China is top cyber threat to US utilities, other critical infrastructure: CISA

The agency now considers China the top nation-state threat, after a heavy emphasis on risks related to the Russia-Ukraine war.

By David Jones • Oct. 9, 2023

Skepticism persists around clean energy and grid reliability. Here’s how to fix that.

The imminent retirement of dozens of coal plants is prompting new questions about the ability of renewables and storage to provide essential reliability services.

By Sara Baldwin • Oct. 5, 2023

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

Grid operators oppose FERC conference on valuing reliability benefits of batteries, generators

Supporters of a conference on capacity accreditation approaches for grid resources include Southern California Edison, Advanced Energy United and the Colorado Public Utilities Commission chair.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 3, 2023

Utilities tackling time-of-use enrollment with new tactics

Time-of-use (TOU) rate plans are taking center stage as utilities look to improve grid resilience and customers seek more affordable and clean energy options.

Oct. 2, 2023

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

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

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

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

Unlocking 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

New 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 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