The rate cases are coming: How will utility customers react?

Strong customer opposition to current rate cases could leave utilities in the lurch when it comes to raising funds they need to make good on their promises to improve the safety and sustainability of their operations.

By Mark Spalinger • Nov. 9, 2023

Utilities likely to continue selling non-core assets amid $745B in planned spending: Moody’s

State regulators may push back on utility spending to protect customers from rising electric rates, according to Moody’s.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 9, 2023

Explore the Trendline➔

Sustainability

Companies are pursuing increasingly ambitous sustainability goals around clean energy, but integrating rising amounts of renewables, minimizing environmental impacts, and achieving carbon reduction targets can be challenging.

By Utility Dive staff

NuScale, UAMPS terminate small modular reactor project in Idaho

NuScale and the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems determined that the 462-MW project would likely not reach a sufficient subscription level to continue toward deployment.

By Larry Pearl • Nov. 9, 2023

Kentucky PSC partly approves PPL’s $2.1B plan to retire coal, add gas, solar and storage

The commission approved a 125 MW/500 MWh battery energy storage facility, which it said will give LG&E/KU insight into operating and integrating large-scale storage to meet customer demand.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 8, 2023

Duke, others leverage new IRA rules to finance clean energy, but cost, complexity are hurdles

New tax credit provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act could more than triple the $20 billion annual tax equity market that today finances clean energy in the U.S., if various challenges can be overcome.

By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 6, 2023

AEP aims to sell retail, distributed energy and solar operations by mid-2024

American Electric Power also plans to soon launch a sale process for its stakes in two transmission companies and make a decision on selling its share of Transource Energy, CEO Julie Sloat said.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 6, 2023

Arizona Public Service, Tucson Electric expect to add 20 GW of mainly renewables, storage by 2038

Arizona’s investor-owned utilities expect to exit coal-fired generation by 2032, according to resource plans filed Wednesday with state regulators.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 2, 2023

Apple, Nike and others back new clean energy project to decarbonize supply chains

The Clean Energy Procurement Academy, whose founding members also include Amazon, Meta and PepsiCo, aims to boost clean energy procurement and curb emissions.

By Zoya Mirza • Nov. 2, 2023

PSEG expects utility capital spend to hit record $3.7B in 2023: CEO LaRossa

A 10-year, up to $15/MWh federal production tax credit for nuclear power will help PSEG avoid issuing new equity or selling assets to fund its five-year capital investment program, CEO Ralph LaRossa said.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 1, 2023

Fitch downgrades Eversource outlook to ‘negative’ on uncertainty around offshore wind sales

“Failure to complete the sale in a timely manner would pressure Eversource's already weak financial profile, resulting in a ratings downgrade,” Fitch Ratings said Monday.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 31, 2023

PJM selects $372M in FirstEnergy transmission projects, reflecting ‘significant’ power line buildout

FirstEnergy expects to spend $1.8 billion this year on transmission projects eligible for formula rates, which the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission reviews without the scrutiny of a rate case.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 30, 2023

CPUC proposals for PG&E revenues insufficient for necessary safety work: CEO Poppe

A ratepayer advocate stressed, however, that utilities can’t have a blank check approach to safety.

By Kavya Balaraman • Oct. 27, 2023

Jury orders Xcel to pay Colorado co-op $26.5M for extended outages at Comanche 3 coal plant

“This verdict will at least partly compensate CORE for damages caused by the systemic failures of Xcel,” said CORE Electric Cooperative CEO Jeff Baudier.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 27, 2023

Microsoft leans on renewable energy PPAs, energy efficiency in environmental efforts

“Ensuring our buildings are energy efficient is a key first step in reducing emissions,” the tech giant said in its 2022 Environmental Report.

By Joe Burns • Oct. 25, 2023

FERC approves NiSource plan to sell NIPSCO stake to private-equity firm Blackstone

FERC Commissioner Mark Christie called for tighter M&A reviews, saying there is an “inherent tension” between profit-seeking investment firms and utilities with the duty to provide reliable power at just and reasonable rates.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 20, 2023

How Google is decarbonizing its facilities

Smart temperature and lighting controls, power purchase agreements and building electrification are all being used by the tech giant to reduce scope 2 emissions.

By Joe Burns • Oct. 17, 2023

FERC extends review of Vistra-Energy Harbor merger, delaying $6.3B deal’s potential close

The half-year extension announced Friday comes as the PJM Interconnection’s market monitor and others continue to raise concerns the deal would give Vistra the ability to unfairly influence power prices.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 16, 2023

New York PSC approves big rate increases, $5.2B investments for Avangrid utilities

Customers of New York State Electric & Gas will see monthly bills increase more than $30 over three years. Average RG&E residential electric bills will rise more than $19 over three years.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 13, 2023

2024 US power sector conferences to watch

Start planning for this year’s events, which will cover the clean energy transition, state and federal energy policy and more.

By Larry Pearl • Updated Feb. 16, 2024

New BlackRock fund targets companies transitioning to net zero emissions

The asset management firm has shifted resources to climate-specific funds after the SEC moved to increase accountability on ESG funds.

By Lamar Johnson • Oct. 10, 2023

Bank of America upgrades Xcel Energy to ‘buy’ on strength of Colorado resource plan

Xcel’s plan to double its renewable resources in Colorado lays the foundation “for an upward inflection in rate base growth to the end of the decade,” said analysts at Bank of America.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 10, 2023

Going digital: Transforming experiences for utility customers, employers and employees alike

How transitioning to an agile, cloud-based operating system can benefit not only end-use customers, but can transform business operations internally.

By Jon Paull, Chief Customer and Operating Officer, Octopus Energy Group • Oct. 9, 2023

BP deploys first Archaea modular renewable natural gas plant at Rumpke landfill

BP hopes the modular design will help Archaea rapidly deploy its renewable natural gas technology at additional landfills.

By Jacob Wallace • Oct. 5, 2023

An optimal clean energy procurement strategy? Google and others are working on it.

Carbon-matching, 24/7 hourly purchases and standardized power purchase agreements are emerging approaches as the corporate green energy market evolves.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 3, 2023

Hawaiian Electric CEO defends Maui wildfire decisions at House hearing

The utility’s protocols did not include de-energizing power lines during high-fire-risk conditions, Hawaiian Electric President and CEO Shelee Kimura told lawmakers.

By Kavya Balaraman • Sept. 29, 2023