Thriving in a low carbon future: M&A and the new energy economy

"One particular trend we are witnessing in this sector is traditional oil and gas and utilities companies moving into new areas, principally renewable energy, electric vehicles and storage," the authors write.

By Mary Anne Sullivan, Sarah Shaw and Alex Harrison • May 29, 2019

Ohio House advances nuclear subsidy bill, ditching renewable components

Proponents of the bill, which would give nearly $190 million a year to FirstEnergy Solutions' nuclear plants, are working to ensure the Republican vote is locked down as the legislation approaches a vote on the House floor.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 24, 2019

Xcel, Boulder to settle lawsuit; City agrees to dissolve utility

Boulder officials say the settlement does not affect the city’s plan for voters to determine whether to create a municipal electric utility.

By Robert Walton • May 24, 2019

Eversource turns to non-wires solution in outage-plagued New Hampshire town

The project in Westmoreland includes a large-scale battery, energy efficiency efforts and a program to incentivize customer-owned distributed resources.

By Robert Walton • May 23, 2019

National Grid says no new NYC gas customers until state approves pipeline

New York regulators denied a permit last week, ruling the Williams Cos' pipeline that would relieve natural gas congestion in the New York City Area could harm aquatic life.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 22, 2019

Senators launch bipartisan initiative on long term solutions to expiring energy tax credits

Finance Committee task forces are expected to produce options by the end of June that can be enacted this year while clean energy advocates are pushing to also give storage access to tax credits.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 21, 2019

SCE rolls out $356M charging program to spur electric trucks, buses and other large vehicles

Southern California Edison's Charge Ready Transport program is aiming to install charging infrastructure at almost 900 commercial customer sites in the next five years, to support 8,490 electric vehicles.

By Robert Walton • May 21, 2019

NRG Energy advances retail expansion with $300M Stream Energy acquisition

The all-cash deal will add more than 600,000 residential customers to NRG's service and help the company grow market share in Texas, Pennsylvania and other areas.

By Robert Walton • May 21, 2019

Facebook to pay half of $85 million New Mexico transmission line under new order

State regulators rejected a request from Public Service of New Mexico to reconsider a decision denying ratemaking treatment for a transmission upgrade, which they say would only serve one customer.

By Robert Walton • May 20, 2019

PJM CEO Ott: Lowering storage durations in Order 841 response will displace demand response resources

The grid operator doesn't want to lower its 10-hour minimum storage duration requirement for capacity market participation at the risk of displacing demand response resources. 

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 16, 2019

Florida approves TECO solar energy tariff, increasing access to green energy

As TECO works to develop the largest percentage of solar power of any Florida utility, its customers will be able to subscribe for a $0.063 per kWh charge to access 17.5 MW of solar.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 15, 2019

Bankruptcies rack up in coal sector as past reserve investments catch up with industry

Cloud Peak Energy, which supplies almost 60 million tons of coal to utilities across the country, filed for bankruptcy Friday after being one of the last remaining coal companies in the country to have held on to its debt.

By Catherine Morehouse • May 14, 2019

Tech giants pressure Dominion for more storage, renewables, less gas in Virginia

The utility's latest IRP calls for new natural gas capacity due to the increased load expected from data centers, leading to complaints from Microsoft, Apple and other companies with green sustainability goals.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 14, 2019

Anbaric to flip Massachusetts coal plant site into offshore wind facility with 400 MW storage

The former Brayton plant site, symbolic of the transition from fossil fuels to renewables, will also have a 1,200 MW high-voltage direct current converter.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 14, 2019

How a public power utility forges the path to a digital future

The "shift of any utility, and especially NYPA, from a traditional utility to a digital utility, is shifting the mindset of folks who have been here many years," CIO Robert Piascik said.

By Samantha Schwartz • May 10, 2019

Duke CEO presses case against N.C. coal ash excavation order, S.C. rate ruling

Lynn Good highlighted a potential appeal of orders from South Carolina regulators due to disappointingly low coal ash recovery costs and return on equity percentages for Duke Energy's Progress and Carolinas subsidiaries.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 10, 2019

Florida's solar turnaround sparks concerns over limits on community projects

Many are asking how big this boom will get, but a better question may be how this growth will evolve as its impact sparks responses by utilities, solar developers and policymakers.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 9, 2019

California regulators dig into safety qualifications of new PG&E board

Amidst ongoing investigation into PG&E safety culture, regulators called on the embattled utility to provide detail into the safety experience of its new board members, including a new CEO and 10 new directors.

By Robert Walton • May 9, 2019

Moody's developing new system to score companies on carbon transition risk

The company's proposed framework would evaluate the need to comply with climate regulations and the cost required to decarbonize energy sources, among other factors, but would not produce new credit ratings.

By Robert Walton • May 9, 2019

South Carolina regulators slash Duke Energy Progress rate hikes, cut $333M coal ash recovery

The Public Service Commission adopted a similar motion reducing another Duke subsidiary's proposed rate hike by 54%, signaling the impact of stakeholders that rallied to oppose the increases.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 9, 2019

Three Mile Island to close after bailout bill stalls in Pennsylvania legislature

The plant gained international fame when a partial nuclear meltdown permanently shut down Unit 2 in 1979. Economic competition is now driving Unit 1 to close, despite 15 years left on its operating license.

By HJ Mai • May 9, 2019

EPA questions federal permit application of 1.2 GW hydro transmission line

Central Maine's environmental permit application for a proposed 145-mile project from Quebec to Massachusetts prevents stakeholders from having a full understanding of the project due to allegedly incomplete information, EPA wrote.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 8, 2019

ConEd eases customer DER adoption while gaining data to improve grid planning

Customers installing solar panels or an electric vehicle charger can get a free device that avoids the cost of upgrading the home's circuit panel and provides the utility with valuable energy usage data.

By Robert Walton • May 8, 2019

Tendril to acquire EnergySavvy, as utility customer engagement focus grows

The deal "creates a platform that unites all residential utility customer data, analytics and insights in one place," said EnergySavvy CEO Aaron Goldfeder.

By Robert Walton • May 7, 2019

The end of investment-grade utilities in California?

As California wildfires become increasingly frequent and severe, other electric utilities could follow PG&E into bankruptcy without regulatory reform, according to S&P Global Ratings' director.

By Gabe Grosberg • May 6, 2019