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

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

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

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

FERC to reopen 1999 policy on gas project approvals, add environmental justice considerations

Though the vote was unanimous, commissioners had differing opinions on the necessity of proceeding, and to what extent policy should change.

By Catherine Morehouse • Feb. 19, 2021

Congress, Texas should 'rethink' ERCOT's 'go it alone approach': FERC Chair Glick

"Texans would be without electricity for longer than three days to keep the federal government out of their business," former Governor of Texas and Secretary of Energy Rick Perry said earlier this week.

By Catherine Morehouse • Feb. 19, 2021

FERC 'finally' ends PJM MOPR proceeding, paving way for grid operator's next capacity auction

"To have anything but a bright line against the participation of subsidized resources is simply an error and a dereliction of the duty to keep our markets properly insulated," said Commissioner James Danly, the sole dissenting vote.

By Catherine Morehouse • Feb. 19, 2021

FERC closes resilience docket opened in response to DOE coal, nuclear bailout proposal

The decision comes amid rolling outages that have plagued Texas, and Commissioner Neil Chatterjee, in his sole dissent, said the docket was precisely the right place to examine these and other reliability issues.

By Catherine Morehouse • Feb. 19, 2021

S&P: Despite storage growth, US to achieve 'marginal' carbon-free capacity increases through 2035

The generation market share for zero-carbon resources will increase from 39% to 47% in the next 15 years, and will require policy commitments at either the federal or state level, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 18, 2021

Power experts cite gas constraints as main cause of ERCOT outages, but system planning questions remain

"The fact that this was not wind's fault is not an argument that the wind system as we currently have it would have done better if it were a bigger part of the grid," said a professor of environmental engineering at Georgia Tech.

By Catherine Morehouse • Feb. 18, 2021

FERC, NERC to investigate mass outages across ERCOT, SPP, MISO

Increased demand from extreme cold weather, limited gas supplies and frozen equipment at thermal plants were the primary causes of rolling blackouts triggered largely across Texas, according to officials.

By Catherine Morehouse • Feb. 16, 2021

ERCOT board members to resign following mass outages

Soaring demand, gas shortages and frozen wind turbines forced grid operators to enact rolling blackouts last week.

By Robert Walton • Updated Feb. 24, 2021

Duke to spend up to $134B on energy transition by 2030, eyes regulatory reforms

CEO Lynn Good also said the company sees offshore wind potential in its North Carolina territory within the next 10 years.

By Catherine Morehouse • Feb. 12, 2021

Texas grid operator braces for record electric demand, warns generators to prepare

Electric demand is expected to soar as parts of Texas could experience the lowest temperatures in decades.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 12, 2021

Grid operators to request extension on FERC Order 2222 compliance, regulator cites 'short' timeline

"FERC, when issuing Order 2222, left many of the most difficult challenges to be dealt with by the RTOs in their stakeholder process," said Ted Thomas, chair of the Arkansas Public Service Commission.

By Catherine Morehouse • Feb. 10, 2021

Arizona showdown: Lawmakers face regulators in fight over zero-emissions mandate

Conservatives say the Arizona Corporation Commission's proposed zero-carbon mandate oversteps its constitutional authority while defenders say the legal debate is an excuse to impede the state's climate fight.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 10, 2021

Cleaning up the power grid requires a federal-state partnership

The federal government can take several actions that would enable and empower states to reach their 100% clean energy goals, the authors write.

By Bentham Paulos and Warren Leon • Feb. 8, 2021

Senate confirms former North Carolina regulator Regan as head of EPA

Michael Regan had pledged to take a "clean slate" approach when determining how to take on the Clean Power Plan versus the Affordable Clean Energy Act.

By Catherine Morehouse • Updated March 11, 2021

Alliant, Duke announce generator shutdowns, accelerating nation's transition to coal-free status

Alliant Energy's plan to shutter its 1,100 MW Columbia Energy Center will make its Wisconsin subsidiary coal-free by 2025.

By Catherine Morehouse • Feb. 4, 2021

Boston kicks off community choice electricity program, aiming to surpass state's renewables requirement

The Massachusetts capital now becomes a key East Coast adopter of a locally driven utility model championed in major California and Ohio cities — its latest effort toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

By Maria Rachal • Feb. 1, 2021

Nuclear has another friend in Biden, but changes at the NRC could mean more scrutiny ahead

The president has voiced strong support for nuclear, but as a new NRC chair begins his tenure, the sector could face stricter regulations.

By Matthew Bandyk • Feb. 1, 2021

Xcel cuts carbon emissions 50% by 2021, eyes Colorado transmission, coal plants to reach 2030 goal

The utility hinted that its Colorado IRP would include heavy investments in transmission and renewables, as well as action on its remaining coal plants in the state, and likely looking similar to its plans in Minnesota.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 29, 2021

'No compelling reason not to': Former FERC chairs, commissioners call for federal transmission overhaul

Nine former commissioners and chairs agree that now is the time for federal regulators to tackle interregional grid planning, following the release of a report.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 28, 2021