Staff recommends PUCO reject AEP's coal plant subsidy proposal

Staff of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has recommended that regulators reject a plan to guarantee profits from five coal-fired power plants run by American Electric Power, but left the door open for a revamped proposal. 

By Robert Walton • Oct. 13, 2015

NY Gov. Cuomo proposes linking RGGI, California carbon markets

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants the link the northeast's Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative with carbon markets in Canada and California.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 12, 2015

Explore the Trendline➔

Data Centers and the US Grid

A look at how data centers are affecting the U.S. grid today and how new technologies and rate structures could affect that trajectory in the years to come.

By Utility Dive staff

Green groups push for alternatives to Florida utility's proposed $1.2B gas plant

Florida Power & Light's proposed $1.2 billion, 1.6 GW plant faces questions from two environmental groups that would rather see the utility look to renewables.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 12, 2015

EEI took middle road, pushed for 70 ppb ozone standard, report says

The utility group, seeing the writing on the wall, advocated new ozone standards be set at 70 parts-per-billion, even though some of its allies in the generation and industrial sectors wanted the standard to stay where it was.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 9, 2015

FERC investigating MISO auction over market manipulation allegations

Federal regulators lauched a private investigation over alleged market manipulation by Dynegy in MISO's April capacity auction, spurred by complaints filed from Illinois AG's office and a handful of consumer and industry stakeholders. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Oct. 9, 2015

Talen Energy announces sale of three power plants for $1.5B

The deal is the latest  in an ongoing trend of Canadian companies buying up U.S. power assets, with over $11 billion spent on such acquisitions this year. 

By Davide Savenije • Oct. 9, 2015

EIA: Gas generation surpasses coal in U.S. for 2nd time ever

Natural gas was king in July for the second time this year, edging out coal generation by 0.1%, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 9, 2015

Utility-scale solar booms as costs drop, challenging gas on price

Utility-scale solar is on the verge of edging out gas on price, and it offers cost benefits that fossil fuel plants lack.  

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 8, 2015

Idaho Power's IRP: Coal plant retirements, 400 MW of demand response, and community solar

The public comment period has closed on Idaho Power's long term plan, which predicts average load growth to climb 1.2% each year until 2034 and proposes a community solar project to increase renewable energy in its portfolio mix. 

By Robert Walton • Oct. 8, 2015

PNM defends data used in developing San Juan plant proposal

The New Mexico attorney general is also defending the utility against claims by a clean energy group that PNM manipulated baseline data to continue operating its San Juan coal fired plant.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 8, 2015

Settlement could spell early retirement for Utah coal plant

Deseret Electric Power Cooperative has agreed to pollution controls and reduced coal burn at its power plant in Uintah County, but said the costs of retrofitting the plant will pass on to ratepayers. 

By Robert Walton • Oct. 8, 2015

Mass. regulators approve electric utilities to contract for gas supply

The decision last week opens the door for electric utilities in gas-constrained Massachusetts to enter long-term contracts for their fuel, in spite of worries that customers could be subsidizing gas pipeline infrastructure costs. 

By Robert Walton • Oct. 7, 2015

Generators ask PJM to reconsider capacity performance rules

A group of generators asked PJM Interconnection to consider easing some of its reliability rules as well as altering force majeure scenarios.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 7, 2015

Updated: Exelon, DC Mayor Bowser announce settlement deal on Pepco merger

Exelon and District of Columbia mayor Muriel Bowser (D) recently announced they had reached a settlement on the proposed Exelon-Pepco Holdings merger, increasing Exelon's proposed investment in DC to $78 million. 

By Gavin Bade and Krysti Shallenberger • Oct. 6, 2015

Regulators approve CAISO's grid reliability, backstop auction requests

FERC last week approved the California ISO's request to develop a backstop capacity auction in order to deal with unexpected shortages and reliability issues.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 6, 2015

North Dakota, Wyoming will push for additional CPP compliance time

Governors of those states say they were blindsided by large increases in emissions cuts between the proposed and final rule, and call for more time to ensure compliance while planning to file legal challenges to the rule. 

By Robert Walton • Oct. 6, 2015

Xcel to shutter controversial Minnesota coal units

The company will retire two units at the Sherburne County Generating Plant (Sherco), and is targeting 35% renewables by 2030.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 6, 2015

Southern CEO: New nuke builds confined to large utilities in regulated markets

Only large companies in regulated markets have the resources to develop new nuclear plants, according to Southern Co. CEO Tom Fanning.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 5, 2015

Black Hills proposes rate-based gas production investments in 5 states

Black Hills Corp. has asked regulators in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming for authority to recover the costs investments in gas wells or reserves, the latest in a growing list of utilities to do so. 

By Robert Walton • Oct. 5, 2015

Updated: Exelon, DC mayor reach settlement on Pepco merger

The deal would still need to be approved by the D.C. Public Service Commission, which rejected the initial merger proposal in August.

By Gavin Bade • Oct. 2, 2015

New EPA rule targets toxic discharges from coal-fired steam plants

The agency estimates about 12% of the nation's 1,080 steam electric power plants will need to make improvements to comply with the new rules.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 2, 2015

EPA to issue finalized regulations on ozone emissions

The new 70 parts per million limit on ozone pollution pleases neither public health experts nor industry groups. 

By Gavin Bade • Oct. 1, 2015

To ITC or not to ITC: What happens if solar's federal tax incentives aren't extended

Without the ITC, the loss of potential solar capacity is equal to the total amount currently installed in the U.S., a new report finds.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 1, 2015

What's at stake in the FirstEnergy and AEP Ohio power plant subsidy hearings

The marathon regulatory sessions could have far-reaching consequences for the region's fuel mix and electricity market structure.

By Gavin Bade • Oct. 1, 2015

GE unveils Digital Power Plant software to make generation more efficient, responsive

Cloud-based capabilities can add $230 million in value to new gas plants and $100 million to wind projects, the company says.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 1, 2015