Facing decline, NRG Energy forges new business models

NRG's long-term strategy focuses on business self-generation, home energy services and off-grid resources.

By Ethan Howland • March 4, 2014

PJM study: 30% renewables? No problem

PJM can reliably integrate up to 30% of wind and solar energy, a move that will lower costs but hurt fossil-fueled generators, a PJM study said.

By Ethan Howland • March 4, 2014

Facebook, Microsoft ask Iowa regulators to support distributed generation

Microsoft and Facebook are urging Iowa regulators to help move the state to more distributed generation on its system.

By Ethan Howland • March 3, 2014

Xcel Energy plans 150-MW solar RFP in Minnesota

Xcel Energy plans to meet a new Minnesota law that requires utilities to get 1.5% of their energy from solar by 2020.

By Ethan Howland • March 3, 2014

Exelon wants legislative fix to prevent nuclear plant shutdowns

Exelon has been meeting with Illinois lawmakers to figure out a way to keep three nuclear plants that are unprofitable or barely making money from shutting down.

By Ethan Howland • March 3, 2014

Regulators: Duke Energy broke law on ash spills

North Carolina regulators on Friday said Duke Energy broke various environmental rules when coal ash spilled twice into the Dan River last month.

By Ethan Howland • March 3, 2014

PNM's electric sales fall 1.8% in New Mexico

PNM Resources saw sales fall 1.8% in New Mexico, but jump 2.6% in Texas, company officials said.

By Ethan Howland • March 3, 2014

NRG Energy to offer rooftop solar to its 2.3M retail customers

NRG sees rooftop solar as its largest growth opportunity over the next few years, said David Crane, NRG president and CEO.

By Ethan Howland • March 3, 2014

ERCOT: Texas has adequate power reserves until 2017

Electric use in Texas is growing more slowly than previously thought, according to an Electric Reliability Council of Texas report.

By Ethan Howland • March 3, 2014

This is the grid. This is the grid on legalized marijuana. Any questions?

More than half of U.S. states are considering legalizing marijuana. What does this mean for utilities?

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 27, 2014

Dayton Power & Light may sell power plant fleet

AES is considering selling Dayton Power & Light's roughly 3,450 MW power plant fleet, company officials said.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 27, 2014

What keeps utility execs up at night? Hint: It's not cyberattacks

Utility Dive's first annual State of the Electric Utility report, released today, provides a detailed look at how more than 500 utility professionals view the major issues facing their utilities. Some of the findings may surprise you.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 26, 2014

FirstEnergy to invest $4.2B in transmission

FirstEnergy plans to spend $4.2 billion on transmission in the next four years as part of the company's shift to focus on its regulated operations.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 26, 2014

North Carolina may require Duke Energy to remove coal ash

North Carolina regulators may require Duke Energy to remove the coal ash from a basin that recently leaked into the Dan River.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 26, 2014

Report: Customers to leave utilities as grid parity nears for solar-storage

As solar and energy storage prices fall, utilities in some markets will likely see increasing customer defections as grid parity gets closer in the next decade, according to a report from the Rocky Mountain Institute.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 26, 2014

Edison International plans to seize distributed generation opportunities

Edison International, parent to Southern California Edison, plans to be active in emerging utility markets like distributed generation, company officials said.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 26, 2014

Report: Concentrating solar can beat PV on electricity price

The concentrating solar market will shrink, but the technology will produce less expensive electricity than multicrystalline silicon, according to Lux Research.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 25, 2014

Georgia bill would allow solar leasing

The move is opposed by the state's utilities.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 25, 2014

Supreme Court appears divided on EPA greenhouse gas case

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that could determine the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to issue permits for greenhouse gas emissions.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 25, 2014

Tesla plans largest battery factory in the world

Tesla Motors is expected to announce this week plans for the largest battery plant in the world with an eye towards meeting the energy storage needs of the solar industry.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 24, 2014

Pinnacle West CEO: Net metering battle likely hurt stock

"Ugly media coverage" of the solar fight last fall may be hurting the stock of Pinnacle West Capital Corp., parent to Arizona Public Service, company officials said during a conference call.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 24, 2014

Austin Energy signs 300 MW wind deal

Austin Energy will buy the output from a 300-MW wind farm for roughly $30/MWh.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 24, 2014

Massachusetts regulators OK gas-fired plant with carbon limits

Massachusetts regulators approved a 630-MW natural gas-fired power plant to be built near Boston, but the owners must ratchet down the plant's carbon emissions.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 21, 2014

Minnesota PUC OKs 'solar garden' rules

Minnesota regulators gave initial approval to rules for community-owned “solar gardens” in the state.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 21, 2014

TransAlta sells renewables, natural gas stakes to MidAmerican

TransAlta is selling about 420 MW of geothermal, hydroelectric and natural-gas fired capacity to MidAmerican Energy Holdings for $193.5 million.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 21, 2014