Generation: Page 3

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

Explore the Trendline➔

Trendline

The 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

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.

Texas gas regulator punts outage blame back to electric industry, 'we got us out of the problem'

Texas Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick insisted her industry was not responsible for the blackouts that hit Texas last month, despite assertions from the electricity industry that supply-side constraints were a major issue.

By Catherine Morehouse • March 01, 2021

Puget Sound Energy IRP dramatically increases DERs but sets conflict over gas

The debate over PSE's draft integrated resource plan is the latest example of a conflict over the degree to which natural gas will be needed to back up renewable energy.

By Matthew Bandyk • March 01, 2021

'Everyone is asking, why?': Texas lawmakers grill generators, regulators on mass outages

Gas-electric coordination, the Texas wholesale market, communication protocols and regulatory authority all came under fire during the state's first hearing on the blackouts that left millions without power last week.

By Catherine Morehouse • Feb. 26, 2021

Opinion

Utilities need to harden the grid as they green it. Consumers aren't ready for the cost

Federal funding for grid modernization and decarbonization is the way to ensure events like the Texas blackouts don’t happen again.

By Stephanie Eyocko • Feb. 26, 2021

ERCOT narrowly avoided 'much more devastating' impacts as nearly half of generation went offline: CEO

At the highest point, about 48.6% of the grid operator's power generation — 52,277 MW out of 107,514 MW in installed capacity — was forced offline due to the extreme weather conditions.

By Catherine Morehouse • Feb. 25, 2021

Dominion proposes ending its South Carolina coal generation by 2030

The majority of Dominion's scenarios for its next integrated resource plan include large blocks of solar and solar-plus-battery-storage added between 2030 and 2048.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Feb. 24, 2021

FERC to examine potential market violations in wake of massive Texas power outages

The commission also announced it would open a new proceeding to examine the threat climate change poses to electric reliability, following FERC's decision last week to close its resilience docket.

By Catherine Morehouse • Feb. 23, 2021

Texas suspends utility disconnections after 'skyrocketing' power bills

State regulators held an emergency meeting Sunday to address the payment billing spikes that had customers charged up to 70 times more than what they would normally pay for electricity.

By Catherine Morehouse • Feb. 23, 2021

Opinion

Get a sportscar or become one? One power plant's mid-life crisis

Burbank Water and Power's unique retrofit transformed its gas plant from baseload generator to renewable integration machine, the author writes.

By Lincoln Bleveans • Feb. 23, 2021

Texas grid operator makes progress restoring power, will end emergency conditions today

Utilities can now restore service to any load dropped during Texas' massive outage, but some are still struggling with ice damage.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 19, 2021