Sensus was selected to provide the core communications technology to support the UK government’s plan to put smart meters in millions of homes and small businesses by 2020. Sensus technology will support the rollout of electric and gas smart meters to ten million locations in the northern region of Great Britain, subject to contract. The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) announced that communications company Arqiva has been selected to provide the smart metering communications service for Northern England and Scotland.

Addressing an issue reserved from a general rate case proceeding, the Michigan Public Service Commission has accepted an electric utility’s plan for offering residential customers an opportunity to opt out of the company’s advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) program. The utility, Consumers Energy Company, had previously been authorized to commence deployment of smart meters throughout its service area.

The Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) ruled that it lacks jurisdiction to approve a merchant transmission company’s plan for providing wholesale electric transmission service in Kentucky. The commission found that the new company, AEP Kentucky Transmission Company, Inc. (KY Transco), did not fit the definition of a utility under the state utility code even though the company had averred that its transmission service would be subject to both PSC and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) jurisdiction. Dissenting Vice Chairman James W.

The Missouri Court of Appeals affirmed a ruling by the Missouri Public Service Commission that had disallowed from retail electric rates federally approved costs associated with the transmission of electricity from one of the subject utility’s out-of-state generating plants, even while at the same time allowing recovery of the costs of constructing and operating the plant. The court rejected arguments by the utility, KCP&L Greater Missouri Operations Company (KCP&L-GMO), that the filed rate doctrine obligated the commission to include federally approved charges in retail rates.

Finding that the proposed deal will bring “significant, tangible benefits” to jurisdictional ratepayers, the New York Public Service Commission approved the acquisition of CH Energy Group Inc. by Newfoundland-based Fortis Inc. CH Energy Group is the parent company of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, while Fortis is a utilities holding company with numerous subsidiaries and assets throughout Canada, Central America, and the Caribbean.

The New York Public Service Commission increased each utility’s system-wide net metering limits for solar photovoltaic projects, farm anaerobic digestion facilities, small hydro micro combined heat and power projects, and fuel cells. As modified, the cap was raised from the current one percent of system peak load to three percent. The commission deemed it expedient to increase the net metering limits so as to accommodate the anticipated increase in demand as more solar projects are installed.