Market Monitor: 3 GW nukes, 12 GW coal uneconomic in PJM

The only nuclear plants receiving market signals to retire are one-unit generators, Monitoring Analytics said, and the only one to recieve a state subsidy "did not need" it.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 15, 2019

PG&E cleared of criminal charges in 8 2017 blazes as fire officials say SCE sparked Thomas Fire

As California utilities reckon with the devastating wildfires from 2017, PG&E still faces civil lawsuits regarding the incidents, although most proceedings have been paused by their declaration of Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Updated March 14, 2019

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

Independent developer proposes $2.5B underground transmission line, to bring Iowa wind to PJM, MISO

The project seeks to connect two of the largest electricity markets in the country to an Iowa wind farm and achieve greater cost reductions by experimenting with new forms of construction for the first-of-its-kind project.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 13, 2019

Insurer Munich Re offers 10-year warranty on battery storage performance

The company backed the flow battery developed by ESS with a decade-long performance guarantee, a first in energy storage technologies.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Updated March 13, 2019

Pennsylvania lawmaker: State crafted nuke subsidy bill after DOE said not to wait for bailout

The new bill to provide financial support to the state's nine nuclear plants is part of a trend of states taking the lead on premature retirements in the face of inaction from the federal government. 

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 12, 2019

Hungry for green power, tech giants choose between utilities, independent developers

Utilities increasingly supply 100% renewable energy to large customers, raising questions about why they don't purchase more wind and solar for their entire consumer base. 

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 12, 2019

Dominion faces March 15 deadline to secure utility contracts for Millstone nuke

The plant owner has been negotiating with Eversource and United Illuminating to secure higher priced power purchase agreements, according to local news reports. 

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 8, 2019

ISO-NE forecasts transition to distributed, renewable generation

The grid operator released its 2019 Regional Electricity Outlook last week, listing natural gas plants as the only new conventional generation resource expected online between 2018 and 2020.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 7, 2019

Judge scales back PG&E wildfire safety plan in new proposed order

PG&E would follow its wildfire mitigation plan under a new order from Judge William Alsup, but would not have to comply with an extensive Jan. 9 proposed order it estimated could cost $150 billion.

By Gavin Bade • March 7, 2019

Efficiency leads 2019 energy job growth prospects

Energy efficiency employers project a 7.8% growth rate for jobs this year, more than double the increase last year, in what the latest U.S. Energy and Employment Report deemed the "toughest hiring climate."

By Robert Walton • March 7, 2019

ERCOT sees increased chance for emergency capacity with record demand forecast this summer

The grid operator's preliminary summer analysis of extreme scenarios indicates ERCOT may need to issue energy alerts, but does not expect to use rolling brownouts.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 6, 2019

AEP launches electric utility tech accelerator to identify 'compelling' startups

American Electric Power's initiative with innovation specialist L Marks will be a 10-week bootcamp-style energy summit focused on accelerating the development of grid solutions.

By Robert Walton • March 5, 2019

GM, Ford to fully power Michigan facilities with local wind from DTE Energy

Ford was the first to announce involvement with DTE Energy's new tariff, approved by regulators in January, to serve large customers through the utility's renewable energy offerings.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 4, 2019

PG&E says its equipment probably sparked deadly Camp Fire last year

The company announced a $10.5 billion pre-tax charge Thursday related to third-party claims from the 2018 fire, and said its total potential wildfire liabilities could exceed more than $30 billion.

By Robert Walton • March 1, 2019

Edison takes $1.8B charge for California wildfires, despite no new liability determination

Utility officials say the number of claims that are being filed and the potential for litigation led them to conclude Southern California Edison faces "a potential material liability."

By Robert Walton • March 1, 2019

Newly-elected Arizona commissioner prepares to subpoena APS over political spending

Arizona Corporation Commissioner Sandra Kennedy is acting on a 2018 campaign promise to require Arizona Public Service and its parent company, Pinnacle West Capital, to disclose several years of political spending.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 28, 2019

California regulators tee up changes to utility distributed storage programs

A proposed decision from an Administrative Law Judge would direct utilities to allow independently owned projects to compete with utility-owned proposals when procuring distributed storage.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 28, 2019

PG&E disputes allegations it deferred maintenance on transmission line tied to deadly Camp Fire

"We disagree with the overall premise of the Wall Street Journal article," the utility said in a statement responding to the publication's coverage.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 28, 2019

California's review of wildfire mitigation plans will be a sprint

The California Public Utilities Commission wants to approve utility wildfire mitigation plans in May — a short time frame for such a proceeding, according to the presiding judge.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 27, 2019

TVA staff sees no need to add solar capacity until 2023

"There was a strategy in the draft IRP to promote efficient load shape and it emphasized energy efficiency, demand response, electrification and storage," said Jane Elliott, part of TVA's enterprise planning group.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Feb. 27, 2019

Designing Liberty Utilities' New Hampshire residential storage program

A closer look at the decision to pair distributed energy storage with time-of-use rates.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Feb. 25, 2019

Enabling storage integration through market-driven procurements

Early renewables procurements that reverse traditional auctions with one utility buyer and multiple renewables-plus-storage sellers have lowered storage costs and grown capacity.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 25, 2019

Alabama Power says federal regulations forcing it to close century-old coal plant

The utility said it could cost $300 million to comply with new environmental mandates to continue operating Gorgas' three coal-fired generating units — money it is not willing to spend.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 25, 2019

Split apart PG&E? The utility is open to it, but warns rates would likely rise

Splitting the bankrupt utility's natural gas and electricity businesses could bring safety improvements, PG&E officials said, but could also increase costs by duplicating services.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 21, 2019

PJM to ask FERC to invalidate its energy market rules after stakeholder impasse

The grid operator's controversial five-point proposal includes changes that will boost the real-time and day-ahead markets by allowing larger, less flexible units to set prices.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 15, 2019