Gov Northam signs clean energy bill in dramatic transition for Virginia amid dispute over customer costs

Virginia regulators put a high price on implementing the Clean Economy Act, which calls for 3.1 GW of storage by 2035, along with other measures. But supporters say some benefits could not be quantified.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Updated April 13, 2020

Blackstone buys NRStor subsidiary, as financial sector increasingly moves into energy storage

Battery storage is quickly becoming a more stable investment, particularly as demand for renewable energy grows.

By Matthew Bandyk • March 9, 2020

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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

GE sees hit to Q1 profit from coronavirus, return to positive cash flow for power business in 2021

The company called renewable energy "a key focus in 2020" as it works to reduce coronavirus impacts on its supply chain and continues multi-year turnaround efforts for its power segments.

By Larry Pearl • March 5, 2020

PG&E tells federal judge it can't commit to specific increases in tree-trimming workforce

The utility is also considering creating local operating regions for some everyday gas and electric functions, per PG&E Corp. President and CEO Bill Johnson.

By Kavya Balaraman • March 5, 2020

Florida signs off on FPL's 1.5 GW community solar program, despite lack of competition

NextEra subsidiary Florida Power & Light got unanimous approval for the largest solar subscription program in the nation.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 4, 2020

CenterPoint unveils CO2 emissions strategy omitting details on future of 1 GW of coal capacity

The Houston-based owner of electric and natural gas utilities plans to cut its operational emissions by 70% by 2035.

By Matthew Bandyk • March 4, 2020

Virginia legislature torn over keeping a Dominion coal plant running past 2030

The Senate and General Assembly are reconciling two versions of a clean energy package, including an amendment that would exempt a newer coal plant in Wise County from retiring in the next decade.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 3, 2020

Don't fall for utility talking points on coal ash pollution — it's dangerous and we need real solutions to clean it up

The failure of the U.S. EPA to classify coal ash as hazardous should not be used as an excuse to pretend it’s harmless. Instead, it should be remembered as the success of a massive utility lobbying complex, the authors write.

By Nelson Brooke​, Casi Callaway​, Justinn Overton​ and Stephen Stetson​ • March 2, 2020

Judge boosts PG&E penalty to more than $2.1B for role in 2017, 2018 fires

Groups opposed to an earlier, proposed settlement argued that if the case against PG&E were fully litigated, the penalties against the utility would be at least $750 million more than the initial $1.67 billion amount.

By Matthew Bandyk • March 2, 2020

Sempra CFO touts California's new 4-year general rate case cycle as company reports $2.1B earnings

The modified cycle allows utilities a longer revenue trajectory and the ability to plan for an extra year, Mike Florio, energy consultant and former commissioner at the CPUC told Utility Dive.

By Kavya Balaraman • Feb. 28, 2020

NiSource sells off controversial Massachusetts Columbia Gas assets for $1.1B to Eversource

The Massachusetts gas utility was in much need of rebranding, analysts say, as it emerged with a $143 million settlement for the 2018 Merrimack Valley explosions.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Feb. 28, 2020

With tax liability, nuclear refueling issues settled, FirstEnergy Solutions to exit bankruptcy

FES has reached an agreement that would allow 4,600 employees of the new company, Energy Harbor, to access FirstEnergy's IT systems during the refueling of the Davis-Besse nuclear plant.

By John Funk • Feb. 27, 2020

Consumers Energy talks tree-planting, carbon capture, innovation with net zero carbon 2040 target

The Michigan-based utility set a "first-in-the-nation" net zero emissions goal to make up for the emissions of two gas units that will remain open past 2040.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Feb. 26, 2020

American Electric Power 'feeds the beast' of earnings growth with more renewable capital projects

The former coal plant giant is looking for growth in renewable energy projects and expects all or some of its 1,485 MW North Central Wind project in Oklahoma, now in regulatory limbo, to move forward.

By Matthew Bandyk • Feb. 21, 2020

'It's not even close to perfect': Judge blasts PG&E vegetation management work

"I'm going to do everything I can to protect the people of the state of California from more death and destruction from this convicted felon," the judge overseeing Pacific Gas & Electric's probation said at a hearing Wednesday.

By Kavya Balaraman • Feb. 20, 2020

Entergy sees fast growth for electrification, renewable projects

Entergy plans to shore up customer projects in its regulated utility business while completing an exit from its merchant business, officials said during the company's fourth quarter earnings call on Feb. 19.

By Matthew Bandyk • Feb. 20, 2020

Slowed pay-off from billions in AMI investment puts the technology's future in doubt

Regulators have approved billions for utilities to roll out advanced metering infrastructure, but they expected new customer and system benefits, not just lower utility operation costs.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 20, 2020

PG&E Corp reports $7.7B loss in 2019 amid continuing wildfire risk

The company expects to exit bankruptcy by June 30, and has "resolved essentially every consequential issue within the Bankruptcy Court's jurisdiction," according to PG&E Corp. President and CEO Bill Johnson.

By Kavya Balaraman • Feb. 19, 2020

Exelon now sees potential criminal or civil penalties from Illinois investigations

The company is under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as the U.S. Attorney's Office in Northern Illinois for its lobbying activities in the state.

By Larry Pearl • Feb. 14, 2020

Why DTE Energy gets failing grades on its 15-year energy plan

Advocacy groups gave the utility an "F" for ensuring equitable access to clean energy benefits, according to Vote Solar's Midwest director.

By John Delurey • Feb. 13, 2020

FirstEnergy CEO says he's ready to help Ohio lawmakers deal with FERC's PJM MOPR ruling

Charles Jones told financial analysts during the company’s latest earnings call that Ohio’s state government is generally unhappy with the results of electric utility deregulation, including PJM’s market system.

By John Funk • Feb. 11, 2020

Court backs PG&E agreement ending tussle with bondholders as utility revamps reorganization plan

Now, the ad hoc noteholder committee will withdraw its competing proposal and back PG&E's plan to emerge from bankruptcy instead.

By Kavya Balaraman • Feb. 5, 2020

Judge approves PG&E Tubbs Fire settlements, while Newsom mulls state takeover

The utility is engaged in conversations with California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office and believes it can resolve his concerns, a PG&E attorney said on Wednesday.

By Kavya Balaraman • Jan. 30, 2020

Fueled by flexible PPAs, corporate clean energy purchases surged to 19.5 GW in 2019: BloombergNEF

Analysts say the flexibility of power purchase agreements combined with more aggressive company clean energy targets helped drive a 44% year-over-year increase in corporate renewables deals.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 29, 2020

Oncor, other Texas utilities aim to avoid enforcement power for proposed cybersecurity monitor

Oncor said regulators should delete from the proposed rule all provisions that would give the monitor authority to "require utilities to submit to assessments or respond to information requests."

By Robert Walton • Jan. 29, 2020