Ohio Supreme Court sides with FirstEnergy in $43M renewable credit refund case

The court said the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio erred in a 2013 order directing the utility to return the money to ratepayers, finding it would amount to "unlawful retroactive ratemaking."

By Robert Walton • Jan. 25, 2018

Sempra pushes for regulatory approval of Oncor deal after most intervenors are on board

But the lone holdout, a group representing low-income customers, says the deal fails to show savings to residential customers and how they would be returned to low-income residents. 

By Robert Walton • Jan. 25, 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

Will the country's first mandatory residential demand charge slow the Massachusetts solar boom?

Opponents of the charge, approved as part of an Eversource rate case, say it could harm the growth of solar and other distributed energy resources by significantly increasing costs for customers.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 25, 2018

Dominion-SCANA merger in doubt as South Carolina mulls nixing cost recovery for Summer nuke project

SCANA disputes a state audit that found only a 35% chance it will file for bankruptcy if it can't charge customers for the VC Summer nuclear project. Dominion says the proposed merger is off, if cost recovery is denied.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 24, 2018

Getting to 'head-spinning' low prices for U.S. offshore wind

Projected additions to U.S. offshore wind capacity are expected to drive the emergence of the domestic support system the sector needs to drive prices closer to other generation options.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 23, 2018

$2.5B cash infusion will help FirstEnergy shift away from merchant generation

The investment was made by a group including affiliates of Elliott Management, Bluescape, GIC and Zimmer Partners.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 23, 2018

Puerto Rico governor moves to privatize utility PREPA

The nation's largest public utility, long beset by underinvestment and mismanagement, has been under fire for its response to Hurricane Maria.

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 23, 2018

Audi and Nissan join ranks of automakers making energy storage mainstream

Automakers are looking to extend the life of batteries that are no longer useful in an electric vehicle but have enough juice left to store power for a household or provide residential backup power. 

By Peter Maloney • Jan. 22, 2018

Virginia lawmakers seek to end Dominion rate freeze

The bipartisan effort would also return some funds to customers, due to the recent tax system overhaul and lower corporate rates.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 22, 2018

Regulators slash Kentucky Power rate request, demand side management programs

The utility's average demand side management residential surcharge has risen about 20-fold, from about $0.50 to $10.50 a month, the Kentucky Public Service Commission noted.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 22, 2018

Toshiba reaches agreement to sell Westinghouse claims, assets

The company will also transfer its Westinghouse shares to Brookfield Business Partners, which earlier this month agreed to purchase the nuclear engineering firm for $4.6 billion.  

By Robert Walton • Jan. 19, 2018

2 utilities sued over deadly California mudslides

According to the lawsuit, a wildfire allegedly caused by Southern California Edison's equipment burned away vegetation that would have prevented the mudslide that killed 20 people. Montecito Water District is also named in the suit.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 19, 2018

FERC approves Avista-Hydro One deal

The $5.3 billion all-cash deal was announced last summer and could close in the second half of this year.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 17, 2018

Dominion CEO: SCANA deal off if cost recovery for Summer plant repealed

CEO Thomas Farrell told lawmakers if they alter the Base Load Review Act for existing projects, the defunct V.C. Summer nuclear project would be "SCANA’s management issue, not ours."

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 17, 2018

Shuttered coal plant fixer-uppers for sale all over the U.S.

More than half of all coal plants are, or will soon be, shuttered. Collaboration and compromise by some are beginning to reveal ways to reclaim the sites for new purposes.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 16, 2018

Lower corporate tax rates no boon for renewables, analysts find

According to J.P. Morgan, $11 billion of tax equity financing was raised for renewable energy projects in 2016. Some of that may now be in jeopardy.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 16, 2018

Dominion-SCANA proposal shows shareholder gains, few ratepayer benefits, analysts say

Dominion’s $14.6 billion purchase offer may be the only one on the table for the beleaguered South Carolina utility, but is it good enough to get across the finish line?

By Peter Maloney • Jan. 11, 2018

Predictions 2018: Federal policies to dominate

What will 2018 bring to the power sector? Seven experts weigh in. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Jan. 8, 2018

Brookfield-led group to acquire Westinghouse for $4.6B

In 2017, the nuclear engineering firm announced it was exiting the construction business as it sought to resolve its Chapter 11 bankruptcy. 

By Robert Walton • Jan. 5, 2018

SunEdison emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy

With restructuring complete, the scaled-back renewables company says it will focus on monetizing its remaining assets.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 4, 2018

Dominion, SCANA agree to $14.6B all-stock merger

If approved, the combined company would write off $1.7 billion in costs related to the abandoned V.C. Summer nuclear plant. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 3, 2018

After tax overhaul, utility regulators are pushing for lower customer rates

Multiple states have ordered utilities to examine any savings they see as a result of the lower corporate tax rate in effect this year, and to prepare to pass those savings back to customers.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 2, 2018

Updated: Trump approves GOP tax overhaul bill

Utilities stand to benefit, renewables dodged a bullet and nuclear energy was left out in the cold as Republicans finalized their tax rewrite. 

By Gavin Bade • Dec. 22, 2017

Has Xcel Minnesota designed the ideal residential time-of-use rate?

The pilot program, to determine if price signals can get customers to shift energy usage away from peak times, has garnered wide acclaim. The main concern? it doesn't start soon enough.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 22, 2017

Con Edison seeks 'non-pipe' solutions to address peak gas demand

The New York utility is considering investing at least $100 million annually in a bid to avoid construction of a major new gas pipeline.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 21, 2017