Choosing the right grid infrastructure in the wake of the DOE grid study

Rocky Mountain Institute's Mark Dyson says the grid study failed to highlight the opportunities to boost resiliency with distributed energy resources. 

By Mark Dyson • Sept. 7, 2017

FERC rejects Southwest Power Pool resource adequacy proposal

Regulators determined the RTO's proposal needed to include a requirement that all power purchase agreements be backed by verifiable capacity, among other issues.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 7, 2017

Renewables developers 'gaming' PURPA should force reforms, utilities tell Congress

Testimony to a House Energy & Commerce subcommittee comes as lawmakers draft revisions to the 40-year-old law.

By Gavin Bade • Sept. 7, 2017

Report: CPS Energy should cease investments in Texas coal plant

Sierra Club commissioned a report saying that replacing power from the utility's Spruce coal units at the Calaveras Power Station with renewables is more cost-effective. 

By Robert Walton • Sept. 7, 2017

FirstEnergy revises agreement to sell 1,600 MW of generation to LS Power

The utility now intends to sell more than 1,600 MW of competitive gas and hydroelectric generation in Pennsylvania and Virginia for an all-cash price of $825 million. 

By Robert Walton • Sept. 7, 2017

Dominion hits pause on North Anna nuclear plant development

The utility's decision follows Duke's move to pull the plug on two nuclear projects after South Carolina utilities abandoned construction of the V.C. Summer nuclear expansion. 

By Peter Maloney • Sept. 7, 2017

Idaho PUC says storage projects only eligible for 2-year PURPA contract

Franklin Energy sought 20-year PURPA contracts for four storage facilities, but regulators said those resources should be granted two-year contracts. 

By Peter Maloney • Sept. 7, 2017

Duke gas peaker plant project postponed in North Carolina

The decision to delay construction followed hefty lobbying by a local energy task force in Asheville, N.C., that wants to develop clean energy alternatives. 

By Robert Walton • Sept. 6, 2017

Natural gas pipeline projects move closer to development

The Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project received state and federal permits while FERC rejected a request to delay Northern Access Pipeline construction. 

By Robert Walton • Sept. 6, 2017

PJM mulls capacity repricing strategies to tackle subsidy programs

Issues under debate include whether repricing should be triggered only when a subsidy occurs in a capacity delivery year and if retriggering would apply to carbon dioxide pricing schemes.

By Peter Maloney • Sept. 6, 2017

Texas cooperative to build solar-plus-storage project in Liberia

Bandera Electric Cooperative in Texas is building the 70 kW solar-plus-storage project in Totota.

By Peter Maloney • Sept. 5, 2017

Utilities knew of Summer nuke problems months before termination, audit claims

Santee Cooper and SCANA resisted the release of the internal audit, which warned them of significant construction issues in early 2016.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 5, 2017

DOE grid study helps set the table at FERC

Former FERC Commissioner Tony Clark analyzes how the Energy Department's grid study impacts the agency.

By Tony Clark • Sept. 1, 2017

Carbon emission reductions proposed for New Mexico power plants

Presented to state regulators this week, the proposal calls for a 4% annual reduction in power plant carbon dioxide emissions through 2040.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 1, 2017

New York denies gas pipeline permit for CPV power plant over climate concerns

The denial comes after the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled FERC should have factored in climate change impacts when considering whether to approve a Florida pipeline project last year. 

By Robert Walton • Sept. 1, 2017

SCE&G, Santee Cooper face more litigation over Summer nuclear project abandonment

South Carolina consumers have filed a second lawsuit against SCE&G over its decision to abandon expansion of the V.C. Summer nuclear facility. 

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 31, 2017

DOE grid study will shift and accelerate energy regulatory initiatives

R Street Institute's Devin Hartman analyzes the DOE's grid study's impact on regulatory agencies and nationwide energy initatives. 

By Devin Hartman • Aug. 31, 2017

Carbon calculus: More states are adding carbon costs to utility planning guidelines

Colorado and Minnesota were two states that added or updated carbon costs to utility planning guidelines this year. Now others are following suit. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 31, 2017

Ninth Circuit denies NGO challenge to PG&E's Gateway plant

Sierra Club and Wild Equity Institute had challenged an operating permit for the 530 MW gas-fired plant over endangered species concerns.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 31, 2017

No anti-competitive behavior in RGGI secondary market, report finds

Market monitor Potomac Economics found no anti-competitive behavior in the secondary market for carbon dioxide allowances under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 31, 2017

Vogtle nuclear construction to continue, Southern Co. says

Georgia regulators will make a final decision on the utility's recommendation. 

By Robert Walton • Aug. 31, 2017

A new, worse approach to pipeline regulation for FERC

Travis Kavulla, the vice chairman of the Montana Public Service Commission, examines FERC's role in regulating carbon emissions. 

By Travis Kavulla • Aug. 31, 2017

Resilience or flexibility? DOE's grid report lays bare the struggle between past and future

Energy Innovation's Mike O'Boyle analyzes how the DOE grid study's recommendations could help flexibility.

By Mike O'Boyle • Aug. 30, 2017

SoCal Edison resolves San Onofre fuel storage lawsuit in settlement

Possible storage locations include the Palo Verde Nuclear plant in Arizona, but plant operator Arizona Public Service Co. said it will not take San Onofre's waste. 

By Robert Walton • Aug. 30, 2017

Policymaker support key to offshore wind prospects in US

A Department of Energy report found the resource could cost-effectively deliver twice the nation’s electricity needs, but experts say it needs the right policy support. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 30, 2017