New York encourages electrification with new grid planning process, affordability pilot

“The rate at which consumers are electrifying buildings and vehicles has the potential to outpace the existing grid planning processes,” the New York Public Service Commission said.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 19, 2024

Artificial intelligence and workplace safety: A new era for the energy and utilities sector

AI’s potential to revolutionize safety standards in the energy and utilities workplace is significant, yet it presents its own set of challenges.

By Simar Grewal • Aug. 19, 2024

Explore the Trendline➔

AI in the Power Sector

Artificial intelligence is uniquely positioned to impact the electricity industry from both ends: as the technology driving large load demand growth and as a tool with the potential to make the power system more efficient. 

By Utility Dive staff

CenterPoint cannot cancel $800M lease for large mobile generators unused during Beryl

The utility should weigh its options, including subleasing the generators and renegotiating contracts, members of the Public Utility Commission of Texas said Thursday.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 16, 2024

Texas AG investigates CenterPoint storm response, possible ‘fraud, waste’

Hurricane Beryl left 2.3 million CenterPoint customers without power in July, spurring questions about the utility’s storm preparedness and restoration efforts.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 14, 2024

CrowdStrike snafu was a ‘dress rehearsal’ for critical infrastructure disruptions, CISA director says

Despite the disruption, Jen Easterly said the outage was a "useful exercise" to determine the resiliency of critical infrastructure organizations.

By Matt Kapko • Aug. 12, 2024

Electrifying the future: How landmark legislation and strategic collaboration are shaping the energy landscape

Recent years have seen the enactment of landmark legislation aimed at addressing the pressing issue of climate change.

Aug. 5, 2024

It’s time for a new approach to ensure utilities can get the data they need without driving up customer bills

A modern AMx framework can help utilities better balance meter infrastructure and affordability needs by enabling mixed-meter portfolios and improving cost-effectiveness.

By Essie Snell • Aug. 5, 2024

PJM capacity prices hit record highs, sending build signal to generators

Consumers across the PJM Interconnection footprint will pay $14.7 billion for capacity in the 2025-26 delivery year, up from $2.2 billion in the last auction.

By Ethan Howland • July 31, 2024

NREL tool lets utilities quantify potential monetary losses from cyberattacks

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory also published a report on runZero’s security platform, which can utilize active scanning techniques to reveal “hidden” risks in a utility system.

By Robert Walton • July 29, 2024

The crucial role of monitoring and testing solutions within power-dependent facilities

Explore the network of power assets charged with maintaining data center uptime.

July 29, 2024

Creating impactful workforce development programs in the energy industry

Since 2006, the Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD) has conducted bi-annual surveys to explore trends in the energy workforce and support companies in the industry with strategic workforce planning initiatives.

By Matt Shait, Director and Emma Park, Senior Associate, ScottMadden • July 29, 2024

NERC wary of 100 GW in possible plant retirements and other takeaways from CEO Jim Robb

Interconnection queues, filled with renewables projects, outstrip existing capacity by a 2-to-1 margin while increasing generator retirements complicate reliability issues, Robb said Thursday at the WIRES conference.

By Robert Walton • July 26, 2024

Data centers can drive revenues for Dominion, Pinnacle West, Southern, but there are risks: Moody’s

Electric utilities looking to benefit from data center growth could face credit risks in the event new power demand does not materialize as expected, according to Moody’s Ratings.

By Robert Walton • July 23, 2024

NERC should lead development of new approach to resource adequacy assessments: report

Grid planning criteria must “evolve to reflect a new reality,” said Mark Lauby, senior vice president and chief engineer for the North American Electric Reliability Corp.

By Robert Walton • July 23, 2024

Innovative solutions emerge to reduce 2.5-TW US clean energy interconnection backlog

California’s project scoring criteria, the Texas connect and manage option and SPP’s work to link system planning with the interconnection process across its multistate region could speed the clean energy expansion.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 22, 2024

Forecasting the unprecedented

For a risk manager at an electric utility, it's crucial to recognize that the threat of catastrophic wildfires is pervasive and exists almost everywhere.

By Pavel Grechanuk, Senior Data Scientist, Technosylva • July 22, 2024

Bipartisan Senate bill proposes $12B for DOE’s AI work to spur energy breakthroughs, other advances

The FASST initiative will leverage the U.S. Department of Energy and its national laboratories to “build the world's most powerful integrated scientific AI systems,” agency officials said.

By Robert Walton • July 17, 2024

DOE to deploy over 3,000 solar + storage home systems in 2024 for most vulnerable Puerto Ricans

DOE’s Solar Access Program could incentivize installation of up to 30,000 home energy systems for low-income households facing frequent power outages and other challenges.

By Robert Walton • July 16, 2024

Projecting the effect of climate change on the future risk of hurricane-induced power outages

Advanced modeling is helping system planners dig into local climate threats and deploy a vast array of solutions that make the most sense in their footprint.

By EPRI & Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) • July 15, 2024

You can’t have an AI strategy without a data strategy

For AI to truly maximize outcomes for both customers and the business, a number of key tenets should be central to a utility’s AI strategy.

By Creighton Oyler • July 15, 2024

Energy, other critical infrastructure providers press for limits on cyber incident reporting rules

In a last-minute push, critical infrastructure stakeholders urged federal officials to give more flexibility on the detail required during the first 72 hours of covered cyber incidents.

By David Jones • July 9, 2024

Texas restoration efforts underway after Hurricane Beryl leaves 2.7M customers without power

CenterPoint expects to restore power to about 1 million customers by the end of Wednesday, leaving about another 1 million without electricity.

By Robert Walton • July 9, 2024

FERC issues transmission planning rule, plus 5 other first half agency highlights

Wholesale market reforms, private equity mergers and reliability during extremely cold weather were among the other key issues the commission tackled in the first six months of 2024.

By Ethan Howland • July 3, 2024

Supreme Court ruling on Chevron doctrine may upend future cybersecurity regulation

Experts expect new legal challenges against numerous agency cybersecurity requirements, including incident reporting mandates and rules governing critical infrastructure sectors.

By David Jones • July 3, 2024

Renewable energy, microgrids face growing cyber threats: FBI

The FBI’s recommendations to protect renewable resources from hackers are general best practices and should be paired with emerging security solutions, cyber experts said.

By Robert Walton • July 3, 2024