Key regulatory decision leaves California reliability issues unresolved, aggravates tensions

In the long process to figure out how to share "attributes" of IOU legacy resources needed to meet state renewables mandates, a major decision could weaken collaboration between traditional and new load-serving entities.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 8, 2021

Pacificorp updated IRP includes 6.7 GW storage, 5.6 GW solar, but NGOs blast fossil fuel component

The utility for the first time also included non-emitting peaking resources and new advanced nuclear in its preferred portfolio.

By Kavya Balaraman • Sept. 3, 2021

Explore the Trendline➔

Electricity Supply and Demand

After nearly two decades of flat demand, U.S. electricity consumption reached an all-time high in 2024 and is expected to continue rising. This trendline brings together the best of Utility Dive’s coverage of emerging trends in supply and demand and the decisions being made today that will impact the power system for years to come. 

By Utility Dive staff

Time running out for Exelon's Byron and Dresden nuclear plants as Illinois Senate passes major energy bill

The state Senate's clean energy package, which still needs to pass the House of Representatives, would provide nearly $700 million over five years for the nuclear power sector.

By Scott Van Voorhis • Sept. 2, 2021

Duke explores shutting coal-fired plants by 2030 in South Carolina plans

The revised plans come after South Carolina regulators voted in late June to reject the utility's previous proposals and send the company back to the drawing board.

By Scott Van Voorhis • Sept. 1, 2021

Transmission tower destroyed by Ida likely to complicate power restoration in New Orleans, experts say

As Entergy scrambles to restore power in the Gulf region, the collapse of a major transmission tower could complicate matters, experts say.

By Scott Van Voorhis • Aug. 31, 2021

Nuclear reactors of the future have a fuel problem

Higher levels of uranium enrichment can unlock value from smaller and simpler reactors, but they come with new hurdles that the nuclear industry says only the federal government can address.

By Matthew Bandyk • Aug. 30, 2021

Ida knocks out all transmission lines into New Orleans, leaves 1M+ without power

Electric utilities along the Gulf Coast are scrambling to assess damage after Hurricane Ida made landfall as a Category 4 storm. Recovery could take up to six weeks in some areas, according to reports.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 30, 2021

Historic drought slashes hydropower generation in California, other Western states

The decline in hydropower, and the scramble to replace it with other sources, is putting financial pressure on local utilities in Western states.

By Scott Van Voorhis • Aug. 24, 2021

Generators, labor groups urge New York to develop incentives for nonrenewable generation

The effort could lead to investments in carbon capture and other low-emissions technology, but conservation advocates call it misguided and urge a focus on more renewables, transmission and storage.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 24, 2021

The G&T cooperative business model is not broken, despite some vocal Tri-State opponents

For those who assert that Tri-State — or more broadly, the G&T model — is broken and needs to be fixed, the head of Otero County Electric Cooperative asks, what's the problem that needs to be solved?

By Mario Romero • Aug. 23, 2021

Illinois regulators launch probe of ComEd in wake of bribery scandal

The Illinois Commerce Commission is investigating whether ComEd stuck ratepayers with the bill for patronage hires and other money spent in a bribery case involving one of the state's most powerful politicians.

By Scott Van Voorhis • Aug. 16, 2021

Arizona 2050 clean energy mandate could increase utility bills nearly $60/month, study finds

Take the long-range analysis with a "grain of salt," report producer Ascend Analytics said, as it cannot predict future technologies.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 16, 2021

PSEG unloads fossil fuel plants for $1.9B in push toward decarbonization

PSEG is taking another big step towards cleaning up its grid, with the New Jersey utility announcing plans on Thursday to sell a 6,750 MW portfolio of fossil-fuel plants for $1.92 billion.

By Scott Van Voorhis • Aug. 13, 2021

FERC's Chatterjee laments the politicization of grid resilience in wake of ERCOT, CAISO struggles

The commissioner said he worries his rhetoric that focused on potential plans to save ailing coal plants early in his tenure as chair may have fueled a partisan divide that equates resiliency issues with the use of certain fuels.

By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 12, 2021

NYPA and Argonne launch hyperlocalized study of climate change impact on power plants

The New York Power Authority wants to focus on the impact climate change could have on individual power plants and infrastructure.

By Scott Van Voorhis • Aug. 10, 2021

California's Aliso Canyon review could offer key lessons on transition from natural gas, analysts say

The state's consideration of whether to wean itself from one of its largest natural gas storage facilities could be a model, regardless of its success.

By Kavya Balaraman • Aug. 10, 2021

FERC requests more evidence of reliability impacts as Spire STL pipeline seeks temporary approval

Environmental groups, including the Environmental Defense Fund, which brought the pipeline company to court in the first place, say the proposal for temporary certification has "serious deficiencies."

By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 10, 2021

[Podcast] Ensuring Grid Resilience in a Time of Change

This 3-part podcast series provides you with expert insights into the questions and topics utilities need to address to properly harden their systems for a future full of change.

By Utility Dive's studioID • Aug. 9, 2021

Push for green energy could strand more than $68B in coal and gas assets, S&P says

New natural gas plants could lose as much value as recent investments in coal due to accelerating renewable energy deployments, an S&P report finds — but not for the same reasons.

By Emma Penrod • Aug. 9, 2021

State, federal efforts too late to save Exelon's Illinois nuclear plants, CEO Crane says

Exelon's leadership has months to decommission the Byron and Dresden plants in Illinois, which CEO Chris Crane described as "the right economic decision" absent legislation.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Aug. 6, 2021

Entergy touts hydrogen as tool to meet industrial customers' green goals

On the utility's second quarter earnings call, CEO Leo Denault said it is working to offer industrial clients "some of the cleanest electricity in the country."

By Jason Plautz • Aug. 6, 2021

DC Circuit orders FERC to analyze climate, environmental justice more thoroughly

The court ruling is the latest one consistent with Chair Richard Glick’s stance that FERC should go farther in analyzing whether the gas projects it assesses are contributing to the climate crisis or cause harm to local communities.

By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 4, 2021

The US power sector is halfway to net zero emissions, but it gets harder now, analysts say

Renewables led the power sector's recent energy transition, but breakthroughs are needed to take the transportation, building and industrial sectors to net zero emissions by mid-century.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 4, 2021

Bipartisan $1 trillion Senate infrastructure bill focuses on transmission, nuclear, carbon capture

"While there is much to celebrate in this product of our bipartisan efforts, more work still needs to be done," Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., who leads the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, said Monday.

By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 3, 2021

California governor moves to free up electricity supply amid projected 3.5 GW summer shortfall

Gavin Newsom, D, is pushing regulators to expedite clean energy projects, but experts are skeptical that the state will be able to bring online more than a limited amount of additional clean energy this summer. 

By Kavya Balaraman • Aug. 3, 2021