NERC names WECC head Robb as new CEO

Robb's appointment comes after the high-profile resignation of NERC's last CEO following an office sex scandal and family violence arrest. 

By Gavin Bade • March 19, 2018

FERC moves to ensure utility tax savings get passed on to customers

The agency wants to build a body of work showing the impact of the tax overhaul bill passed into law last December.

By Krysti Shallenberger • March 15, 2018

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

FERC splits on climate review as it reissues Southeast Market Pipelines approval

A D.C. Circuit Court ruling had threatened to shut down the projects due to FERC's greenhouse gas accounting, but the Wednesday order ensures operations will continue.

By Gavin Bade • March 15, 2018

In the New South, customer demand is showing utilities the dollars and sense in solar

With load flat to declining, utilities in the Southeast are investing in almost no new generation but can't resist customer demand for renewables and the new solar economics.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 15, 2018

FPL's proposed nuke units unlikely 'in the foreseeable future,' Miami mayor says

The utility will continue with the permitting process, but cheap gas means the economics of an expansion don't make sense.

By Robert Walton • March 14, 2018

Younicos launches service to rent energy storage systems

The company’s “Energy-Storage-as-a-Service” is designed to meet immediate storage requirements while avoiding a long-term capital commitment.

By Peter Maloney • March 13, 2018

Federal appeals court hears arguments in New York nuclear subsidy case

New York regulators argued their nuclear subsidies do not step into federal wholesale market jurisdiction. 

By Gavin Bade • March 13, 2018

FPL adds 40 MWh battery to solar array, claiming largest combined system

Florida Power & Light says it will dispatch the battery at the 75 MW Babcock Ranch solar farm when the plant's output dips or in times of peak demand.  

By Robert Walton • March 12, 2018

New Orleans City Council approves Entergy's 128 MW gas peaker

A trio of lawyers indicated they will challenge the 4-1 vote to advance the controversial project, alleging opponents were denied access to the meeting.

By Robert Walton • March 12, 2018

Northern Pass dealt fresh setback as siting board delays rehearing decision

The New Hampshire Site Evaluation Committee is unlikely to decide whether to restart its review of Northern Pass before May, meaning Massachusetts could choose a different project to meet clean energy goals.

By Robert Walton • March 12, 2018

New TVA rate plan includes lower energy prices, grid access charge

The federally-owned utility says its proposed rate structure will "better align wholesale rates with the underlying costs" to serve its 154 local power companies. 

By Robert Walton • March 12, 2018

FERC chair discloses brain tumor, surgery, says he will continue work

Chairman Kevin McIntyre was diagnosed with a "relatively small" brain tumor last summer, he said in a statement, but received "successful surgery" and will continue to work full time. 

By Gavin Bade • March 12, 2018

PJM pushes plant payment reforms as RTOs file resilience comments at FERC

PJM wants federal regulators to set deadlines for changes to plant compensation, stoking concerns of a low-profile bailout for uneconomic generators.

By Gavin Bade • March 9, 2018

Energy sector condemns Trump steel, aluminum tariffs

The duties on imported metal commodities will raise prices for power sector infrastructure projects, trade groups said, and could derail Trump's "energy dominance" agenda.

By Peter Maloney • March 9, 2018

Sempra nabs Texas regulatory approval to buy Oncor

After numerous rejections, Oncor finally has a suitor that satisfies the state Public Utility Commission. Sempra hopes to close the sale this year. 

By Robert Walton • March 8, 2018

Are utilities missing out on the opportunity to use old coal sites for solar?

Two coal-to-solar projects show there can be benefits from taking on the costs of coal site remediation and repurposing – but it is a site-by-site question.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 8, 2018

GE aims to enhance solar, wind power performance with new storage platform

The company wants to make inroads into the utility-scale storage market with Reservoir, a modular, four-hour duration battery system.

By Peter Maloney • March 7, 2018

Utilities find groundwater contamination, radioactivity at unlined coal ash sites

The findings come as the Trump administration looks to roll back the Obama-era coal ash rule that compelled utilities to collect groundwater data.   

By Robert Walton • March 5, 2018

Bridging the knowledge gap with virtual and augmented reality

Digital reality can and should serve as a transitional lifeline of sorts for utilities to engage and optimize their new generation of workers. 

By Michael Hartnack • March 1, 2018

The 'stealth NOPR?' PJM CEO says market reforms are no bailout for coal

Some experts are concerned pending reforms in the nation’s largest electricity market could have similar results to a Trump administration subsidy plan rejected by federal regulators.

By Gavin Bade • March 1, 2018

FERC staff: Eversource, Avangrid did not withhold pipeline capacity

An October report from the Environmental Defense Fund asserted the two utilities had artificially constrained capacity on the Algonquin pipeline, driving up power prices in New England.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 28, 2018

Report: Dominion rate review bill could land on Virginia governer's desk next week

The Senate version of a bill to overhaul utilities' rate review has been approved by the House of Delegates, and the House bill was advanced by a Senate committee this week. Each chamber will also need to approve the other's amendments.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 27, 2018

Make, buy, or partner: New business model innovation for U.S. utilities

Discover three new business model innovation paths that can help your utility optimize opportunities.

Feb. 27, 2018

South Carolina cooperatives sue Santee Cooper over Summer nuke charge

NextEra is said to be considering a bid for the public utility, and it's unclear how the lawsuit would affect that potential merger. 

By Robert Walton • Feb. 27, 2018

Michigan, Louisiana press utilities to return tax savings to customers

The federal corporate tax rate dropped to 21% in January, but some utilities are still billing customers as though the rate is 35%.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 23, 2018