Generation: Page 2
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Deep Dive
California's last nuclear plant is poised to shut down. What happens next?
A large amount of carbon-free energy will come offline once the Diablo Canyon power plant retires, raising questions around how the state will replace it.
By Kavya Balaraman • March 23, 2021 -
Southern Company identifies 'likely' nuclear construction delay on Vogtle unit
Vogtle Unit 3's in-service date could be pushed back at least a month from its November 2021 target, which would add $25 million per month in additional costs for Georgia Power.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 22, 2021 -
Explore the Trendline➔
GettyTrendlineThe Utility Dive Outlook on 2021
The major trends driving the US power sector persisted in 2020, despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and with the recent changes in the White House and Congress, will likely get stronger in 2021.
By Utility Dive staff -
Tri-State's clean energy, cost reduction efforts have not quelled member exit interest
At least seven rural electric cooperatives want to know what it would cost to leave the service of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, and they say the utility is "stonewalling."
By Robert Walton • March 22, 2021 -
Glick, Danly spar over gas pipeline reviews as FERC considers project's climate impacts for first time
After Danly urged pipeline companies to intervene more in proceedings, Glick said the same should go "for all the other people that have been screwed by the commission," adding Danly's stance represents "the height of hypocrisy."
By Catherine Morehouse • March 19, 2021 -
California opens rulemaking on provider of last resort, as customers move away from utilities
Regulators are trying to shore up a safety net for consumers that the state will hopefully never need, an expert said.
By Kavya Balaraman • March 19, 2021 -
FERC prevents states from blocking demand response in DER aggregations under Order 2222
Commissioner Mark Christie, who formerly served as a Virginia utility regulator, decried the move as a violation of states' rights, and argued that it could unnecessarily raise ratepayer costs.
By Catherine Morehouse • March 19, 2021 -
Coal drops to lowest proportion of US generation since 1949, but EIA doesn't expect it to last
Despite an overall downward trend, EIA says U.S. coal generation will likely rebound over the next two years in response to rising natural gas prices.
By Emma Penrod • March 19, 2021 -
FERC boosts small solar, reversing PURPA ruling that had upended 40 years of precedent
Regulators voted to allow qualifying facility status to a solar-plus-storage array that met the law's qualifying facility cap of 80 MW in net-capacity, but that has a gross capacity of 160 MW.
By Catherine Morehouse • March 19, 2021 -
Indiana strikes down NGO challenge to Duke coal operations, said to cost ratepayers millions
State regulators last year opened up a subdocket in order to examine more closely Duke's coal operations and whether plants were operating unnecessarily during periods when running coal facilities exceeded market costs.
By Catherine Morehouse • March 18, 2021 -
Texas PUC Chair resigns, following pressure from governor, refusal to reprice $16B ERCOT overcharge
Arthur D'Andrea's resignation also comes after he promises investors, in a leaked recording, he'll use the "the weight of the commission" to stop a reversal of billions of dollars in overcharges related to the winter storms last month.
By Catherine Morehouse • March 17, 2021 -
Renewables industry questions whether Duke, Southern SEEM proposal would limit competition
In comments filed with federal regulators, stakeholders said utilities' proposal to create a Southeast Energy Exchange Market has the potential to bring more renewables onto the grid, if implemented correctly.
By Catherine Morehouse • March 17, 2021 -
Q&A
Taking Charge: Commissioner Clements on FERC's 'make or break' role amid the energy transition
In a comprehensive interview with Utility Dive, Allison Clements laid out her thoughts on FERC's role following the mass outages in Texas, the need for transmission reform and more.
By Catherine Morehouse • March 16, 2021 -
FERC's expected jurisdiction claim over Puerto Rico LNG terminal could impact PREPA gas plant, renewables plans
The island's electric utility is urging federal regulators for a hands-off approach "given the very substantial emissions reductions and cost savings the facility is enabling PREPA to achieve."
By Robert Walton • March 16, 2021 -
Opinion
Analysts' inaccurate cost estimates are creating a trillion-dollar bubble in conventional energy assets
Mainstream analysts have mispriced and overvalued not just coal, natural gas, nuclear and hydro power plants themselves, but the mines, wells, pipelines, ports and refineries that support them, the authors write.
By Tony Seba and Adam Dorr • March 15, 2021 -
CPS Energy sues ERCOT, citing one of the 'largest illegal wealth transfers' in Texas history
The largest municipal gas and electric provider in the U.S. is suing the Texas grid operator for $18 million, alleging gross negligence related to the widespread outages and successive price spikes, among other things.
By Catherine Morehouse • March 15, 2021 -
Congress should prioritize gas supply risks, NERC says, as senators mull federal role in Texas grid
"Having a great winterized plant with no fuel in front of it isn't very valuable. And that's where our authorities right now stop," the head of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation told a Senate committee.
By Catherine Morehouse • March 12, 2021 -
Texas Senate passes bill requiring ERCOT to reprice multi-billion dollar market 'error'
Texas' head utility regulator cited new evidence from the independent market monitor that prices had not hit $16 billion, but the entity clarified that charge was still accurate.
By Catherine Morehouse • UPDATED: March 16, 2021 at 10:50 a.m. -
Texas PUC loses 2nd commissioner as Lt. Gov. presses ERCOT to correct $16B overcharge
Gov. Greg Abbott, R, also directed the state legislature to address billing errors, declaring it an emergency item.
By Catherine Morehouse • UPDATED: March 10, 2021 at 10:17 a.m. -
Analysts point to $500B investment gap in climate resilience for electric utilities
Investor owned utilities in the U.S. are seeing a gap in investment to adequately prepare energy systems for a changing environment, ICF said in a new report.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 09, 2021 -
Texas regulators decline to act after market monitor reports $16B of 'inappropriate' ERCOT charges
The two commissioners voted against directing the grid operator to retroactively reprice its real-time prices that were artificially inflated during the generation shortages and subsequent forced outages.
By Catherine Morehouse • March 08, 2021 -
Glick commits to avoid repeat of 'disturbing' lack of action in Texas after 2011 outages
“It is pretty clear” what the message was in the 2011 report, the chairman said, “and it's just disturbing that it didn't turn into action."
By Catherine Morehouse • March 05, 2021 -
Xcel proposes $1.7B transmission investment in Colorado to unlock nearly 5.5 GW new renewables
The proposal would allow the utility to reduce emissions in its Colorado territory by an estimated 85% below 2005 levels by 2030.
By Catherine Morehouse • March 04, 2021 -
House Democrats introduce bill with pathway to 100% clean energy by 2035
The bill would include major changes to the Federal Power Act and the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act, and require economy-wide net-zero emissions by 2050.
By Catherine Morehouse • March 03, 2021 -
Deep Dive
Texas must increase ties to the national grid and DER to avoid another power catastrophe, analysts say
Planning for inter-regional transmission and distributed resources could do what ERCOT's competitive, energy-only market didn't – keep the heat and lights on, energy advisors say.
By Herman K. Trabish • March 02, 2021 -
ERCOT fires CEO, following resignation of head utility regulator, board members
CEO Bill Magness' termination follows continued fallout from the power outages that plagued the state for days last month during extreme cold weather.
By Catherine Morehouse • UPDATED: March 4, 2021 at 9:21 a.m.