Generation
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MISO capacity prices triple for next summer, spring, partly on power plant retirements
Prices for Ameren Missouri and Columbia, Missouri’s municipal utility jumped to nearly $720/MW-day for the upcoming fall and spring seasons due to expected power supply shortages.
By Ethan Howland • April 26, 2024 -
NRC proposes streamlined environmental reviews for new reactor license applications
If finalized, the proposed rule would apply to any future fission reactor application and could reduce environmental review costs by up to 45%, Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff found.
By Brian Martucci • April 25, 2024 -
Trendline
Top 5 Stories from Utility Dive
The U.S. clean energy transition is expected to accelerate in 2024 but faces question around transmission, financing, federal elections and other issues.
By Utility Dive staff -
EPA finalizes power plant emission rules, but utilities balk at expected need for carbon capture
Electric utilities called the power plant rules “disappointing” and “unlawful” and say the rules will create reliability and affordability challenges.
By Robert Walton • April 25, 2024 -
PG&E highlights 100% emissions-free power in 2023 as generation spin-off hits snag
California regulators could vote in May on a proposal to reject Pacific Gas & Electric’s plan to create a separate company with 5.6 GW in non-nuclear generating assets as part of an effort to raise capital.
By Ethan Howland • April 24, 2024 -
ERCOT launches new planning efforts as 2030 load growth projections soar 40 GW in a year
The growth is being fueled by a range of sectors, including artificial intelligence, data centers, industrial electrification, hydrogen and electric vehicles, said ERCOT President and CEO Pablo Vegas.
By Robert Walton • April 24, 2024 -
Energy storage for grid reliability can increase carbon emissions: University of Michigan study
Energy storage is often pitched as a way to make renewables more reliable and reduce the use of planet-warming fuels, but researchers at the University of Michigan found that it can encourage the use of coal over gas.
By Patrick Cooley • April 23, 2024 -
APS, others plan 1-year delay in fines for Western Resource Adequacy Program capacity shortfalls
Supply chain problems, unexpected load growth and extreme weather are challenging efforts to ensure adequate power supplies in the West, according to Avista, Calpine and other program participants.
By Ethan Howland • April 23, 2024 -
Fusion will beat advanced fission to the grid: Type One Energy CEO
“This is coming sooner than you think,” said Commonwealth Fusion Systems Chief Commercial Officer Rick Needham, who spoke alongside Type One CEO Chris Mowry at the BNEF Summit in New York last week.
By Brian Martucci • April 22, 2024 -
Congressional Democrats press Treasury for ‘well-functioning’ 45U nuclear tax credit
Six House Democrats urged Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to adopt flexible guidance for the Inflation Reduction Act credit, which benefits existing nuclear power facilities.
By Brian Martucci • April 19, 2024 -
Democratic bill mandates FERC interconnection reforms to bring new resources online faster
The bill would help bring new power supply online to address surging demand growth and increasing grid reliability concerns, according to the R Street Institute’s Devin Hartman.
By Ethan Howland • April 18, 2024 -
DOE issues road map for speeding, improving grid interconnections to unlock 2.6-TW backlog
“There is unlikely to be any document for years to come reflecting such a comprehensive set of [interconnection] solutions,” said Tyler Norris, former head of development at Cypress Creek Renewables.
By Ethan Howland • April 18, 2024 -
DOE cites cost, reliability concerns for new gas plants as it details how to meet surging power demand
Rising electricity demand will require a portfolio of resources, including energy storage, hydropower, nuclear, grid-enhancing technologies and demand-side management, DOE said.
By Robert Walton • April 18, 2024 -
Deep Dive
Tackling 3 key issues can help scale virtual power plants and spur a wave of benefits, analysts say
Advanced operational software, communications standards and customer compensation are needed to scale VPP size and services, cut system and customer costs and enhance reliability, key VPP players agree.
By Herman K. Trabish • April 17, 2024 -
Georgia Power receives approval to add 1.4 GW of natural gas generation
Environmentalists are criticizing the Georgia Public Service Commission’s decision to approve the construction of new fossil fuel generation, citing cost and climate concerns.
By Diana DiGangi • April 17, 2024 -
Deep Dive
As states increasingly look to advanced nuclear, Wyoming, Virginia and Michigan lead the way
Their efforts are showing policymakers elsewhere how to attract emerging nuclear technologies and the skilled workers they need to operate, National Association of State Energy Officials President David Terry said.
By Brian Martucci • April 17, 2024 -
Surging demand growth spurs openings for advanced nuclear, grid technologies: DOE’s Crane
Inflation Reduction Act and infrastructure law funding are supporting new technologies, he said, but the "missing link" is permitting reform. “Without permitting reform, what we are hindering is new zero-carbon energy sources.”
By Ethan Howland • April 17, 2024 -
Constellation, generator trade groups back PJM plan to revert to original capacity auction results
However, Delaware and Maryland utility commissions contend the PJM plan should be rejected, telling the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission it would more than double capacity costs for ratepayers in their states.
By Ethan Howland • April 15, 2024 -
Grid interconnection queues jumped 27%, to 2.6 TW, in 2023, led by solar, storage: DOE lab
Solar, battery and wind projects make up 95% of the capacity in interconnection queues, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory researchers said Wednesday.
By Ethan Howland • April 11, 2024 -
Opinion
Regulators: Don’t panic and rush to gas amid cries we’re out of power
Proposing new gas plants to serve growing demand does not occur in isolation. It is a decision that implicitly rejects alternatives as either infeasible, expensive or unconsidered.
By Mike O’Boyle and Eric Gimon • April 11, 2024 -
Pathways Initiative proposes independent power market organization for the West
The stakeholder group aims to establish an organization free of CAISO governance to run wholesale power markets, laying the groundwork for a possible regional transmission organization.
By Ethan Howland • April 11, 2024 -
Oklo, Diamondback Energy in talks on nuclear PPA for oil and gas operations
The nonbinding agreement has Oklo providing 50-MW Powerhouse reactors to Diamondback’s operations for as long as 40 years.
By Brian Martucci • April 10, 2024 -
South Carolina advances bill that could spur gas power for Duke, Dominion utilities, hamper solar
Renewable developers EnergyRe and Pine Gate Renewables urged lawmakers to require that utilities add about 8 GW of solar from approved integrated resource plans, with offramps.
By Ethan Howland • April 9, 2024 -
Bonneville staff backs joining SPP’s Markets+ day-ahead market over CAISO alternative
Bonneville Power Administration staff said they preferred the Markets+ governance structure and carbon accounting over the California Independent System Operator’s day-ahead market.
By Ethan Howland • April 5, 2024 -
NRC should assess if its reactor licensing process adequately considers climate risks: GAO
The federal watchdog found that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s natural hazard assessments “do not fully consider potential climate change effects,” such as extreme heat, drought, wildfires and hurricanes.
By Brian Martucci • April 4, 2024 -
New NRC licensing road map aims to add clarity for advanced reactor applications
The detailed guidance could “significantly reduce the regulatory uncertainty” for non-light water reactors submitting construction permit and licensing applications, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said.
By Brian Martucci • April 3, 2024