NERC issues 3-year plan for setting reliability standards for wind, solar, storage

The plan responds to a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission order driven by concerns about inverter-based resources tripping offline. The new reliability standards are scheduled to take effect by the end of the decade.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 23, 2024

Composite poles vs. alternatives in the face of natural disasters

Composite utility poles have been shown to be highly resilient in ice storms, freezing rain, hurricanes and wildfires.

Jan. 22, 2024

Explore the Trendline➔

Reliability

Rising peak demand, extreme weather and other factors are raising power outage risks in the U.S., but FERC and other stakeholders are pursuing multiple actions to address reliability concerns.

By Utility Dive staff

Greater visibility for accurate load management: How real-time monitoring improves grid resiliency

With wildfires and heatwaves sweeping across the globe over the last year, the need for decarbonization is starker than ever.

Jan. 22, 2024

How distribution circuit coverings protect against wildfires

Necessary investments to prevent grid-ignited wildfires are not keeping pace with the rising risk.

Jan. 22, 2024

DOE offers $30M to improve cybersecurity for virtual power plants, distributed resources, cloud solutions

The funds will help ensure “the next-generation clean energy infrastructure is built with cybersecurity in mind,” said Puesh Kumar, head of DOE’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 18, 2024

Robot worms, lasers, drones and AI: How ARPA-E wants to move the US power grid underground

The U.S. Department of Energy on Tuesday announced $34 million in funding to explore novel approaches to undergrounding to increase resiliency.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 17, 2024

Texas grid holds firm through frigid temperatures, 3 demand records, 2 conservation calls

The Texas power grid is more resilient than it was in 2021, when Winter Storm Uri caused widespread blackouts and almost 250 deaths.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 17, 2024

Pioneering 565-MWh battery storage facility now online in Hawai’i, Plus Power says

"This is the first time a standalone battery site has provided grid-forming services at this scale," Mike Snyder, senior director, Tesla Megapack, said.

By Kavya Balaraman • Jan. 16, 2024

Improve your SAIDI and SAIFI scores by as much as 60%

In a time where utilities are facing increasing risks due to major weather events, utilities now have a tool to greatly improve their overall reliability numbers.

By Jonathan Wear, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, JST Power Equipment • Jan. 16, 2024

9 US power sector trends to watch in 2024

The U.S. march toward a decarbonized electric system will continue in 2024 as policymakers and others work to balance, climate, reliability, affordability and other goals.

By Robert Walton, Ethan Howland, Diana DiGangi, Larry Pearl, Kavya Balaraman and Emma Penrod • Jan. 10, 2024

500K East Coast outages persist after day of storms; grid braces for coming Arctic weather

“Next week we will see the coldest air of the season push in from Canada over much of the central and eastern U.S.,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert said.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 10, 2024

It’s time to get our mojo back

The energy industry used to symbolize innovation — how to tap into our ingenuity and look forward to 2024.

By Tyler Rogers, Head of Business Development – North America, Kraken • Jan. 8, 2024

DOE $70M grid security and resilience funding targets cybersecurity, wildfires, other risks

The funding in the All-Hazards Energy Resilience program will focus on innovative and unique solutions that are not “one size fits all,” the Department of Energy said.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 5, 2024

As reliability concerns with renewables rise, upgrading inverters is urgent, analysts say

The variable output of renewable energy resources requires “grid-forming” inverters to protect power system current flows, engineers and others agree.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 2, 2024

Good policy by grid operators can address reliability concerns with EPA’s power plant rule

There is an opportunity through the proposed rule to create more certainty around the timeline for the clean energy transition.

By Michelle Solomon • Dec. 21, 2023

Electric-gas coordination, planning vital to grid recovery after blackouts: FERC-NERC report

The electric and gas sectors should collaborate on a “blackstart system restoration plan” to bring the grid back online in the event of a system collapse, a new report concludes.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 21, 2023

Rising peak demand, 83 GW of planned retirements create blackout risks for most of US: NERC

"Overly rigid" environmental regulations and energy policies can jeopardize “the orderly transition of the resource mix,” the North American Electric Reliability Corp.’s 10-year reliability assessment warns.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 14, 2023

Achieving grid reliability with communicating fault circuit indicators

Research shows that overhead line sensors can reduce outage minutes by 20%-37%, saving utilities between $200k and $1m per minute and dramatically improving customer satisfaction.

By Brian Berry, Chief Product Officer, Ampacimon • Dec. 11, 2023

Investor-owned utilities facing physical climate risks should expand cost recovery options: S&P

Increased insurance levels, securitization and the development of disaster funds are all ways IOUs can mitigate the risks, according to S&P Global Ratings.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 8, 2023

Hawaii, 3 other states earn B microgrid grades. Most get Ds, per scorecard report.

With distributed resources flourishing, “there's a huge risk that we're leaving a lot of value on the table” by failing to coordinate them with microgrids, said Cameron Brooks, Think Microgrid executive director.

By Ethan Howland • Dec. 6, 2023

As US defense facilities face rising outage risks, regional transmission could help: ACORE panel

Conversations within the national security community conclude the U.S. power grid is not reliable, said Jonathon Monken, a principal at Converge Strategies.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 6, 2023

5.2 GW of solar resources at higher risk of tripping offline during grid disturbance: NERC

“Potential reliability gaps exist" when recommended practices are not implemented, said Ryan Quint, director of engineering and security integration at the North American Electric Reliability Corp.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 4, 2023

FERC rejects SPP winter resource adequacy proposal over lack of teeth

“Without an expected availability requirement for the winter season, there is a risk that capacity calculations could be inflated, giving a false impression of resource adequacy and grid resilience,” FERC said Thursday.

By Ethan Howland • Dec. 1, 2023

NARUC launches initiative to enhance gas-electric sector coordination, boost grid reliability

Electric generators are “more reliant than ever” on natural gas, and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners has launched a 15-month effort to improve coordination between the sectors.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 28, 2023

Integrated system planning — starting the journey

Decarbonization and clean energy commitments are driving ever-increasing complexity in utility infrastructure planning.

By Cristin Lyons and Stephen Haubrich • Nov. 27, 2023