Why utilities and environmentalists can find common (green) ground

Ex-FERC Chair Norman Bay argues clean energy can gain more ground if utilities and enviros team up. 

By Norman C. Bay • Feb. 20, 2018

Michigan utility to end coal use, cut emissions 80% by 2040

Consumers Energy will reveal a "strategic roadmap" for ending its use of coal generation when it files its integrated resource plan later this year. 

By Robert Walton • Feb. 20, 2018

Reports: NextEra nearing bid for troubled Santee Cooper

The Florida-based utility could pay up to nearly $15.9 billion for the public utility, but exact pricing remains unclear. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 20, 2018

FirstEnergy to reluctantly 'deactivate' West Virginia coal plant

The utility will sell or shutter the coal-fired Pleasants Power Station in West Virginia, but initially had looked for other options.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 16, 2018

PJM board sends competing capacity market reforms to FERC

The grid operator's decision sets up a rare policy face-off at FERC that could raise legal stakes for the agency.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 16, 2018

South Carolina House votes to fire all PSC regulators

The bill, passed 108-1, would remove all seven regulators by the end of next year and set stricter ethics requirements following the cancellation of the V.C. Summer nuclear plant expansion. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 16, 2018

Consumers deserve a market fix from FERC, PJM

PJM's proposal to compensate generators fairly when their power is needed to meet demand will help increase energy market efficiency, benefiting both consumers and suppliers, former FERC Commissioner Marc Spitzer writes.

By Marc Spitzer • Feb. 16, 2018

Moody's pans White House plan to divest TVA, BPA

Both the Tennessee Valley Authority and Bonneville Power Administration are well managed and selling them would be credit negative, according to the ratings agency.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 15, 2018

South Carolina lawmakers push back, putting Dominion acquisition of SCANA in doubt

State senators said Wednesday they would give the Public Service Commission until Dec. 21 to decide how to handle customer charges for costs associated with the failed V.C. Summer nuclear project.

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 15, 2018

DOE taps 9 ‘clean coal’ projects for funding, support

The Department of Energy had announced possible funding opportunities up to $50 million to support "transformational coal technologies," last year. Now the agency is following through. 

By Robert Walton • Feb. 15, 2018

FERC issues storage, reliability orders, calls conference on aggregated DERs

The commission directed grid operators to design rules that allow storage to provide energy, capacity and ancillary services, as well as set wholesale prices as buyers and sellers. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 15, 2018

New ISO-NE report warns fuel supply could harm reliability

The finding echoes similar warnings the grid operator produced earlier this year following a cold snap in late December and early January. 

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 14, 2018

ISO-NE presses FERC to approve capacity market reform

The grid operator argues its two-part capacity market proposal will better integrate subsidized resources than existing rules. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 14, 2018

Sierra Club, Talen Energy strike deal to halt coal burn at Pennsylvania plant

Under the settlement, the Brunner Island plant will only operate on natural gas during the "ozone season," and will permanently stop burning coal after 2028.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 14, 2018

Resilience, pipelines & PURPA: FERC regulators preview major issues at NARUC

State utility regulators heard from all five federal energy regulators at a conference in Washington this week.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 14, 2018

Powelson: Input from PJM, ISO-NE states critical to FERC resilience docket

Any proposal that does not include input from states in those markets "will not garner any support," Powelson said at the NARUC Winter Conference on Monday.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 12, 2018

Trump budget would gut EPA, DOE renewables office

The budget would cut the DOE renewables office by 65% and eliminate ARPA-E and the agency's loan programs. EPA would be cut by nearly a quarter. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 12, 2018

APS to install 50 MW, 135 MWh solar-shifting battery

The contract with developer First Solar will allow APS to use the battery to deliver solar power when electricity use is at its peak, 3-8 p.m. each day.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 12, 2018

Is PURPA done? New bill takes aim at law's mandatory purchase obligation

The law has been under fire for much of its 40-year history, but changes proposed in November could be the most significant yet.

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 12, 2018

Connecticut wants to boost renewables goal to 40% by 2030

The state's finalized Comprehensive Energy Strategy addresses grid modernization, distributed generation and ensuring energy efficiency is given the opportunity to compete and grow. 

By Robert Walton • Feb. 9, 2018

Most PJM states oppose capacity repricing proposal

The grid operator, however, still plans to send the 2-part capacity auction proposal to its board for approval. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 9, 2018

California PUC establishes new utility planning process to reach carbon goals

For the two-year process, regulators will evaluate the appropriate greenhouse gas emission planning targets for the electric sector the first year and consider proposals to meet those targets the following year. 

By Robert Walton • Feb. 9, 2018

Markets matter: US wind belt expands as more utilities do the math

The DOE NOPR and the tax overhaul bill initially threatened the continued growth of wind energy. But "ultimately, clean power emerged a winner on policy, again," Vestas Americas President Chris Brown writes.

By Chris Brown • Feb. 8, 2018

Energy tax credits in final budget deal

Despite previous opposition in the House, tax credits for nuclear energy, carbon capture and a variety of gas and renewable technologies are in the bill approved early Friday.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 8, 2018

Major DOE NOPR supporters skip rehearing requests at FERC

Coal and nuclear interests are instead looking to FERC's resilience proceeding and pricing reforms at regional grid operators to save their ailing plants. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 8, 2018