Generation

Nextera adds 1,840 MW renewables and storage to more than 15 GW backlog in Q2

NextEra Energy is nearing the halfway mark in its campaign to roll out 30 million solar panels across Florida by 2030, the multistate utility said Friday in its second quarter earnings report. 

By Scott Voorhis • July 26, 2021

AEP seeing 'credible interest' from potential buyers of Kentucky Power subsidiary, CEO says

AEP is ramping up its push to build more renewable generation, executives said Thursday, as the company detailed an increase in second quarter earnings amid a rebounding economy and interest in its Kentucky subsidiary.

By Scott Voorhis • July 23, 2021

Explore the Trendline➔

Trendline

The Utility Dive Outlook on 2021

The major trends driving the US power sector persisted in 2020, despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and with the recent changes in the White House and Congress, will likely get stronger in 2021.

By Utility Dive staff

Texas PUC, ERCOT pledge 'reliability is first' as state pursues market reform

Regulators want the market to pay for reliability "in any form," including through additional thermal resources or on-site battery storage. They're also looking to better incentivize generators that provide power during periods of grid stress.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 23, 2021

FirstEnergy agrees to pay $230M fine for bribing Ohio officials to bail out two nuclear plants

Ohio groups called the fee a "drop in the bucket," despite it being the largest federal criminal penalty ever to be collected in the Southern District of Ohio, surpassing the $200 million fee imposed on Exelon subsidiary ComEd in 2020.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • July 23, 2021

Democrats' 'Hot FERC Summer' campaign aims to boost FERC's visibility on Capitol Hill

As part of the campaign, Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., and his colleagues are introducing a trio of FERC-related bills, including one that could open the door for FERC to implement a carbon price.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 21, 2021

Avangrid, PNM report progress with merger critics as criminal probe of Iberdrola raises new questions

As the utilities work to win over the remaining critics of their proposed $8.3 billion merger, the New Mexico hearing examiner wants more information about a criminal investigation into the activities of Avangrid's parent company.

By Scott Voorhis • July 21, 2021

Elliott demands Duke improve performance in Florida, Indiana; says C-suite driven by 'self-interest'

The investment company, which says it's one of the utility's largest investors, repeated its previous assertion that Duke is underperforming due to poor management.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 20, 2021

Cost allocation remains key challenge for FERC ahead of transmission reform, Glick says

"When you're talking about money — when you're talking about who pays and how much — that's always a difficult issue," FERC Chair Richard Glick said in an interview with Utility Dive.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 20, 2021

Challenge to Berkeley gas regulation dismissed, a win for cities in carbon emissions fight

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit last week that challenged the city's restrictions on natural gas in new low-rise residential buildings, a major boost for local governments looking to follow suit.

By Chris Teale • July 19, 2021

Deep Dive

Gridlock in transmission queues spotlights need for FERC action on planning

FERC is calling for stakeholder input to address the backlog in transmission queues holding 70% of the renewables needed for Biden's policy goals.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 19, 2021

Heatwave, wildfires heighten urgency for Western RTO: Glick, Clements

Some ex-FERC commissioners and chairs have urged FERC to tackle this unilaterally, but Chair Richard Glick and Commissioner Allison Clements believe such a policy should come from Western stakeholders themselves.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 16, 2021

Sen. Lankford voices doubts over Democratic clean energy standard, calling it 'punitive' for fossil fuels

Democrats are advancing clean energy funding and policy through a variety of legislative pathways, but Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., doubts how much will make it into a final bill.

By Robert Walton • July 16, 2021

FERC launches proceeding to reform transmission policy

“This is the beginning of a very long process,” said Commissioner Mark Christie.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 16, 2021

Developers enter largest green hydrogen PPA in US with 345 MW of wind to power facility

A new liquid hydrogen plant, part of a network Plug Power plans to build to satisfy rapidly growing demand, will be powered by a wind farm developed by Apex Clean Energy.

By Emma Penrod • July 15, 2021

Clean electricity standard lands spot in $3.5 trillion Democratic-backed infrastructure deal

Efforts to pass a national standard that would require utilities across the country to slash emissions took a step forward Wednesday.

By Scott Voorhis • July 15, 2021

Senators clash over policy to increase FERC transmission siting authority

Proposed legislation could allow federal regulators to override state authority in siting transmission where demand and congestion are high. One Republican proposed eliminating it, sparking a Senate committee debate.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 15, 2021

ERCOT releases plan to boost reliability after blackouts, as report outlines gas, electric failures

Former PUCT officials called the plan "a good start," but said the state still needs to think about how it can improve demand response and energy efficiency programs.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 14, 2021

New York to test green hydrogen at Long Island power plant

The experiment is part of a research initiative by the power authority as the Empire State scrambles to reduce carbon emissions by 85% over the next three decades.

By Scott Voorhis • July 12, 2021

As Chatterjee's tenure ends, FERC could be 'single most impactful agency' on climate: Rep. Casten

The question of who will fill Commissioner Neil Chatterjee's seat took on new urgency last week as the commissioner announced that July would, probably, be his last open meeting.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 12, 2021

PJM Board approves new MOPR plan in effort to placate states, FERC

The plan aims to accommodate state policies, mitigate buyer side market power and be a long-lasting, resilient solution, according to PJM officials.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 09, 2021

DOE taps GE Hitachi to lead research on lowering advanced nuclear construction costs

The latest initiative to further development of modular nuclear technology also signals a need for the Biden administration to establish a supply chain for high-assay low-enriched uranium.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • July 08, 2021

Groups ask Congress for first-of-its-kind cost analysis of RTOs amid market expansion debate

Though markets were restructured in the early 2000s and some studies have pointed to their benefits, a more comprehensive cost analysis has never been done.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 08, 2021

Decarbonize the power sector by 2035? 'I'm skeptical,' NRG VP says of Biden plan

President Joe Biden's administration will spur the growth of renewables and other clean energy technologies, but wholly eliminating power sector emissions by 2035 is a tall order, experts say.

By Robert Walton • July 02, 2021

Deep Dive

As utilities risk missing carbon reduction targets, analysts stress need for organizational change

Sierra Club and the Smart Electric Power Alliance published separate analyses on the shortcomings of utilities in their net zero emissions pledges, finding a common solution in new organizational approaches.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 01, 2021

'What in the world is happening with the weather': Western heat wave raises questions for grid planning

The heat wave showed that the region can face weather events outside of anything it has experienced in the past — "and a huge amount of utility planning is based on looking at our previous experience," one expert said. 

By Kavya Balaraman • July 01, 2021