Generation
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Senate grills FERC, DOE on power sector cybersecurity
Stakeholders have been very engaged with the Department of Energy since President Donald Trump's May 1 executive order, said a DOE senior advisor.
By Guy Burdick • Aug. 06, 2020 -
After ComEd bribery case, Illinois groups push for changes to clean energy bill
The groups want to undo recent rate increases from Ameren Illinois and ComEd, but the state Chamber of Commerce will not support the update if it still protects Exelon's nuclear plants.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • Aug. 06, 2020 -
EPA extends utility coal ash compliance deadline 6 months
The rule gives utilities "reasonable deadlines," a NRECA spokesperson said, but environmental groups view it as the latest example of federal policy protecting industry interests.
By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 06, 2020 -
Opinion
The future of hydropower will be determined in the Pacific Northwest
In the Pacific Northwest, the average resident — especially younger adults — would like to see less of their energy coming from hydropower, despite their strong desire to fight climate change, the author writes.
By Kurt Miller • Aug. 06, 2020 -
bp targets $5B annual renewables spending, 50 GW by 2030
The international oil company gave greater insight into its plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 after taking a $16.8 billion hit in Q2 of this year.
By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 05, 2020 -
PSEG to sell almost 7 GW of fossil fuel generation, retain nuclear plants
The utility is pursuing investments that will help New Jersey meet its clean energy goals, through grid modernization, efficiency, batteries and renewables.
By Robert Walton • Aug. 03, 2020 -
Deep Dive
A blow to small solar, a win for states and utilities? Regulators, analysts assess FERC's PURPA rule
Federal regulators issued a ruling on the law earlier this month that stakeholders say could disproportionately benefit vertically-integrated utilities in non-competitive markets in particular.
By Catherine Morehouse • July 30, 2020 -
New Mexico approves 100% renewables + storage replacement for San Juan coal capacity
A full renewables portfolio, along with battery storage, was the only replacement option that fully satisfied the state's 100% carbon-free energy transition goals, according to regulators.
By Catherine Morehouse • July 30, 2020 -
"NC Senator Thom Tillis at the Keep America Great rally in Fayetteville, NC on 9/9/2019" by Jackson A. Lanier is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Senate Republicans urge McConnell to include clean energy in COVID-19 recovery package
The letter, led by Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., is likely "the largest number of Republican senators" to have signed onto an effort urging clean energy be included in a federal recovery package.
By Catherine Morehouse • July 24, 2020 -
Alliant Energy to operate at 100% net-zero emissions by 2050
The utility would retire all eight of its remaining coal-fired plants by 2040 or sooner under its "new aspirational goal."
By Catherine Morehouse • July 23, 2020 -
Grid operators agree on short-term gas benefits, but say it shouldn't limit renewables growth
"If we get to 100%, we're gonna have to solve some of these really, really challenging problems, but I think that compared to where we are today, we shouldn't let the great be the enemy of the good," PJM Interconnection President and CEO Manu Asthana said.
By Catherine Morehouse • July 22, 2020 -
Catherine Morehouse, Utility Dive
COVID-19 should not prevent utilities from investing in renewables: Xcel CEO
Although transmission "bottlenecks" and other barriers exist "that's just a matter of will, not a matter of the technology or the underlying economics," said Xcel CEO and Edison Electric Institute Chairman Ben Fowke.
By Catherine Morehouse • July 22, 2020 -
Permission granted by Arizona Corporation Commission
Arizona regulatory staff proposes 100% clean energy standard by 2050
Advocates say utilities could be pressed to move even faster as some power providers in the state have outlined more ambitious goals.
By Robert Walton • July 22, 2020 -
Catherine Morehouse/Utility Dive
DOE targets end to US reliance on Russian nuclear fuel, revived domestic capability
The energy department seeks to create a uranium reserve and develop high-energy fuel rods needed for new and smaller commercial reactors, Sec. Dan Brouillette said.
By John Funk • July 20, 2020 -
FERC finalizes PURPA overhaul in move Glick says "discourages" small solar development
Changes include allowing states to set the rates paid to qualifying facilities at a variable wholesale rate rather than a fixed cost and reducing the size of a project that can qualify for PURPA rates from 20 MW to 5 MW.
By Catherine Morehouse • July 17, 2020 -
Getty Images
Trump finalizes rule 'slashing' environmental permitting reviews for wind, pipeline projects
Wind, coal and gas groups largely support the administration's "top-to-bottom overhaul" of the National Environmental Policy Act.
By Catherine Morehouse • July 16, 2020 -
Minnesota approves Xcel request to operate 2 coal plants seasonally
The Allen S. King plant and unit 2 of the Sherco facility will now sit idle six months out of the year.
By Catherine Morehouse • July 16, 2020 -
'Almost impossible' for FERC to address rehearing orders in 30 days, Glick says
Commissioner Richard Glick told a virtual conference that the most reasonable avenue for Congress to take would be extending the commission's timeline to respond to requests for rehearing to 90 days.
By Catherine Morehouse • July 15, 2020 -
TVA offers over $500M in additional incentives to quell talk of Memphis utility departure
Citing flawed IRP and concern for Memphis residents, TVA leadership argues it will bring to bear billions of dollars in value if MLGW does not cancel its contract.
By Emma Penrod • July 14, 2020 -
Wyoming scrutinizes Pacificorp coal retirement plans in 'unheard of' IRP investigation
State regulators on Monday launched a week-long administrative trial for the utility's latest integrated resource plan, instead of a typical proceeding with written comments in response to the proposal.
By Catherine Morehouse • July 14, 2020 -
DC Circuit upholds landmark FERC storage order, rejecting claims it violates state authority
"I think 841 … [may be] one of the single most significant ... actions taken by a government agency to address carbon mitigation and the transition to a clean energy future," FERC Chair Neil Chatterjee told reporters.
By Catherine Morehouse • July 13, 2020 -
Deep Dive
Audit of Hawaiian Electric sends a postcard about the future of regulation
The utility's restructuring has supported and streamlined Hawaii's ongoing "transition to a 100% renewable future," the audit reported. But "costs and staffing levels have also increased," often without "a clear role or purpose."
By Herman K. Trabish • July 13, 2020 -
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (2020). "Novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2" [Microscope image]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/nihgov/49535193876/in/album-72157713108522106/.
Duke, AEP, FirstEnergy tell FERC future COVID-19 uncertainty presents 'significant risk'
Although utilities have not yet seen substantive threats to their capital, they insist to federal regulators that potential future hurdles will require "adequate and timely" cost recovery from states.
By Catherine Morehouse • July 10, 2020 -
Clean Energy Collective
Deloitte: Intermittent renewables pass COVID-19 grid reliability test
Through mid-June this year, wind and solar energy made up 12% of the total U.S. generation average, up from 10% in 2019, while distributed energy resources and storage is one of the "primary areas" for building new capacity over the midterm.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • July 09, 2020 -
Natural gas pipeline developers aim to differentiate from Atlantic Coast and avoid its fate
The Constitution Pipeline and Atlantic Coast Pipeline have been abandoned within months of each other, and natural gas developers are working to establish differences between themselves and the unsuccessful projects.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • July 08, 2020
