EPA moves to reject CT complaint over Brunner Island plant emissions

Connecticut had filed a complaint with the agency arguing that cross-state pollution from the plant was putting it in violation of ground-level ozone standards. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 22, 2018

NRC says Vogtle employees falsified inspection reports, proposes $145K fine

Southern Nuclear, which will have 30 days to either protest or pay the fine, has taken disciplinary action as well as making revisions to procedures, oversight and training.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 21, 2018

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 Stories from Utility Dive

Power demand is rising amid dramatic shifts in federal energy policy, but technology and markets continue to push the grid toward cleaner, more distributed resources. 

By Utility Dive staff

LaFleur warns against PJM plan altering 'fundamental' energy market mechanics

The federal regulator said her agency should "think very hard" before it alters which resources can set market prices during an address that also touched on grid resilience and the growth of Western energy markets.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 21, 2018

Arizona regulator wants cost analysis of proposed clean energy plan

Commissioner Andy Tobin is requesting the Residential Utility Consumer Office compare the costs of his proposal to require utilities to produce 80% of its power with clean energy by 2050. 

By Robert Walton • Feb. 21, 2018

DOE 'would never use' emergency order for uneconomic plants, Walker says

"It's never come to my attention, nobody's talked about it, nobody in my department is doing anything with it," DOE Assistant Secretary Bruce Walker said of a potential 202(c) order to prop up coal plants. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 20, 2018

Why utilities and environmentalists can find common (green) ground

Ex-FERC Chair Norman Bay argues clean energy can gain more ground if utilities and enviros team up. 

By Norman C. Bay • Feb. 20, 2018

Michigan utility to end coal use, cut emissions 80% by 2040

Consumers Energy will reveal a "strategic roadmap" for ending its use of coal generation when it files its integrated resource plan later this year. 

By Robert Walton • Feb. 20, 2018

Reports: NextEra nearing bid for troubled Santee Cooper

The Florida-based utility could pay up to nearly $15.9 billion for the public utility, but exact pricing remains unclear. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 20, 2018

FirstEnergy to reluctantly 'deactivate' West Virginia coal plant

The utility will sell or shutter the coal-fired Pleasants Power Station in West Virginia, but initially had looked for other options.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 16, 2018

PJM board sends competing capacity market reforms to FERC

The grid operator's decision sets up a rare policy face-off at FERC that could raise legal stakes for the agency.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 16, 2018

South Carolina House votes to fire all PSC regulators

The bill, passed 108-1, would remove all seven regulators by the end of next year and set stricter ethics requirements following the cancellation of the V.C. Summer nuclear plant expansion. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 16, 2018

Consumers deserve a market fix from FERC, PJM

PJM's proposal to compensate generators fairly when their power is needed to meet demand will help increase energy market efficiency, benefiting both consumers and suppliers, former FERC Commissioner Marc Spitzer writes.

By Marc Spitzer • Feb. 16, 2018

Moody's pans White House plan to divest TVA, BPA

Both the Tennessee Valley Authority and Bonneville Power Administration are well managed and selling them would be credit negative, according to the ratings agency.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 15, 2018

South Carolina lawmakers push back, putting Dominion acquisition of SCANA in doubt

State senators said Wednesday they would give the Public Service Commission until Dec. 21 to decide how to handle customer charges for costs associated with the failed V.C. Summer nuclear project.

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 15, 2018

DOE taps 9 ‘clean coal’ projects for funding, support

The Department of Energy had announced possible funding opportunities up to $50 million to support "transformational coal technologies," last year. Now the agency is following through. 

By Robert Walton • Feb. 15, 2018

FERC issues storage, reliability orders, calls conference on aggregated DERs

The commission directed grid operators to design rules that allow storage to provide energy, capacity and ancillary services, as well as set wholesale prices as buyers and sellers. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 15, 2018

New ISO-NE report warns fuel supply could harm reliability

The finding echoes similar warnings the grid operator produced earlier this year following a cold snap in late December and early January. 

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 14, 2018

ISO-NE presses FERC to approve capacity market reform

The grid operator argues its two-part capacity market proposal will better integrate subsidized resources than existing rules. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 14, 2018

Sierra Club, Talen Energy strike deal to halt coal burn at Pennsylvania plant

Under the settlement, the Brunner Island plant will only operate on natural gas during the "ozone season," and will permanently stop burning coal after 2028.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 14, 2018

Resilience, pipelines & PURPA: FERC regulators preview major issues at NARUC

State utility regulators heard from all five federal energy regulators at a conference in Washington this week.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 14, 2018

Powelson: Input from PJM, ISO-NE states critical to FERC resilience docket

Any proposal that does not include input from states in those markets "will not garner any support," Powelson said at the NARUC Winter Conference on Monday.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 12, 2018

Trump budget would gut EPA, DOE renewables office

The budget would cut the DOE renewables office by 65% and eliminate ARPA-E and the agency's loan programs. EPA would be cut by nearly a quarter. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 12, 2018

APS to install 50 MW, 135 MWh solar-shifting battery

The contract with developer First Solar will allow APS to use the battery to deliver solar power when electricity use is at its peak, 3-8 p.m. each day.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 12, 2018

Is PURPA done? New bill takes aim at law's mandatory purchase obligation

The law has been under fire for much of its 40-year history, but changes proposed in November could be the most significant yet.

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 12, 2018

Connecticut wants to boost renewables goal to 40% by 2030

The state's finalized Comprehensive Energy Strategy addresses grid modernization, distributed generation and ensuring energy efficiency is given the opportunity to compete and grow. 

By Robert Walton • Feb. 9, 2018