Grid Security & Reliability
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Record 13% of Eastern Interconnect capacity failed in Winter Storm Elliott: FERC, NERC
FERC commissioners called on Congress Thursday to name an agency for gas reliability oversight as commission and NERC staff issued cold-weather recommendations.
By Ethan Howland • Sept. 22, 2023 -
Deep Dive
Rising electrification requires a dramatic shift to integrated planning of DER, bulk resources: Xcel VP
Effective distribution system planning and merging analytic insights into comprehensive electricity planning both face barriers, analysts and stakeholders said.
By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 20, 2023 -
Explore the Trendline➔
GettyTrendlineCybersecurity of the Grid
While cyberthreats to the power sector are expanding, so are the tools to address them. But a key question remains — are companies doing what's needed to reduce the risk?
By Utility Dive staff -
Virginia SCC strikes down Dominion’s interconnection rules for distributed solar
An alliance of distributed solar developers and supporters argued Dominion Energy’s interconnection rules created unreasonable barriers to small-scale solar.
By Diana DiGangi • Sept. 19, 2023 -
Opinion
We’re asking the wrong question about EVs and grid resiliency
The U.S. has already passed the tipping point for mass electric vehicle adoption. Grid modernization must quickly follow, writes Chris Baker, the head of Enel X Way North America.
By Chris Baker • Sept. 19, 2023 -
stock.adobe.com/Tierney
Sponsored by ev.energyNew York’s utilities lead the way to net zero emissions
This week, international leaders from business and government converge in New York City for the 15th annual Climate Week NYC summit.
By Joseph Vellone, Head of North America, ev.energy • Sept. 18, 2023 -
istockphoto.com/lovelyday12
Sponsored by AmpacimonUnlocking grid potential: Paving the way for renewable energy
Unleash Grid Potential and Boost Renewables: PPL's $23 Million Savings Story with DLR and AAR Technologies Revealed!
Sept. 18, 2023 -
White House mulls rating system to boost cybersecurity for critical infrastructure
The administration has been working with various cabinet agencies to bolster cybersecurity in water, rail, aviation, energy and other sectors.
By David Jones • Sept. 12, 2023 -
Honeywell strengthens smart meter cybersecurity with Quantinuum tech, randomized encryption keys
Facilities managers looking to implement this technology can designate a security administrator and proactively monitor security events, a Honeywell executive said.
By Nish Amarnath • Sept. 11, 2023 -
Patterson, Richard. Retrieved from Flickr.Opinion
Security by design’s shining moment: Cybersecurity for the energy transformation
Strategic imperatives for today’s DER ecosystem — vendors, operators, integrators and utilities — could introduce a more secure and resilient grid tomorrow.
By Danielle Jablanski • Sept. 11, 2023 -
Opinion
The elusive ‘value of resilience’: Why every utility is asking for it and why it’s so hard to pin down
A cost-benefit analysis is crucial to most utility investment filings.Without the “value of resilience” metric, such analysis falls woefully short of giving regulators the insights to make a determination.
By Mishal Thadani • Sept. 7, 2023 -
DOE announces $125M in grid modernization, power resilience grants
Funding will go to nine states and five tribal nations for investments including battery backup systems, grid hardening and weatherization.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 6, 2023 -
Sponsored by Operant Networks
Cyber-Informed Engineering and Secure by Design for the energy industry
Cyber-Informed Engineering (CIE) and Secure by Design (SbD) are related concepts, but they have distinctive approaches and methodologies.
Sept. 5, 2023 -
Sponsored by Invinity Energy Systems
How flexibility redefines utility battery investment strategies
With renewable penetration and electrification on the rise, flexible assets that can adapt and shift duty cycles are getting utilities’ – and the DOE’s – attention.
By Matt Harper, Chief Commercial Officer, Invinity Energy Systems • Sept. 5, 2023 -
Opinion
Amid record heat, CAISO’s day-ahead market is proving the value of a regional grid
Establishing the Extended Day-Ahead Market is a significant milestone, but we need to get to a true regional grid, a Western Regional Transmission Organization, to achieve maximum benefits.
By Mona Tierney-Lloyd and Jack Wadleigh • Aug. 30, 2023 -
American Clean Power asks FERC to hold conference on capacity accreditation
Improving the patchwork approach to measuring the reliability value of power plants, energy storage and other resources would bolster the grid, according to the trade group.
By Ethan Howland • Aug. 25, 2023 -
NARUC, NASEO issue microgrid policy framework to assist regulators
Microgrids’ ability to provide energy resilience raises policy questions “particularly with regard to cost allocation,” say state regulators and energy officials.
By Robert Walton • Aug. 23, 2023 -
NERC assessment identifies new risk to grid reliability: energy policy
Grid transformation, extreme weather events, security and critical infrastructure interdependencies are also areas of risk, according to the North American Electric Reliability Corp.
By Robert Walton • Aug. 23, 2023 -
Opinion
Buried treasure: Building the business case for undergrounding
Given the costs associated with storm-related outages, the question isn’t can we afford to underground more power lines but rather, can we afford not to?
By Chris Watts • Aug. 21, 2023 -
Texas grid weathers steamy week, 2 calls for conservation, as experts urge more efficiency investment
Efficiency advocates say Texas continues to underinvest in demand-side solutions that could help to reduce grid stress and lower monthly power bills.
By Robert Walton • Aug. 21, 2023 -
istockphoto.com/cokada
Sponsored by KrakenThe IT iceberg: Hidden challenges to realizing the energy transition lurking beneath the surface
Utilities have ambitious clean energy goals, but existing IT infrastructure threatens to curtail progress — here’s how they can make moves.
By Rajiv Shah, Head of US Policy and Markets, Octopus Energy Group • Aug. 21, 2023 -
DOE lab develops new models to address inverter faults, avoid grid disruptions
Electromagnetic transient domain analysis may be key to stopping inverter-based resources from tripping offline or reducing output in response to grid events, according to research from Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
By Robert Walton • Aug. 18, 2023 -
Sponsored by Questline Digital
How utilities are improving residential customer satisfaction
Energy providers ranked highest in customer satisfaction share the best practices behind their success.
Aug. 14, 2023 -
Deep Dive
A community solar boom will test Xcel, other utility plans against developer, customer needs: analysts
New state and federal funding and initiatives for community solar can bring equity and system reliability to the emerging energy transition, analysts say.
By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 10, 2023 -
EPRI launches initiative to ready grid for increased EV loads, joined by Amazon, Xcel, ConEd
“Utilities are going to need, in some cases, two to four years of heads-up time to react and to do planning,” said EPRI Director of Transportation Britta Gross.
By Diana DiGangi • Aug. 8, 2023 -
Sponsored by Burns & McDonnell
Helical piles improve cost, schedule and durability of substantial industrial projects
Helical piles have secured their spot as one of the most resilient, cost-effective foundation choices.
Aug. 7, 2023