FERC allows Mountain Valley Pipeline developers to begin limited work in West Virginia

Simultaneously, the agency has asked the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to reject a proposed stay of construction. Regulators told the court that granting the stay would break precedent with how courts have dealt with pipeline cases in the past.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 23, 2018

$2.5B cash infusion will help FirstEnergy shift away from merchant generation

The investment was made by a group including affiliates of Elliott Management, Bluescape, GIC and Zimmer Partners.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 23, 2018

Puerto Rico governor moves to privatize utility PREPA

The nation's largest public utility, long beset by underinvestment and mismanagement, has been under fire for its response to Hurricane Maria.

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 23, 2018

FERC approves PennEast pipeline in 4-1 vote, Glick dissents

Pipeline owners aim to start construction this year, but still must obtain environmental permits from New Jersey, where local sentiment against the project remains strong. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 22, 2018

Louisiana regulators to investigate MISO energy warning from last week

The grid operator requested customers reduce energy last Thursday as the system faced extreme weather and high demand, threatening energy shortages. Utility regulators say there is "no reason" for Louisiana to be short of power.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 22, 2018

10 trends shaping the power sector in 2018

FERC turns to resilience, utilities embrace storage and renewables face new obstacles. Here's what we're watching in the year ahead. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 22, 2018

Is cap and trade the climate solution? The jury's still out

California and New England are about to find out what the market-based mechanism for reducing emissions can really do.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 19, 2018

Dominion will put 9 fossil fuel units in 'cold reserve'

The units, mostly coal-fired, could be restarted if necessary, but will not run because they are older and inefficient.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 19, 2018

McIntyre: FERC ex parte rules 'worked perfectly' in FirstEnergy coal plant case

The FERC chair said after Thursday's open meeting he would speak to commission staff about the source of leaked information that led to an ex parte communication between a FirstEnergy lawyer and Commissioner Neil Chatterjee. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 18, 2018

ERCOT sets winter demand record, pushing prices above $2K/MWh

High prices are welcome news for generators, but analysts warn solar growth could depress such events in the future. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 18, 2018

New York, Connecticut sue EPA for failing to act on smog pollution from upwind states

The agency missed a two-year deadline to issue a federal plan to reduce air pollution in five upwind states that are impinging on the ability of New York and Connecticut to meet federal health standards for smog.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 18, 2018

ISO-New England: Maintaining reliability will become challenging as gas dependence rises

All but a few of the fuel shortage scenarios considered in the grid operator's report anticipate load shedding and rolling blackouts due to gas demand and poor infrastructure. 

By Robert Walton • Jan. 18, 2018

There once was an energy storage system on Nantucket...

When the island's summer population swells, peak energy demand doubles. That's a recipe for disaster in a town dependent on tourism. But energy storage may be the answer.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 17, 2018

Why are the newest distribution system buzzwords 'hosting capacity analysis'?

To meet customer demand for distributed energy resources, utilities need to know what their systems can handle.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 17, 2018

Dominion CEO: SCANA deal off if cost recovery for Summer plant repealed

CEO Thomas Farrell told lawmakers if they alter the Base Load Review Act for existing projects, the defunct V.C. Summer nuclear project would be "SCANA’s management issue, not ours."

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 17, 2018

PJM to push capacity repricing at FERC, eschewing expanded MOPR

PJM staff will ask their board next month to approve a two-stage capacity market plan and send it to federal regulators, excluding consideration of an alternative proposal pushed by its independent market monitor. 

By Robert Walton , Gavin Bade • Jan. 17, 2018

Chatterjee 'under no illusion' that FERC resilience docket will end after 90-day timeline

The former chairman's comments may disappoint coal and nuclear backers, who want quick pricing changes in wholesale power markets following FERC's decision to reject a DOE subsidy proposal. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 16, 2018

Renewable plus storage bids in Xcel Colorado solicitation could set low-price benchmark

Preliminary results from the company's all-source RFP have been hailed as "really impressive." But a lack of details makes cost comparisons with current benchmarks challenging.

By Peter Maloney • Jan. 16, 2018

Report: Coal generation decline continues in Montana

Coal-fired generating capacity only makes up 37% of the state's nameplate capacity — down from 55% in 2015. 

By Robert Walton • Jan. 16, 2018

Tampa Electric wants to convert 1,700 MW coal plant to gas

The conversion would cost about $1 billion and could take a decade to complete, say company officials.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 16, 2018

Shuttered coal plant fixer-uppers for sale all over the U.S.

More than half of all coal plants are, or will soon be, shuttered. Collaboration and compromise by some are beginning to reveal ways to reclaim the sites for new purposes.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 16, 2018

FERC rejects FirstEnergy attempt to move coal plant into cost recovery

The company sought to sell the Pleasants Power Station, struggling in the PJM electricity market, to two of its regulated utility subsidiaries in West Virginia. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 16, 2018

Lower corporate tax rates no boon for renewables, analysts find

According to J.P. Morgan, $11 billion of tax equity financing was raised for renewable energy projects in 2016. Some of that may now be in jeopardy.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 16, 2018

Atlantic Coast Pipeline faces another setback in North Carolina

The Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources has rejected the pipeline's erosion and sediment control plan for the northern portion of the pipeline route across the state. 

By Robert Walton • Jan. 16, 2018

Pennsylvania settlement would lower toxic discharges from 10 coal plants

The agreement would end a lawsuit led by the Sierra Club and yield updated water permits for the 10 plants.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 12, 2018