'Unacceptable:' Texas market reforms will not be quick, electric grid operator tells dissatisfied regulators

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas may need two years to implement some market reforms, citing staffing shortages and the complexity of designing new market products.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 18, 2022

The best no-regrets investment for electric utilities in 2022

Think you know the best investment for utilities this year? Let's compare.

Jan. 10, 2022

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

Duke, SCE, other grid modernization proposals faced big cost questions, more regulator scrutiny in 2021

Regulators facing new climate and reliability urgencies and nearly 500 grid modernization proposals are more often favoring phased advances toward a smarter system.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 4, 2022

DOE announces technical assistance for 21 states on grid modernization, energy transition challenges

The modeling and research program follows other assistance for customers and small businesses that the U.S. Department of Energy announced this month.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 23, 2021

North American Energy Standards Board to tackle gas-electric coordination in 2022

The industry forum wants to improve coordination between natural gas and electricity markets following disruptions in Texas during Winter Storm Uri.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 15, 2021

ISO New England can meet winter power demand 'if the weather is mild,' grid operator warns

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting a mild New England winter this year, and grid officials are hoping that holds true.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 13, 2021

California OKs 'bridge' measures to bolster grid against potential extreme circumstances in 2022, 2023

The decisions instruct the state's three investor-owned utilities to collectively procure between 2 GW and 3 GW of additional demand and supply-side resources, among other recommendations.

By Kavya Balaraman • Dec. 6, 2021

A month after 'malicious' cyberattack, a small Colorado utility still doesn't have all systems back online

Delta-Montrose Electric Association is still working to restore its payment and billing systems. Security experts say the recovery time points to a need for better backups.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 6, 2021

Wildfires equal Devastation… How can we avoid or reduce the impacts?

A wildfire mitigation solution that presents a multi-purpose, multi-value wildfire mitigation and public safety protection solution, via a cost-effective monitoring network that overarches our communities.

Dec. 6, 2021

Trends to watch in energy storage in 2022

By the end of 2030, the energy storage industry will break the 1 terawatt (TW) threshold. Wärtsilä's Vice President of Energy Storage and Optimization, Andrew Tang shares his thoughts on the trends we'll see unfold as a result.

By Andrew Tang, Vice President, Energy Storage and Optimization • Dec. 6, 2021

Extreme weather, low hydro and fuel shortages could threaten grid in multiple regions this winter: NERC

Power plants are struggling to obtain coal and gas supplies are low, said officials. The winter assessment recommended utilities review non-firm customer inventories and rolling blackout procedures.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 19, 2021

Changing climate and electricity mix renew region-wide power market ambitions for the 'Wild West'

Replacing today's "inflexible" dispatch in 11 Western states with an RTO's optimized operations and avoided capacity costs could deliver up to $1.3 billion in annual benefits, according to a DOE-funded study.

By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 15, 2021

A year after SolarWinds, third-party risk still threatens the software supply chain

The federal government and private sector, including power companies, are collaborating to shore up supply chain vulnerabilities.

By David Jones • Nov. 12, 2021

Texas blackouts prompt New York ISO to consider 'once in a century' winter events

Extreme weather and widespread blackouts in Texas and the Southwest last winter have changed the way grid operators consider capacity risks, say experts.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 10, 2021

Southeast utilities confront extreme weather, new peak demand patterns to avoid Texas-style blackouts

The Texas storm was a reminder for utilities in the region, which are more familiar with summer peaking events, that extreme weather is now a year-round concern.

By Jason Plautz • Nov. 8, 2021

Biden signs $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill with funding for EVs, transmission, hydrogen

Biden also created a task force to be run by former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu to help coordinate the spending.

By Ethan Howland • Updated Nov. 16, 2021

Duke Energy eyes offshore wind, advanced nuclear, to meet NC decarbonization goals

Duke Energy CEO Lynn Good told analysts Thursday the company is exploring an array of options to meet North Carolina's new decarbonization goals.

By Scott Van Voorhis • Nov. 8, 2021

'Imagine the unimaginable': How the Pacific Northwest is trying to build a reliable grid in a changing climate

Utilities and regulators are contending with changing temperatures, shifting demand patterns and a rapidly transitioning electric system.

By Kavya Balaraman • Nov. 8, 2021

Infrastructure bill allots billions to enhance grid's cyber defenses, creates new authority for Homeland Security

Neither the private sector nor the federal government alone can defend the nation's power grid from hackers, said U.S. Department of Energy Deputy Secretary David Turk. "Extreme partnerships" will be required.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 8, 2021

California increases gas storage capacity at Aliso Canyon amid concerns over winter reliability

"Like many decisions, this is not one that I had hoped or planned for — but it is one that we must take," CPUC Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves said. 

By Kavya Balaraman • Nov. 5, 2021

California proposes demand response, other measures to shore up summer grid reliability

The Public Utilities Commission is also proposing that the state's utilities collectively procure between 2,000 MW and 3,000 MW of new resources.

By Kavya Balaraman • Nov. 2, 2021

Develop a resilient utility supply chain program

Manage evolving threat vectors across your diverse vendor ecosystem by iterating and supporting your team and vendors.

By David Chaddock, Director, Cybersecurity, West Monroe & Sean Murphy, Manager, Energy & Utilities, West Monroe • Nov. 1, 2021

APS vows legal action after Arizona regulators deny cost recovery for $215.5M coal plant upgrades

Regulators approved the utility’s first rate decrease since 1996, while voting against full cost recovery for APS' investment in upgrades to a coal plant being closed earlier than initially planned.

By Scott Van Voorhis • Updated Nov. 3, 2021

Sophisticated hackers could crash the US power grid, but money, not sabotage, is their focus

For now, the capability remains in the hands of nation-state actors. But "sophistication can ultimately be bought," Edison Electric Institute Vice President for Security and Preparedness Scott Aaronson said.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 28, 2021

FERC's Glick urges power plant owners to line up fuel supplies as gas prices soar

Rising liquefied natural gas exports are helping drive up natural gas prices, posing a risk in New England markets, FERC said Thursday in a report.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 22, 2021