FERC approves SPP’s Markets+ Western power market, plus 3 other open meeting takeaways

“This is extremely important … in facilitating the efficient use of generation and transmission, ultimately to benefit consumers,” FERC Commissioner Judy Chang said.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 17, 2025

DOE nominee Wright aims to boost power supplies to lower costs

“I'm 100% committed to growing our electricity grid and our energy production and removing those barriers that are standing in the way,” said Chris Wright, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Energy.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 16, 2025

Explore the Trendline➔

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

The 47th presidency offers hope for permitting reform

Republicans and President-elect Trump should take the win that a permitting reform compromise bill offers, and they should do this in the first 100 days of the new administration.

By Jonathan Chanis • Jan. 16, 2025

2025 FERC, DOE Outlook: Surging demand growth to drive power-sector agenda

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the departments of Energy and Interior will play key roles in the Trump administration’s efforts to spur new power supplies and cut energy costs.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 16, 2025

Bipartisan, ‘nonpolitical’ messaging key to achieving DOE’s 2030 VPP goal, analysts say

Successful VPPs in Utah and other GOP-controlled areas highlight effective framing around cost reduction, consumer choice, self-reliance and resilience, experts told Utility Dive.

By Brian Martucci • Jan. 15, 2025

Load forecasts from data centers risk falling into irrational exuberance territory

There is a long history of overestimating load growth, which can drive overbuilding and the addition of resources that may exceed the increased demand.

By Todd Snitchler • Jan. 15, 2025

Hydrogen is transforming a tiny Utah coal town. Could its success hold lessons for similar communities?

The Intermountain Power Project, which aims to be the first gas power plant to use 100% hydrogen, represents a rare success story in the nation’s quest to transition former coal-producing communities to renewable energy.

By Emma Penrod • Jan. 15, 2025

PJM’s proposal to unlock unused interconnection capacity gains broad support

The PJM Interconnection’s plan to revise its Surplus Interconnection Service rules could free up 26 GW for a July capacity auction, clean energy trade groups said Monday.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 14, 2025

PJM’s capacity market proposal faces pushback from market monitor, generators

The PJM Power Providers Group, Advanced Energy United and ratepayer advocates are among those opposing proposed revisions to the grid operator’s must-offer and market seller offer cap rules.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 13, 2025

Will the success of Biden’s clean energy policies impede Trump’s agenda?

Because of the Inflation Reduction Act's success across the country, Trump may encounter obstacles in his attempt to undo it, including opposition from members of his own party.

By Kenneth Irvin and Ogemdi Maduike • Jan. 13, 2025

Public Citizen challenges cost allocation for $546M PSE&G transmission project

A recent $6.6 million settlement agreement between the New Jersey utility and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission details “harrowing fraud” that makes the project’s costs imprudent, according to the advocacy group.

By Ethan Howland • Updated Jan. 10, 2025

PJM ‘shovel-ready’ interconnection plan draws mixed reviews at FERC

State utility regulators and power plant owners told the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission they support PJM’s Reliability Resource Initiative, but renewable developers and others oppose it.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 9, 2025

9 US electric power sector issues to watch in 2025

From rising electricity prices and demand to emerging opportunities and challenges around nuclear energy, virtual power plants, renewables and more, we’ve highlighted nine of the most important issues for the year ahead.

By Robert Walton, Ethan Howland, Diana DiGangi, Larry Pearl, Brian Martucci • Jan. 8, 2025

Biden bans most new US offshore oil and gas drilling in clean energy push

President-elect Donald Trump vowed on Monday to undo the executive order that applies to more than 625 million acres of federal coastline.

By Jennifer Goodman , Julie Strupp • Jan. 7, 2025

Voltus agrees to pay $18M to settle allegations it violated MISO demand response rules

Through a program called “Scranta” — a combination of “scrape” and “Santa” — Voltus obtained data from an Ameren Illinois website without customers’ knowledge, per the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 7, 2025

Texas, Utah, Last Energy challenge NRC’s ‘overburdensome’ microreactor regulations

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s “incredibly costly” licensing process hinders the U.S. nuclear industry, the two states and nuclear developer said in a federal lawsuit filed Dec. 30 in Texas.

By Brian Martucci • Jan. 6, 2025

Big tech must stop passing the cost of its spiking energy needs onto the public

We need new policies that ensure the cost of new data centers is carried by the tech companies that profit from them, not by regular energy consumers such as family households and small businesses.

By Julianne Malveaux • Jan. 6, 2025

National Grid, Con Edison urge FERC to adopt gas pipeline reliability requirements

To bolster the gas system during cold weather, the federal agency should set pipeline reporting requirements, adopt enforcement mechanisms and tighten the use of “force majeure,” the utilities said.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 6, 2025

Final 45V hydrogen tax credit guidance draws mixed response

While hydrogen industry leaders generally welcomed the final rule’s increased flexibility, some said the complicated tax credit guidelines will stymie industry growth.

By Emma Penrod • Jan. 6, 2025

Pennsylvania asks FERC to lower PJM capacity price cap to prevent ‘runaway’ costs

The complaint at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission adds to the turmoil surrounding PJM’s capacity market since its auction in July produced record high prices.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 2, 2025

A Michigan city’s ‘sustainable energy utility’ got the green light from voters. What now?

By creating a supplemental utility that will focus on scaling up rooftop solar, battery storage and microgrids, Ann Arbor, Michigan, is taking its clean energy future into its own hands, stakeholders say.

By Ysabelle Kempe • Jan. 2, 2025

FERC should bar transmission owners from planning local transmission over 100-kV: complaint

A coalition including Industrial Energy Consumers of America and ratepayer advocates from Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia called for the use of independent transmission planners.

By Ethan Howland • Dec. 20, 2024

Ensuring your EPC contracts incorporate the IRA’s prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements

The IRA has undeniably presented owners with new and significant opportunities connected to building new clean energy projects, but taking advantage of these opportunities has also presented considerable challenges.

By Laura Fraher and Mikayla Sciscente • Dec. 20, 2024

FERC floats ‘ride-through’ reliability standards for wind, solar, batteries, plus 5 other open meeting takeaways

The standards are the first in what is expected to be a suite of NERC rules for inverter-based resources, which can trip offline during grid disturbances.

By Ethan Howland • Dec. 20, 2024

Biden raises GHG emissions goal, but climate experts say Trump ‘hellbent’ on reversing course

“Even though the Trump administration may not lift a finger to deliver on this plan, it sets a north star for what the U.S. should be aiming for,” said World Resources Institute's Debbie Weyl.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 19, 2024