Biden signs $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill with funding for EVs, transmission, hydrogen

Biden also created a task force to be run by former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu to help coordinate the spending.

By Ethan Howland • Updated Nov. 16, 2021

Duke Energy eyes offshore wind, advanced nuclear, to meet NC decarbonization goals

Duke Energy CEO Lynn Good told analysts Thursday the company is exploring an array of options to meet North Carolina's new decarbonization goals.

By Scott Van Voorhis • Nov. 8, 2021

The future of energy is virtual, integrated and not so disruptive after all

All eyes are on the United Nations Climate Change Conference and there's been no shortage of new climate commitments presented. One thing is clear– decarbonization goals are here to stay and only becoming more aggressive.

By Andrew Tang • Nov. 8, 2021

New England electricity use will grow more than 1% annually amid electrification push, says ISO

The ISO New England grid will be challenged by extreme weather and a changing resource mix, according to a biennial report from the grid operator. Generators say there is increasing urgency to address issues in wholesale markets.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 5, 2021

FERC's Christie calls for fixing interconnection 'chaos' as first step in transmission reform

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission could tackle sweeping transmission changes in pieces, according to an agency official.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 4, 2021

Unlocking the Transition: Biden, Congress aim to fill gap from clean electricity plan's demise

Sen. Joe Manchin's rejection of the plan has led to a scramble for potential alternatives, with a proposal by Reps. Kurt Schrader and David McKinley gaining support from major players in the utility sector.

By Scott Van Voorhis • Nov. 4, 2021

EPA ability to regulate power sector GHG emissions at risk as Supreme Court takes case, analysts say

The court decided Friday to review a lower court rejection of a Trump era rule in a move that analysts say does not bode well for EPA's authority over the power sector.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 2, 2021

COP26: Biden apologizes for US climate inaction, issues long-term plan for reaching net zero emissions

The plan asks the electric sector to eliminate emissions by 2035 through transmission upgrades, energy efficiency, storage and non-emitting generation, along with several other strategies.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 2, 2021

'A big win for customers': Stakeholders praise South Carolina Supreme Court ruling on Duke coal ash costs

Duke had sought to raise rates in South Carolina to pay for coal ash remediation required by North Carolina. 

By Jason Plautz • Nov. 1, 2021

Vistra sues FERC over decision setting offer caps for PJM capacity market

With PJM's next capacity auction set for January, Vistra intends to ask the appeals court to review the case on a fast-track process.

By Ethan Howland • Updated Nov. 5, 2021

House passes Build Back Better, tees up Senate vote on funding for climate, clean energy and electric vehicles

The bill's passage comes days after President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan infrastructure bill that also boosts spending on shifting the U.S. away from fossil fuels.

By Ethan Howland • Updated Nov. 19, 2021

Xcel CEO: Capital required for green hydrogen production 'could be material' over balance of the decade

Xcel has been selected to test a hydrogen production method in one of its nuclear reactors and is exploring five to eight additional hydrogen projects, Bob Frenzel said Thursday on the company's third quarter earnings call.

By Larry Pearl • Oct. 29, 2021

APS vows legal action after Arizona regulators deny cost recovery for $215.5M coal plant upgrades

Regulators approved the utility’s first rate decrease since 1996, while voting against full cost recovery for APS' investment in upgrades to a coal plant being closed earlier than initially planned.

By Scott Van Voorhis • Updated Nov. 3, 2021

Hydropower's absence in the reconciliation bill is a major gap in U.S. clean energy strategy

Hydro helps integrate wind and solar, so why isn't it supported in the reconciliation bill?

By Alicia Barton • Oct. 28, 2021

New York rejects proposed NRG, Danskammer Energy gas plants, citing 2019 climate law

Environmental groups called the decision "precedent-setting" while industry stakeholders said rejecting nearly 1 GW of new resources was shortsighted and bad public policy.

By Larry Pearl • Oct. 28, 2021

NextEra's failure to upgrade Seabrook plant jeopardizes planned $1B transmission line, Avangrid warns

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's decision in the interconnection dispute could affect clean energy ambitions nationwide, Massachusetts officials warned.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 25, 2021

California groups divided on inclusion of gas in 11.5 GW 'clean' procurement order

"It's another day and another month, and the Commission is still asking the same tired questions about procuring more gas..." clean energy groups said in a filing with the California Public Utilities Commission. 

By Kavya Balaraman • Oct. 25, 2021

FERC's Glick urges power plant owners to line up fuel supplies as gas prices soar

Rising liquefied natural gas exports are helping drive up natural gas prices, posing a risk in New England markets, FERC said Thursday in a report.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 22, 2021

California markets in the Lone Star State? Texas regulators consider 'quasi-capacity' market system

Generators and transmission operators will need to weatherize their systems ahead of winter as Texas regulators consider "monumental" market changes.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 22, 2021

NextEra doubles down on green hydrogen, other renewables

The company said Wednesday it has added more than 5,700 megawatts over the first nine months of 2021 to its backlog of renewable energy and storage projects.

By Scott Van Voorhis • Oct. 21, 2021

Meeting state offshore wind, renewable goals requires up to $3.2B in transmission, PJM says

A report on future transmission needs marks a change in how the largest U.S. grid operator considers state renewable energy goals, but more work needs to be done, observers say.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 21, 2021

To secure the energy supply chain, feds want to reimagine the power sector as defense

Department of Energy officials say vulnerable software and data supply chains expose the U.S. power grid to attack.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 21, 2021

Coal-fired electricity rebounds in 2021, but resurgence could be short-lived

As the price of natural gas soars, a federal report finds coal-fired power plants are expected to produce significantly more electricity this year than in 2020.

By Scott Van Voorhis • Oct. 20, 2021

Close to $16B in gas investments could be stranded with a net-zero by 2050 timeline, report finds

The report doesn’t completely write gas off, however, and acknowledges that a handful of units may be required to sit idle and be called upon when needed for short-term, emergency power.

By Kavya Balaraman • Oct. 19, 2021

By 2030, Portland General sees distributed resources meeting up to 25% of peak demand

The utility said it will need up to 2 GW of clean or renewable resources and 800 MW of non-emitting dispatchable capacity resources to decarbonize its system by 2040.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 18, 2021