Transmission tower destroyed by Ida likely to complicate power restoration in New Orleans, experts say

As Entergy scrambles to restore power in the Gulf region, the collapse of a major transmission tower could complicate matters, experts say.

By Scott Van Voorhis • Aug. 31, 2021

California utilities are tackling climate adaptation, other safety work amid stretched resources

"Something as simple as getting iPads to help our field teams do patrols is starting to be challenging," one utility executive told the California Public Utilities Commission at a meeting Wednesday. 

By Kavya Balaraman • Aug. 26, 2021

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

Biden administration expands cybersecurity initiative piloted by electric sector

At a cybersecurity summit with leaders from energy, finance, technology and other sectors, the administration also announced efforts to improve the security and integrity of industry supply chains.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 26, 2021

Historic drought slashes hydropower generation in California, other Western states

The decline in hydropower, and the scramble to replace it with other sources, is putting financial pressure on local utilities in Western states.

By Scott Van Voorhis • Aug. 24, 2021

California regulatory judge recommends more aggressive 2030 emissions target for power sector

The ruling also touches on broader reliability issues in the state, including Gov. Gavin Newsom's recent emergency proclamation and the potential for offshore wind development.

By Kavya Balaraman • Aug. 18, 2021

While bulk power system remains reliable, key metric suggests worrying trend, NERC finds

Operator-initiated load shedding in 2020 reached its highest point in the last five years, driven by extreme weather. NERC officials say that could turn into a trend, as the metric has already worsened this year.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 18, 2021

Utility regulators need to be a lot more proactive on climate resilience. Here's how they can start.

As the country grapples with accelerating consequences from extreme weather events, new regulatory frameworks are needed to guide utility investments for added resilience, the authors write.

By Maria Bocanegra and Mishal Thadani • Aug. 17, 2021

FERC's Chatterjee laments the politicization of grid resilience in wake of ERCOT, CAISO struggles

The commissioner said he worries his rhetoric that focused on potential plans to save ailing coal plants early in his tenure as chair may have fueled a partisan divide that equates resiliency issues with the use of certain fuels.

By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 12, 2021

California utilities, clean energy groups urge CPUC to move quickly following Newsom's emergency call

Streamlined interconnection processes, expedited contract approvals, and other measures would help bring projects online quickly over the next few years, stakeholders say. 

By Kavya Balaraman • Aug. 11, 2021

California's Aliso Canyon review could offer key lessons on transition from natural gas, analysts say

The state's consideration of whether to wean itself from one of its largest natural gas storage facilities could be a model, regardless of its success.

By Kavya Balaraman • Aug. 10, 2021

The US power sector is halfway to net zero emissions, but it gets harder now, analysts say

Renewables led the power sector's recent energy transition, but breakthroughs are needed to take the transportation, building and industrial sectors to net zero emissions by mid-century.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 4, 2021

Bipartisan $1 trillion Senate infrastructure bill focuses on transmission, nuclear, carbon capture

"While there is much to celebrate in this product of our bipartisan efforts, more work still needs to be done," Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., who leads the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, said Monday.

By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 3, 2021

California governor moves to free up electricity supply amid projected 3.5 GW summer shortfall

Gavin Newsom, D, is pushing regulators to expedite clean energy projects, but experts are skeptical that the state will be able to bring online more than a limited amount of additional clean energy this summer. 

By Kavya Balaraman • Aug. 3, 2021

Pipeline operators raise concerns over aggressive TSA cybersecurity directives

Many of the agency's directives are rooted in basic cybersecurity hygiene, not necessarily lengthy digital transformation efforts, the TSA administrator said. 

By Samantha Schwartz • July 30, 2021

Biden orders voluntary cybersecurity performance goals for electric utilities, other critical sectors

The president on Wednesday signed a national security memorandum that also expands and formally establishes a cross-sector Industrial Control System Cybersecurity Initiative, which was piloted by the electric sector.

By Robert Walton • July 29, 2021

House grills FERC about commission's regulatory authority on cybersecurity, pipeline climate impacts

"There's no doubt that ... the biggest threat facing the electric grid today is cybersecurity," FERC Chair Richard Glick said during a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 28, 2021

Berkshire Hathaway Energy 'not where we want to be' on cybersecurity, says executive

Assessment of risk and strategy depends on the technologies or services companies use for vulnerability alerts, according to energy executives during a Dragos webcast.

By Samantha Schwartz • July 27, 2021

Oregon utilities prepare for 2021 fire season with improved technologies, forecasting and PSPS protocols

“We don’t believe PSPSs are a long-term solution,” one utility representative said, but it will take time to find alternatives. 

By Kavya Balaraman • June 4, 2021

ESG issues weigh on utility credit ratings, particularly PG&E, Edison and FirstEnergy: Moody's

It's early in the energy transition, said Moody's analyst Jeffrey Cassella, but so far the firm has not identified any utility companies turning ESG concerns into net-positives.

By Robert Walton • June 3, 2021

The Texas Big Freeze: How a changing climate pushed the state's power grid to the brink

Energy Innovation explains what drove the extended Texas outages in February in a series on resiliency against extreme events.

By Dan Esposito and Eric Gimon • June 2, 2021

Local communities want to lead the fight for clean energy

Local governments want to step up and advance all-electric buildings because they know it's good for communities, public health, affordability, reliability and our planet, the author writes.

By Alejandra Mejia Cunningham • June 1, 2021

Record wildfire threats mean California must pick when and where to fight, utilities, analysts, CalFire agree

Utilities, public agencies and firefighters are preparing for the worst as the climate crisis-driven threat of deadly, destructive wildfires in California grows, but the biggest question remains unanswered.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 27, 2021

ClearGen, GreenStruxure announce $500M partnership on renewable microgrids

The microgrids serve industrial facilities, schools, hotels and other commercial facilities with a no-money-down offer, making on-site generation and storage a possibility for more businesses.

By Jason Plautz • May 25, 2021

A 'literal tinderbox': Oregon regulators brace for 2021 wildfire season with temporary utility rules

"[E]xtreme weather conditions — especially high wind — tests even the best built and maintained electrical systems,” Oregon PUC Commissioner Letha Tawney said at a meeting last week.

By Kavya Balaraman • May 24, 2021

CAISO 'cautiously optimistic' about summer 2021, but still sees causes for concern

"[T]here are remaining risks to reliability, such as an extreme prolonged heat wave affecting wide swaths of the West, or serious wildfires," CAISO President and CEO Elliot Mainzer said in a statement.

By Kavya Balaraman • May 13, 2021