Generation

FERC to monitor gas, power markets for manipulation as forward summer electricity prices jump up to 233%

Summertime forward power prices are up between 77% and 223% from a year ago, driven by higher gas prices, FERC staff said Thursday.

By Ethan Howland • May 20, 2022

NERC sounds alarm on solar tripping in 'sobering' summer reliability report

Electric grid operators may struggle with resource shortages, droughts and extreme temperatures this summer, according to North America's grid watchdog.

By Robert Walton • May 19, 2022

Explore the Trendline➔

The Utility Dive Outlook on 2022

Utility Dive examines priorities, expectations and trends for three key subjects — FERC, renewable energy and rate design — and provides a broader roundup of some of the U.S. power sector trends to watch in the year ahead.

By Utility Dive staff

ERCOT says grid is ready for summer, but extreme weather and generator outages could challenge reliability

Southwest Power Pool and PJM Interconnection have also indicated they expect sufficient energy resources to meet peak electricity demand, while the Midcontinent ISO anticipates a generation shortfall.

By Robert Walton • May 18, 2022

SRP cites 'serious risk' to reliability in 2024, asks Arizona regulators to reconsider gas plant expansion

The Arizona Corporation Commission's April rejection of an 820-MW gas plant expansion means Salt River Project "will lack critical generation from quick-start turbines," the utility said.

By Robert Walton • May 17, 2022

After calls for conservation and generator failures, Texas' grid survived the weekend. It's still May.

Additional demand response resources should be put in place now, say experts who anticipate a difficult summer for Texas grid operations.

By Robert Walton • May 16, 2022

Power prices jumped 51% in PJM, 85% in New England in Q1 due to rising gas prices

The surge in gas prices is partly driven by growing liquefied natural gas exports, according to consumer advocates.

By Ethan Howland • May 13, 2022

Duke Energy, TotalEnergies win North Carolina offshore wind leasing auction with $315M in total bids

The state aims to deploy 2.8 GW of offshore wind power by 2030, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management says the two lease areas could support at least 1.3 GW.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 12, 2022

Consumers, utilities and sustainability — a meeting of the minds but maybe not the pocketbooks?

Sustainability is increasingly important for energy customers. How can providers respond?

By Greg Guthridge, EY Global Energy & Resources Customer Experience Transformation Leader • May 9, 2022

Department of Commerce investigation will not be a major cost driver for large-scale solar: Dominion CEO Blue

Dominion estimates a hypothetical 50% tariff from the Commerce department's anti-circumvention investigation would require an incremental investment of $120 million.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 6, 2022

NiSource cites Commerce Department solar investigation in plans to delay coal plant retirements

The company's plans to retire its coal units by 2023 could be postponed, according to its quarterly earnings filing on Wednesday, as it foresees up to 18 months of delays in new solar deployments.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 5, 2022

The fight for a national clean energy transmission system emerges on three fronts

DOE’s multi-part transmission study, FERC’s refocus on transmission planning, and macrogrid advocacy efforts could produce an interconnected nation ready for net zero electricity by 2035, industry, government and other experts say.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 3, 2022

MISO prepares for 'worst-case scenarios,' heads into summer with insufficient firm generation

The Midcontinent Independent System Operator is projecting summer peak loads of 124 GW, but it has roughly 119 GW of generation projected to be "regularly available."

By Robert Walton • April 29, 2022

Earth Day roundup: The latest private-sector and Biden administration decarbonization efforts

As various companies and federal agencies release a flurry of announcements in tandem with Earth Day celebrations, Utility Dive takes a look at the biggest news in the sector.

By Utility Dive Editors • April 22, 2022

Texas regulators look to distributed resources, additional coal reserves, to boost reliability

Coal stockpiles may boost reliability, but Public Utilities Commissioner Lori Cobos questioned, "what are we ultimately going to have to pay for, a pile of coal? Or are we going to be asked to pay for a scrubber?"

By Robert Walton • April 22, 2022

PG&E, Entergy stick with nuclear retirement plans as DOE launches $6B program for at-risk facilities

DOE is planning a second application cycle for at-risk nuclear plants this year.

By Ethan Howland • April 21, 2022

Courts dismiss co-op suits seeking exits from long-term power supply contracts

The decisions could affect cooperative power supply arrangements across the U.S.

By Ethan Howland • April 20, 2022

Capacity prices jump across MISO's central and northern regions, driven by supply shortfall

MISO’s market monitor calls for market reforms to prevent power plants from retiring when they are still needed.

By Ethan Howland • April 18, 2022

Natural gas-fired generation peaked in 2020 amid growing renewable energy production: IEEFA

The Energy Information Administration sees gas generation slipping this year and in 2023.

By Ethan Howland • April 13, 2022

Arizona regulators deny SRP gas plant expansion, citing community impacts and insufficient supporting evidence

Salt River Project said the decision creates a near-term resource issue and that it will continue to evaluate its "generation and market options."

By Robert Walton • April 13, 2022

Virginia SCC staff questions Dominion Energy's offshore wind cost assumptions

The regulatory commission's staff testimony addresses whether the cost estimates were based on accurate assumptions by Dominion, the first utility to build large-scale offshore wind in the United States.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • April 12, 2022

Reliability concerns drive need for energy market design reforms, but regions diverge in FERC proceeding

Filings from FERC proceedings show a one-size-fits-all reform can't sufficiently address regional market diversity, but federal guidelines can target growing uncertainties and costs from rising variable and distributed resource penetrations.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 11, 2022

TVA board nominees support exploring clean energy options as federal utility plans coal retirements

The Tennessee Valley Authority is lagging on shifting to renewable energy, according to Senate Democrats.

By Ethan Howland • April 8, 2022

Senators press for quicker solar anti-dumping investigation amid reports of sector's 'rapid degeneration'

U.S. solar developers reported 318 projects totaling 51 GW of solar capacity and 6 GWh of attached battery storage are being canceled or delayed in the wake of the Department of Commerce investigation.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Updated May 3, 2022

ISO-NE proposes ending MOPR in 2025, with a transition aimed at protecting grid reliability

The plan responds to complaints ISO New England's capacity market rules blocked states from meeting their energy goals.

By Ethan Howland • April 4, 2022

DOE takes stock of offshore wind supply chain, calls for 2,100 turbines to meet 30 GW goal

Barring supply-chain constraints, NREL said, it expects 30.1 GW of offshore wind to be installed in the U.S. by the end of 2030, meeting the Biden administration's goals.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 31, 2022