider, subscription)

UTILITIES:

• NV Energy proposes developing three solar-plus-storage projects with a combined 1,028 MW capacity and converting a retiring coal plant to a 400 MW natural gas peaker facility. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
• Rocky Mountain Power agrees to trim its proposed temporary rate hike for Wyoming customers after coming under pressure from a consumer advocacy group. (WyoFile)
• A consumer advocacy group finds California utilities’ rates are climbing faster than inflation, with Pacific Gas & Electric bills increasing more than its counterparts’. (Sacramento Bee)

CLEAN ENERGY: Washington state researchers develop a fabric that converts body heat into electricity. (OPB)