Xcel to accelerate Hayden coal plant closure as 3 other Colorado plants get reprieve

In November, the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission indicated it would accelerate the shutdowns, but subsequently expressed concerns about the "feasibility of the transitions if the closure dates are moved up."

By Robert Walton • Updated Jan. 5, 2021

FERC's Clements: 'Grave threat' of climate change will 'underlie my approach as a commissioner'

Regulators are obligated to ensure just and reasonable rates and avoid unfair discrimination, but the factors that influence those decisions "have become significantly more numerous and complex" over the past few decades, she said.

By Catherine Morehouse • Dec. 18, 2020

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

Rising renewables penetration is a threat to grid reliability in some regions, NERC concludes

Areas of Texas, California and the Midwest are most at risk as conventional generation continues to retire, according to the annual reliability assessment.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 18, 2020

APS's plan for closing coal plants could be a gamechanger, analysts say, but who will pay?

The company's current rate case includes $144.45 million for communities impacted by its proposed coal closures, the biggest-ever such U.S. utility commitment, but customers would pay over 80% of the plan.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 18, 2020

Pacific Northwest poised to test 100% renewables as utilities weigh gas vs. storage

The Northwest has perhaps the best starting point of any region in the country to go to 100% renewable energy, but a delicate balance between the costs of storage and the costs of natural gas may determine the feasibility of that goal.

By Matthew Bandyk • Dec. 17, 2020

Trio of New England decisions could help or hurt renewables as ISO-NE, NEPOOL face off at FERC

 Some clean energy advocates say one of the decisions could make it more difficult to develop energy storage pojects in the region.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 16, 2020

Utility interest in hydrogen 'beyond staggering': GE

"You may not see it publicly yet, but we've talked with customers, and privately they've shared to us that when they make their next filing, [hydrogen] will be part of their filing," GE executive Jeffrey Goldmeer said in an interview.

By Catherine Morehouse • Dec. 16, 2020

Duke won't foot its up to $9B coal ash cleanup bill, but shareholders could still absorb half, court rules

The court found the commission erred in its rejection of an "equitable sharing" proposal that would split the cost of cleanup between ratepayers and shareholders — and not allow the utility to profit from it.

By Catherine Morehouse • Dec. 15, 2020

South Carolina directs Dominion to model early coal fleet retirement, pre-2026 additions of solar and storage

State regulators ordered the utility to analyze early coal plant closures amid considerations to retrofit its Williams and Wateree plants, as well as adding demand side management and clean energy resources.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Updated Jan. 5, 2021

Duke, Dominion, Southern file SEEM proposal with state regulators, plan to file with FERC by end of year

The energy exchange proposal comes in the midst of proposals in North and South Carolina to open up the region to more competition.

By Catherine Morehouse • Dec. 11, 2020

Maryland, Illinois may pursue legislative MOPR exit, despite new FERC nearing

"We wish that a new FERC could just simply wave its wand and get rid of the MOPR," said Illinois' consumer advocate. But "we can't wait for a new FERC to solve the mess that the previous FERC created."

By Catherine Morehouse • Dec. 11, 2020

GE announces first US wind turbine blade recycling program with Veolia

The blades were the only part of the turbines not getting recycled, and will now be shredded to replace raw materials currently used for cement manufacturing, resulting in lower CO2 emissions.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Dec. 9, 2020

Utility regulators wake up to the long-term risks of gas

Regulators are open to changing the status quo and pushing for building electrification, writes Rocky Mountain Institute Principal Mike Henchen.

By Mike Henchen • Dec. 9, 2020

Regulator of the Year: Neil Chatterjee, FERC

It's hard to imagine an agency that has had more effect on the power sector this year than the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and it's impossible to divorce that impact from its now-former chairman: Neil Chatterjee.

By Utility Dive Team • Dec. 9, 2020

Executive of the Year: Ben Fowke, Xcel Energy

Fowke, who also chairs utility trade group Edison Electric Institute, has kept Xcel committed to a pathway for eliminating carbon emissions, stakeholders say.

By Utility Dive Team • Dec. 9, 2020

Utility of the Year: NextEra Energy

NextEra Energy is investing in green hydrogen, solar energy and grid resilience, even as the company's effort to expand via M&A have come up dry.

By Utility Dive Team • Dec. 9, 2020

The Utility Dive Awards for 2020

The winners exemplified leadership in a time of crisis by working toward economic means of transitioning the power sector.

By Utility Dive Team • Dec. 9, 2020

'Very small silver lining' of COVID-19? An extra 2.5 years to reduce power sector emissions: report

BloombergNEF's New Energy Outlook shows the gas sector will never fully recover from the economic downturn in 2020.  

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Dec. 8, 2020

Are utilities legally required to plan for climate change? 'The devil is in the details.'

Utilities could be on the hook for damages related to climate change, according to a new report from the Environmental Defense Fund. 

By Robert Walton • Dec. 8, 2020

Illinois rejects Ameren move to abandon full retail net metering for new home solar arrays

The Illinois Commerce Commission is giving Ameren 21 days to restore its net metering tariff and give rebates to customers who have installed solar since Oct. 2. 

By John Funk • Dec. 7, 2020

Court rejects Trump challenge of DTE agreement to retire 3 coal plants

After Sierra Club reached a settlement requiring a more stringent response to Clean Air Act violations from the utility, the Environmental Protection Agency accused the group of encroaching on its authority.

By Catherine Morehouse • Dec. 7, 2020

EPA proposes Texas be allowed to operate its own coal ash management program

If approved, Texas would be the third state to run or partially run its own permitting program for coal ash management, part of the Trump Administration's efforts to give states more leeway on environmental enforcement.

By Catherine Morehouse • Dec. 7, 2020

San Jose, Oakland join growing list of California cities to ban natural gas construction

These measures add to more than 40 California cities that have updated building electrification codes — yet a "controversial exemption" in San Jose could turn the tide.

By Kristin Musulin • Dec. 4, 2020

Vineyard says change to larger GE wind turbines doesn't require permit change

Vineyard Wind finished a technical review at the end of January, prompting the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to restart the permitting for its 800 MW project.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Updated Jan. 28, 2021

Taking Charge: Rep. Sean Casten on being the energy 'nerd' in Congress and prioritizing science over politics

"We have a PhD-level problem. And Congress is at a 6th grade reading level," Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., said of working on clean energy policy on Capitol Hill.

By Catherine Morehouse • Nov. 30, 2020