Rising natural gas costs boosted MISO power prices from June to July

Gas and wind continue to push coal generation down the dispatch stack, with coal plants on the margin more than 80% of the time.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 25, 2016

Indiana utility to propose closing 4 coal units

New regulations could cost the company $1 billion to keep operating the units, NIPSCO said. 

By Robert Walton • Aug. 25, 2016

EIA: North Carolina top state for PURPA-qualified solar projects

North Carolina has the second most independent power producer (IPP) solar plants and the most PURPA solar plants, according to the EIA.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 24, 2016

National Grid, Eversource to pull out of Access Northeast gas pipeline project

The decision follows a ruling from the state's highest court last week that electric utilities may not charge customers for gas pipeline construction.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 24, 2016

Hearing delayed as Duke, North Carolina officials spar over Dan River coal ash penalties

Both sides are currently in negotiations over a proposed $6.6 million penalty for the 2014 spill.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 24, 2016

GTM: Germany's C&I energy storage market still lags behind residential

A GTM Research report highlights sharp divide between large and small energy storage systems in German, which can be a result from of the structure incentives and price signals specific to the German markets.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 23, 2016

Munis, co-ops to propose revamp of PJM's capacity market structure

American Municipal Power is calling for a "comprehensive and holistic assessment" of PJM Interconnection's Reliability Pricing Model.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 23, 2016

Global utility M&A up 105% in Q2 amid rush to renewables, regulated assets

Deal value hit $43 billion in the second quarter of 2016, with North American companies leading the way.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 23, 2016

Industrial customers could depart Wisconsin over high electrical rates

The state's Strategic Energy Assessment 2022 finds rates are rising for all customer classes, though generation is expected to be adequate.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 23, 2016

New Mexico utility threatens layoffs if rate increase request is reduced

Public Service Co. of New Mexico requested a rate increase of more than $123 million, but a hearing examiner's recommendation would cut that to a $41 million increase.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 23, 2016

Report: MISO, PJM to collaborate on plant retirement studies

More than 4 GW could be pulled offline by next summer, making it imperative for grid operators to coordinate their efforts.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 19, 2016

EIA: Energy-related CO2 emissions from natural gas will surpass coal in 2016

Natural gas is less carbon-intensive than coal, but federal officials say changing consumption patterns have flipped the script when it comes to emissions.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 19, 2016

NV Energy stays neutral on energy choice ballot measure

Voters in Nevada will decide this November whether to open the state's energy marketplace to competition. 

By Robert Walton • Aug. 19, 2016

Massachusetts court bars electric utilities from charging ratepayers for gas pipeline construction

The decision by the Supreme Judicial Court puts Spectra Energy's Access Northeast pipeline at risk, as Eversource Energy and National Grid have both signed on to the project.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 18, 2016

NRC cites low-level violations, including radioactive leak, at Entergy's FitzPatrick nuke

Violations at the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant, slated to be sold to Exelon, went on for years, NRC said.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 17, 2016

After Hawaiian flub, NextEra's $18.4B bid for Oncor appears on steadier ground

After Hunt Consolidated tried to upend Oncor's business model, a more conventional merger proposal from a company with a presence in Texas and a strong balance sheet could be just what regulators want. 

By Robert Walton • Aug. 16, 2016

A $3.2B Southeastern pipeline clears final regulatory hurdles for construction

The gas pipeline will run through Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, feeding the Southeast's hunger for gas as generator's shift away from coal. 

By Robert Walton • Aug. 16, 2016

PG&E files joint proposal to close Diablo Canyon nuclear plant

Because it will take time to develop clean energy resources to replace the facility, Pacific Gas & Electric intends to operate Diablo Canyon until its operating licenses expire.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 14, 2016

Duke Energy proposes charges for coal ash cleanup in South Carolina rate case

South Carolina has been mostly spared of contentious coal ash debates that bedevil its northern neighbor, but that may be about to change. 

By Robert Walton • Aug. 12, 2016

Michigan officials call for study of impacts from potential plant closures

Regulators at two state agencies have asked the Midcontinent ISO to examine what would happen if a pair of nuclear power plants were both experiencing an unplanned outage. 

By Robert Walton • Aug. 11, 2016

ERCOT: High temperatures spark 4 peak demand records in 1 week

The grid operator's four highest loads all came in recent days.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 11, 2016

Bloomberg: Electric customers could pay $2.5B for unbuilt nuclear plants

Some utilities are getting regulatory clearance to maintain nuclear licenses or pursue nuclear plants that are years away from construction.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 10, 2016

Massachusetts Gov. Baker signs wind, hydro bill into law

The law calls for long-term contracts for 1,600 MW of wind power and 1,200 MW of hydropower or other renewables.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 10, 2016

NRG bids to acquire 2.1 of GW of renewable projects from bankrupt SunEdison

The carve-up of what was once the world's largest renewable energy developer has begun.

By Gavin Bade • Aug. 10, 2016

Washington, Arizona utilities begin testing CAISO EIM integration

The two entities will operate under real-time market conditions, though transactions will not be financially binding until October.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 10, 2016