How utilities are improving residential customer satisfaction

Energy providers ranked highest in customer satisfaction share the best practices behind their success.

Aug. 14, 2023

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

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

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

Hurricane Ian outage insights help utilities prepare before a storm

Utility outage solution tested during Hurricane Ian shows positive results for confident storm impact decisions.

Aug. 7, 2023

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

DOE makes $450M available for residential solar, battery systems in Puerto Rico

This summer, Puerto Rico experienced rolling blackouts 570 times more frequently than the North American average, according to the Department of Energy.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 1, 2023

Southern California Edison eyeing ‘substantial investments’ in grid resilience and reliability, CEO says

From 2025 through 2028, SCE projects annual capital deployment of around $8 billion — double what it was six years ago — with over 85% of its investments going into the distribution grid.

By Kavya Balaraman • July 31, 2023

Outage insights help utilities minimize financial impact before a storm hits

Machine learning data provides outage insights for more efficient real-time response planning.

July 31, 2023

TSA revises security directives for oil, gas pipelines to test resilience

The updated requirements come amid heightened threats and security incidents, including the recent attack against Suncor Energy in Canada.

By David Jones • July 27, 2023

Turning weather data into actionable information

Learn how DTN Storm Risk solutions optimize weather intelligence and machine learning to help utilities prepare for future weather impacts.

July 25, 2023

Everything talks to everything: Building resilience into the power grid

In the face of unprecedented distributed energy growth, building a dynamic and resilient grid will require key elements such as data management and a transmission buildout.

By Don Tappan • July 25, 2023

3 ways executives can stay ahead of their company’s wildfire risk

As temperatures are rising, energy companies across the United States are challenged with reducing wildfire risk and increasing their reliability as part of their on-going operations.

By Bryan Spear, CEO, Technosylva • July 24, 2023

It’s time to rethink grid reliability

While the grid shifts from a fossil fuel-heavy system to one that is powered by clean, carbon-free electricity generation, there are three questions we need to answer.

By Michelle Solomon • July 20, 2023

House panel discusses grid threats: China, Russia, inverter-based resources, physical attacks

Hackers have never caused a U.S. blackout, but there are nation-states that “possess the capability to disrupt critical infrastructure,” warned the head of the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center.

By Robert Walton • July 20, 2023

NYC could face up to 446 MW power deficit in 2025, due to electrification and peaker retirements: ISO

Completion of the Champlain Hudson Power Express transmission line, which will bring power to New York City from Quebec, is expected to improve reliability margins beginning in 2026.

By Robert Walton • July 19, 2023

With more big storms ahead, here’s how utilities can help close the resilience gap

Following multiple billion-dollar weather or climate disasters in the U.S. this year, electric utilities are bracing for further impact.

July 17, 2023

How augmented reality will transform the customer experience for utility companies

AR empowers utilities to engage customers on their own terms and optimize operations for enhanced efficiency.

July 10, 2023

Strengthening the power sector’s approach to climate risk

As U.S. braces for hurricane season and a warmer than average summer, resilience of the electric sector is top of mind.

By Morgan Scott, Director of Climate READi, EPRI • July 3, 2023

Dominion Energy, Virginia solar developers clash over small-scale project rules

A coalition of solar groups and developers argues that Dominion Energy’s interconnection rules have led to project delays and cancellations, while the utility says the rules are necessary to protect the grid.

By Diana DiGangi • June 29, 2023

Microgrids not just for resilience: new research from NARUC, NASEO highlights GHG reduction potential

Nuclear energy has not traditionally been seen as a microgrid resource, but microreactors “are likely to be deployed in the near term,” according to the report.

By Robert Walton • June 28, 2023

Conventional generation outages set a record in 2022: NERC

The performance of wind and solar resources must also improve, NERC said, particularly as they place “increased operational demands on the now smaller fleet of conventional generation.”

By Robert Walton • June 23, 2023

Four non-transmission solutions for clean energy with new power lines in the permitting ‘Valley of Death’

Smart technologies, storage, overbuilding and distributed resources can move the energy transition ahead until workable reforms bring new transmission online, stakeholders agreed

By Herman K. Trabish • June 21, 2023

Duke Energy changed security reviews of critical assets following December substation attacks

Information-sharing protocols between the public and private sector need to be improved, a North Carolina safety official told the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee.

By Robert Walton • June 20, 2023

DOE among federal agencies hit by possible Russian cyberattack

Vulnerabilities in file-sharing software known as MOVEit Transfer allowed hackers to access data at two Department of Energy entities, according to reports.

By Robert Walton • June 16, 2023

Power plants remain vulnerable to outages in extreme cold, despite warnings, FERC and NERC find

Most power plant outages during Winter Storm Elliott were caused by problems with freezing, fuel supply, and mechanical and electrical issues, echoing challenges from previous cold spells, FERC staff said Thursday.

By Ethan Howland • June 16, 2023