Maryland Public Service Commission

• Today, Ørsted announced that it will reposition Skipjack Wind, a combined 966 MW project under development off the coast of the Delmarva peninsula in the US, for future offtake opportunities.
• Following consultation with the State of Maryland, Ørsted has withdrawn from the Maryland Public Service Commission orders approving the Skipjack 1 and 2 projects.
• “Today’s announcement affirms our commitment to developing value creating projects and represents an opportunity to reposition Skipjack Wind, located in a strategically valuable federal lease area and with a state that’s highly supportive of offshore wind, for future offtake opportunities,” said David Hardy, Executive Vice President and CEO of Region Americas at Ørsted.
• “As we explore the best path forward for Skipjack Wind, we anticipate several opportunities and will evaluate each as it becomes available.

• WILLIAMSPORT, Md., Jan. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) subsidiary Potomac Edison has submitted a five-year Electric School Bus Pilot Program proposal to the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) intended to help the state reach its climate goals.
• Our pilot program is also intended to help the state meet climate goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which will create cleaner air and improve overall health in local communities we serve."
• To aid in the electric school bus (ESB) transition across Potomac Edison's Maryland service territory, the company will provide:
  Financial incentives for school districts to acquire and deploy ESBs.
• The public school districts that opt to participate in the pilot program, will receive funding that reduces the cost difference between an electric school bus and an equivalent diesel-fueled bus.

• South Africa is on the path to reforming its law on whistleblowing to provide improved protection for individuals who expose corruption and illegal activity.
• The country’s Department of Justice and Constitutional Development recently published a discussion document on the proposed reforms.
• This first step in reforming the country’s law on whistleblowers is to be welcomed.
• I am a company law professor with many years of research in corporate governance – including corruption and whistleblowing – in South Africa.

Financial incentives

• The discussion document rejects the idea of providing financial rewards to whistleblowers.
• It opts instead for a fund to assist those who are dismissed and who face severe financial hardship for blowing the whistle.
• While the fund may provide some relief to unemployed whistleblowers, it does not go far enough to give whistleblowers an incentive to come forward.
• Without adequate incentives, whistleblowers may hesitate to come forward and expose corruption.

Other proposals for reform

• This proposal is commendable because of the risks whistleblowers face in South Africa.
• Legal Aid South Africa should provide legal assistance to whistleblowers at the justice minister’s discretion.
• It is, however, crucial to establish effective processes and to avoid prolonged delays in addressing complaints.

Consolidated legislative framework

The main statutes governing whistleblowing in South Africa are the Protected Disclosures Act of 2000 and the Companies Act of 2008. But there are at least nine other statutes governing whistleblowing. These include:
• The complexity and vagueness may also discourage people from disclosing wrongdoing.
• The proposed reforms focus at this stage on enhancing the Protected Disclosures Act, but not the other statutes related to whistleblowing.
• Given South Africa’s staggering and escalating corruption levels, a strong legal framework is needed which both encourages whistleblowing and effectively protects whistleblowers.
• Hopefully, the final reforms will provide stronger encouragement and incentives for whistleblowers, considering the risks they face while bravely serving society.

• ARLINGTON, Va., April 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) today announced an agreement to terminate the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for its 205 MW Warrior Run coal-fired power plant in Maryland.
• "This agreement is another milestone in our journey toward decarbonization," said Andrés Gluski, AES President and Chief Executive Officer.
• Under the terms of the agreement, AES will continue to operate the Warrior Run plant through at least May 2024.  AES will work with existing employees to manage a responsible transition.
• AES will maintain full operational control of the site following decommissioning.