Evergy, Avista, Portland General Electric earnings poised to jump on hotter Q3, says Bank of America

Black Hills, Idacorp, Oklahoma Gas & Electric and CenterPoint could also benefit financially from the summer’s sizzling temperatures, BofA Global Research said Monday.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 11, 2022

AES Ohio outlook turns negative on weak financial performance, uncertain regulatory support: Moody’s

The negative outlook reflects “persistently weak” financial performance and heightened uncertainty around the utility's relationship with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, the ratings agency said Friday.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 10, 2022

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

Utilities trying new strategies to boost dynamic pricing enrollments

How utilities are boosting enrollment in alternative rate plans with customer outreach and education.

Oct. 10, 2022

AEP eyes sale of competitive retail business in PJM as company focuses on regulated wires, renewables

American Electric Power expects to dedicate 65% of its $40 billion in capital expenditures over the next five years toward transmission and distribution, company officials said Tuesday.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 5, 2022

Consolidated Edison sells renewable energy businesses to Germany’s RWE for $6.8B

The deal allows Consolidated Edison, the electricity provider in New York City, to “sharply focus on our core utility businesses” and the state’s energy transition, company officials said.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 3, 2022

NYC official urges BlackRock to clear up ‘alarming’ ESG ambiguity

The city's comptroller asked the asset manager to publish a plan that clarifies its net-zero emissions pledge, including concrete steps and a timeline. BlackRock’s ESG stance has also drawn fire from fossil-fuel advocates.

By Dan Ennis • Sept. 27, 2022

The maxim of the SEC’s climate rule: What you don’t know can hurt you

The standardized disclosures of climate risks will effectively lay bare companies’ readiness to transition to low-carbon operating models and the mounting physical hazards they face, the authors write.

By Bob Hinkle and Lisa Jacobson • Sept. 22, 2022

Competitive Power Ventures set to build $3B, 1.8 GW natural gas plant with carbon capture in West Virginia

The project was enabled by expanded tax credits for alternative energy projects in the Inflation Reduction Act.

By Julie Strupp • Sept. 21, 2022

FirstEnergy CEO Strah retires suddenly as the company eyes asset sales

“It is unclear whether the Board [of Directors] will consider a full sale of the company at this time,” Morgan Stanley analysts said in a note Friday.

By Ethan Howland • Sept. 19, 2022

McDonald’s strikes 15-year solar energy deal with EDF Renewables North America

The partnership is expected to meet the electricity consumption needs of over 1,200 McDonald’s restaurants. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • Sept. 15, 2022

BP to acquire retail power and gas provider EDF Energy Services as it shifts into broader energy market

Under the agreement, BP will obtain EDF’s full retail operating capabilities while EDF integrates with other BP businesses that are focused on decarbonization, including BP Wind Energy, BP pulse and BP Launchpad.

By Brett Dworski • Sept. 14, 2022

BlackRock blasts Republican AGs’ ‘misconceptions’ on its ESG role

The asset manager doesn’t “dictate to companies what specific emission targets they should meet,” BlackRock’s head of external affairs wrote last week in a letter. Rather, it asks companies to disclose climate-related data.

By Dan Ennis • Sept. 12, 2022

PECO Energy agrees to $150K civil penalty, energy assistance payments, for improper 2018-19 disconnections

The issues stem from software updates at PECO Energy's customer call center. The utility has also agreed to contribute about $400,000 to a bill payment assistance fund.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 30, 2022

Court places Tampa Electric on probation, orders $500K fine for fatal 2017 coal furnace accident

The utility will serve 36 months probation and implement a safety compliance plan designed by an independent third party auditor, in addition to the fine.

By Emma Penrod • Aug. 29, 2022

Risk of cyberattack emerges as top concern of US executives

A PwC study shows cyber risk is a top concern among entire C-suite and corporate boards as companies are spending additional funds to boost resilience.

By David Jones • Aug. 24, 2022

What inflation – and the Inflation Reduction Act – mean for the clean energy sector

While inflation rates could pose challenges for clean energy projects, the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act could more than make up for those impacts, experts say. 

By Kavya Balaraman • Aug. 16, 2022

Ford unveils largest-ever renewable energy purchase from a US utility with 650-MW DTE Energy deal

The deal will allow every vehicle Ford builds in Michigan to be assembled with the equivalent of 100% carbon-free electricity 10 years earlier than its global goal, the company said.

By Larry Pearl • Aug. 11, 2022

Xcel Energy expects to build $1.2B in power line projects under MISO’s new $10.3B transmission plan

At $7.4 billion, transmission spending makes up the second-largest piece of Xcel’s 5-year capital expenditure plan.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 9, 2022

Dominion Energy mulls appeal of ‘untenable’ performance standard for $9.8B offshore wind project

Meanwhile, the utility has paused hooking up data centers in northern Virginia due to transmission constraints, company officials said Monday.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 8, 2022

Virginia regulators approve Dominion Energy’s 2.6-GW, $9.8B offshore wind farm

The project will be the largest wind farm in the U.S. and the first with diversity hiring requirements, the Sierra Club noted.

By Larry Pearl • Aug. 8, 2022

Duke Energy to consider selling its $4B, 5.1-GW commercial renewable energy arm, CEO Good says

Any earnings from the sale will be used to avoid high-interest debt as the company’s regulated utilities transition to clean energy, company leaders said Aug. 4.

By Emma Penrod • Aug. 5, 2022

Ford expands EV battery sourcing pool as supply concerns mount

The automaker is diversifying the mineral mix for batteries used in electric vehicles as it looks to ramp up production.

By Kate Magill • Aug. 5, 2022

GM secures supply agreements with LG Chem, 2 others to support goal of producing 1M EVs a year

The automaker’s sourcing agreements were announced as the industry scrambles to secure battery materials amid tight supply.

By Megan Ruggles • Aug. 5, 2022

Sunrun, SunPower gain as residential solar grows amid rising utility bills, reliability concerns: Morgan Stanley

Falling rooftop solar and microgrid prices could threaten utilities, according to Paul Patterson, a Glenrock Associates equity analyst.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 5, 2022

NRC authorizes Southern Nuclear to begin operation of Vogtle Unit 3

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s decision follows it issuing the first design certification for a small modular reactor and comes as Congress considers billions of dollars in financial incentives for existing nuclear plants.

By Larry Pearl • Aug. 4, 2022