Report: Heat wave spikes power prices, demand on East Coast

A heat wave that hit the Mid-Atlantic last week tripled market prices in some areas within the New York ISO, but areas in the PJM Interconnection and New England ISO saw moderate price increases despite demand spikes, according to Platts. 

By Robert Walton • July 10, 2016

Florida regulators give FPL customers a break from nuclear charges

The Public Service Commission approved Florida Power & Light Co.'s request to defer recoupment of $22 million in charges related to the Turkey Point plant near Miami until 2017. 

By Robert Walton • July 10, 2016

Reopening San Onofre settlement could expose customers to higher costs, California utility warns

Amid revelations of secret meetings between a California regulator and utility officials, the state is considering reopening the $3.3 billion settlement. 

By Robert Walton • July 10, 2016

NV Energy subsidiary pushes to invest more in natural gas in IRP

Critics say the utility should be spending more on energy efficiency and renewables, but utility officials say the power is needed for Nevada customers.

By Robert Walton • July 10, 2016

Sonnen cuts battery system cost 40% to serve self-consumption market

Seeing an opportunity in changes to net metering policies, Sonnen has introduced a cheaper battery without backup power features.

By Peter Maloney • July 8, 2016

B&W restructures traditional power business in response to coal decline

Babcock & Wilcox, which provides technologies and services for the power and industrial markets, cut about 200 positions related to the changes.

By Robert Walton • July 8, 2016

PacifiCorp entry to Western EIM could boost carbon emissions, critics say

The Sierra Club said a preliminary study by California ISO modeling scenarios to include PacifiCorp in the Western Energy Imbalance Market failed to detail long-term impacts from the utility's coal fleet. 

By Peter Maloney • July 7, 2016

NYISO: Despite efficiency, DER gains, new transmission needed for low-carbon grid

Efficiency and DERs are pushing down load, the grid operator said in a new report, but system upgrades will be needed to meet state clean energy goals. 

By Gavin Bade • July 7, 2016

Anatomy of a nuke closure: How PG&E decided to shutter Diablo Canyon

In a policy environment that prizes renewables, PG&E saw no cost-effective route to keeping the giant nuclear plant open.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 7, 2016

New York Green Bank aims to grow portfolio by two-thirds next year

The bank aims to spur innovative reneweable energy projects that would otherwise have trouble attracting investment. 

By Peter Maloney • July 7, 2016

RGGI carbon auction prices fall 40% on Clean Power Plan uncertainty

The Northeast's Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative has yet to map out carbon targets beyond the current cap, which only adds more doubt over the future values of emissions allowances.

By Robert Walton • July 7, 2016

Usually in lockstep, 20% jump in natural gas prices affects power prices little

A hot start to the summer has sent natural gas prices markedly higher, but power prices have not followed suit, partially due to stagnant electricity demand.

By Robert Walton • July 6, 2016

SNL: 21 GW of coal, natural gas, nuclear capacity 'at risk' of closure through 2020

Tighter economics, aging plants and tougher market situations are driving the trend.

By Robert Walton • July 6, 2016

California dreaming: Utilities uneasy with regulator's vision to remake their business model

Commissioner Florio wants a fundamental rethinking of utility revenues and distributed resources, but his proposal has critics on all sides.

By Peter Maloney • July 6, 2016

Critics call PUCO staff $131M FirstEnergy rider recommendation a 'bailout' for aging generation

On paper, the new charges would go to grid modernization, but critics say it is another effort by the utility to support its struggling coal generation.

By Robert Walton • July 6, 2016

Critics wary as California regulators prepare to reopen San Onofre nuclear settlement case

California regulators are reviewing a settlement agreement that left consumers on the hook for the $3.3 billion cost of closing the nuclear plant.

By Robert Walton • July 6, 2016

Inside the first municipal solar-plus-storage project in the US

The Village of Minster tackled a solar-plus-storage project to diversify its portfolio and now looks to build a microgrid to protect its key C&I customers from power outages. 

By Herman K. Trabish • July 5, 2016

EPA cites 4 counties for SO2 pollution under round 2 of sulphur designations

Burning coal has contributed to unsafe levels of sulphur dioxide pollution in four more U.S. counties, the EPA announced last week.

By Gavin Bade • July 5, 2016

NextEra decision looming, Hawaii lawmakers consider suing Gov. Ige over PUC appointment

The governor appointed a commission lawyer to the regulatory post without legislative approval ahead of a decision on the largest business deal in Hawaii history. 

By Peter Maloney • July 5, 2016

Santee Cooper greenlights $831M bond sale to fund nuclear construction

The board approved the sale of $831 million in bonds, primarily to finance construction of the V.C. Summer nuclear plant, expanding its project budget $1.1 billion. 

By Robert Walton • July 5, 2016

SPP: Expanding wind energy, cheap natural gas tamp down power prices

"The lengthy decline in gas costs continues to have a major impact on energy markets," said Southwest Power Pool's internal market monitor.

By Robert Walton • July 5, 2016

California power regulation market doubled to 800 MW a day in first quarter

Total payments for power regulation services quadrupled to $400,000 per day in the first three months of 2016.

By Peter Maloney • July 1, 2016

North Carolina Gov. McCrory set to sign revised coal ash bill

The compromise legislation would hand control of coal ash management back to McCrory's DEQ.   

By Shalina Chatlani • July 1, 2016

As coal plants retire, natural gas fills the void, pushing down power prices

Power prices in the nation's largest wholesale market are lower as natural gas generation takes the leading role in the power sector. 

By Robert Walton • July 1, 2016

A FERC challenge: Opening up electricity markets to advanced energy technologies

Grid operators should allow distributed resources and demand response to be priced for their unique attributes in organized markets, Arvin Ganesan and Suedeen Kelly argue in this guest post.

By Arvin Ganesan and Suedeen Kelly • June 30, 2016