CPUC puts PG&E electric vehicle charging program on hold

The commission will hold more hearings to determine the impact of utility EV charging investments on private charger builders and customers without electric cars.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 29, 2015

Exelon in talks with DC mayor on merger settlement

The city, which in August rejected the Pepco-Exelon merger, confirmed it is involved in "substantive discussions" with both companies that could lead to a settlement and new application.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 29, 2015

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 Stories from Utility Dive

Power demand is rising amid dramatic shifts in federal energy policy, but technology and markets continue to push the grid toward cleaner, more distributed resources. 

By Utility Dive staff

CPS Energy tackles the cost shift by building solar on its own terms

San Antonio muni CPS Energy has designed a utility solar program it believes is a winner for the customer, the installer and the utility – and will work for IOUs, too.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 29, 2015

How storage will shape the future of concentrated solar power

CSP may not be the hottest topic in the solar or storage sectors, but its backers point out that it offers large scale renewable generation that is in many cases fully dispatchable.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 29, 2015

Newly-opened NJ offshore wind tract could yield 3,400 MW of capacity

The federal government has opened nearly 350,000 acres of ocean off the coast of New Jersey to wind development in a bid to meet President Obama's clean energy goals.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 28, 2015

Entergy brings Mississippi's first utility solar pilot project online

The 500 kW arrays will allow the utility to test solar economics and feasibility.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 25, 2015

TECO shareholders file suit over $10.4B sale price

The lawsuit alleges the deal greatly favors Emera and leaves TECO investors with too little return.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 24, 2015

As solar cap looms, installers ask CA regulators for interim metering measures

Companies in San Diego Gas & Electric territory say business could soon come to a standstill as the region approaches its net metering cap. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 23, 2015

Negative RECs for community solar: Market failure or utility opportunity?

Bidding has driven prices for Renewable Energy Credits for community solar projects into negative territory in Colorado, and installers say that constrains their ability to serve all customers.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 23, 2015

What's TECO's coal business worth? Possibly $0.

TECO Energy has closed on the sale of its coal mining subsidiary, and the sales agreement included no up-front payment.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 23, 2015

Lincoln, Neb. muni approves $2.25 fixed charge increase

Lincoln Electric System wants to shift recovery of fixed costs for grid maintenance and upgrades to the fixed charge portion of the residential customer bill over the next eight to ten years.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 22, 2015

Portland General Electric could join CAISO Energy Imbalance Market

PGE reportedly turned away from the Northwest Power Pool to take advantage of millions in savings being realized by the imbalance market.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 22, 2015

Updated: Tesla Gigafactory will cut battery costs 50%, analyst says

Enhanced economies of scale will drive costs for both battery cells and packs down, a Jefferies analyst said. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Sept. 22, 2015

As deadline looms, Exelon supporters, opponents lobby DC mayor over Pepco merger

Regulators in the District of Columbia rejected Exelon's bid to acquire Pepco Holdings in August and now both sides of the case are pushing the mayor to weigh in. 

By Robert Walton • Sept. 21, 2015

Judge: Oncor sale to Hunt can move into next phase

A judge has determined that Energy Future Holdings can move ahead with the sale of Oncor as it tries to settle its $40 billion bankruptcy proceeding.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 21, 2015

NRG will separate renewable, fossil generation in major reorganization

Amid mounting pressure from shareholders, the power sector giant will form a new clean energy business and transfer wind assets to its yieldco.

By Gavin Bade • Sept. 18, 2015

Potential merger partners UIL, Iberdrola agree to clean up English Station coal plant

The state's attorney general had made the cleanup a condition of his support for the companies proposed merger. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Sept. 18, 2015

ConEd turns to batteries over diesel for portable power support

Consolidated Edison paired with lithium-ion battery developer Electrovaya for an 800 KWh storage system in place of portable diesel generation.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 18, 2015

SunPower: Keys to solar success are utility partners, being a 'good citizen of the grid'

The company's strong utility relationships have helped it grow in multiple solar sectors, an exec says.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 17, 2015

CA lawmakers send CPUC reform bills to Gov. Brown

The slate of bills aims to limit back-channel communications between regulators and the companies they oversee.

By Krysti Shallenberger • Sept. 17, 2015

IOU, co-op or muni? Experts debate the creation of public utilities

Debate over the NextEra-HEI merger has sparked a new campaign to form a public utility in Hawaii, but is that model superior to an IOU?

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 16, 2015

CPUC pushed to study solar-storage further after filing pegs value at $0.25/kWh

California is at risk of improperly valuing storage unless it opens a separate regulatory track on its value, an industry group says. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 15, 2015

SoCalEdison & SolarCity partner to study aggregated distributed resources

The pilot project will study 50 homes equipped with solar, storage, controllable thermostats, and smart inverters.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 14, 2015

SDG&E moves to transitional 3-tier rate structure this month

Investor-owned electricity provider also preps customers for move to 2 tiers in Spring 2016

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 14, 2015

Southern's renewables push continues with 151 MW wind buy

Southern Power, the company's unregulated power developer, now has more than 20 renewables projects on the books. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 11, 2015