Michigan muni will retire coal plant in 2025

Lansing Board of Water & Light plans to replace the Erickson Power Plant with renewables, efficiency and natural gas.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 25, 2017

Utilities describe long odds to save VC Summer nuclear project

Costs to finish the VC Summer plant could reach $25 billion, according Santee Cooper CEO Lonnie Carter. 

By Robert Walton • Aug. 24, 2017

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 Stories from Utility Dive

Power demand is rising amid dramatic shifts in federal energy policy, but technology and markets continue to push the grid toward cleaner, more distributed resources. 

By Utility Dive staff

DOE releases highly anticipated grid study, faults natural gas for baseload retirements

The study found cheap natural gas to be the greatest driver of plant retirements — and most notably, did not find renewables to be a threat to grid reliability. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Aug. 23, 2017

DC Circuit rejects FERC approval of Southeast pipelines project over climate concerns

The D.C. Circuit Court concluded FERC should have considered climate change impacts when it approved the Southeast Market Pipelines Project last year.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 23, 2017

Amid bankruptcy fears, S&P downgrades FirstEnergy Solutions bond rating

But ratings firm Standard & Poor's upgraded the rating of its parent company, FirstEnergy Corp., believing it will sell some of its subsidiary's assets. 

By Robert Walton • Aug. 23, 2017

Mississippi Power misses Kemper settlement deadline

State regulators previously advised stakeholders that a settlement should not include a rate increase for Mississippi Power customers.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 23, 2017

Driving meaningful customer engagement

Amena Ali, chief revenue officer at Whisker Labs, outlines how utilities can drive customer engagement. 

By Amena Ali • Aug. 22, 2017

Report: Trump declined to levy 2-year coal plant retirement moratorium

Coal mining company Murray Energy had lobbied the White House to use a provision of the Federal Power Act allowing federal intervention into power markets during times of emergency.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 22, 2017

TVA takes coal ash cleanup case to federal court

The move comes after a federal judge earlier this month determined the utility cannot leave coal ash in place at its Gallatin facility.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 22, 2017

US Court of Appeals upholds New York rejection of Constitution pipeline permit

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation was "within its statutory authority" to reject Constitution Pipeline's bid for a key water permit last year, the court wrote. 

By Robert Walton • Aug. 22, 2017

West Virginia officials find more water violations along Rover Pipeline project route

Energy Transfer Partners has once again run into water issues along the route of its 700-mile Rover Pipeline in the state.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 22, 2017

MISO reports higher power prices during July

The grid operator attributed the higher prices to heavier loads and weaker wind generation during the period.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 22, 2017

CAISO: Alternatives to Puentes gas plant could cost up to $1.1B

A new California ISO study modeled three scenarios to see how alternative energy sources could replace lost capacity from retiring a 573 MW natural gas facility.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 21, 2017

Berkshire Hathaway Energy scraps plan for Salton Sea geothermal plant

The Black Rock geothermal power plant would have been located on the Salton Sea, a saline lake in California's Imperial Valley.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 21, 2017

How rural co-ops are shifting to a cleaner power mix

Driven by wind credits, low gas prices and consumer demand, rural co-ops are finding new ways to boost renewables. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 21, 2017

Federal court rejects Allco's rehearing request in challenge to Connecticut's renewable RFP

The Allco case was closely watched by both sides in recent court battles involving states’ legal rights to craft policies aimed at fostering clean energy goals.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 21, 2017

ERCOT determines Gibbons Creek coal plant not necessary for reliability

The Texas Municipal Power Agency plans to operate the 470 MW coal-fired Gibbons Creek power plant for only five months of the year when energy prices are highest.   

By Robert Walton • Aug. 21, 2017

Sempra swoops in with $9.5B Oncor bid after Buffett's Berkshire loses out

Energy Future Holdings abandoned a bid from Berkshire Hathaway after its main creditor criticized Warren Buffett for undervaluing the company's prized asset. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Aug. 21, 2017

Energy Capital Partners to acquire Calpine for $5.6B

ECP will acquire the merchant generator for $15.25/share in cash and is expected to close the deal in the first quarter of 2018. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Aug. 18, 2017

Midcontinent ISO to study renewable energy integration

The technical impact assessment will look for "integration inflection points" for carbon-free energy.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 18, 2017

Shift towards renewables behind decline in California gas demand

Gas flows in the northern part of California are down as much as 16% this summer compared to the same period last year.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 18, 2017

Grid modernization efforts heat up in Q2, but more are on the way

The latest quarterly report from the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center sheds light on policy debates surrounding efforts to boost grid reliability and new technologies. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 18, 2017

ComEd files tariff changes to enable community solar

Development of community solar projects is a result of Illinois' Future Energy Jobs Act, passed last year primarily to keep two nuclear plants afloat.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 17, 2017

Ohio regulators reject challenge to FirstEnergy subsidy

Last year, state regulators allowed FirstEnergy to collect an additional $204 million annually for grid modernization efforts. Opponents say the extra monies will go toward keeping struggling coal and nuclear plants afloat.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 17, 2017

Trump rolls out executive order to speed infrastructure permitting, approval

President Donald Trump's executive order fulfills campaign promises to streamline permitting and approval processes for major infrastructure projects.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 17, 2017