Regulation & Policy

Texas regulators defer to legislature on utility ownership of energy storage

The state's market for energy storage is in limbo since regulators dismissed a request by AEP Texas last year to install two battery storage projects.

By Peter Maloney • Jan. 18, 2019

Colorado Gov Polis' first executive order advances transportation electrification

The benefits of vehicle electrification will only increase as the state moves toward establishing a 100% renewable energy mandate, Polis said.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 18, 2019

All Texas coal plants report toxic ash contamination as federal rules in flux

High levels of arsenic, boron, cobalt, lithium and other contaminants were found in groundwater surrounding the Lone Star State's 16 coal plants.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 18, 2019

Greens, consumer advocates split as Louisiana approves $1B Cleco plant deal

The Sierra Club touted a renewable energy and coal phaseout deal it struck with the utility as part of the acquisition, but the Alliance for Affordable Energy is concerned Cleco will move the fossil plants into cost recovery.

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 18, 2019

Southern CEO: Georgia Power to consider resilience in IRP for first time

"Maybe you take coal plants out of service but you keep them alive in the event that you have a resiliency emergency," Tom Fanning told a Washington audience Thursday.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Jan. 18, 2019

New Hampshire regulators approve utility-owned residential Tesla battery pilot

Liberty Utilities will have the nation's second utility-owned, customer-sited storage pilot, with Tesla Powerwall 2 batteries for 500 customers and a time-of-use rate.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Jan. 18, 2019

FERC opens 3 pipeline rate probes as Chatterjee tables PJM political spending complaint

For the second month running, FERC declined to act on the highest-profile item on its meeting agenda, likely indicating disagreement among regulators.

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 17, 2019

Trump signs bill streamlining advanced nuclear regs as Senate considers R&D funding

Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee grilled nuclear scientists about the impact of advanced nuclear reactors and the need to fund research for new manufacturing opportunities.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Jan. 17, 2019

Opinion

The Supreme Court should reject requests for a do-over on state clean energy programs

Ruling against zero emission credit programs for nuclear plants could jeopardize renewable energy credits, too, and threaten to overturn policies in nearly thirty states, according to Harvard's Ari Peskoe.

By Ari Peskoe

EPA won't freeze fuel economy standards as Wheeler faces confirmation vote

News of EPA's policy shift came during a testy nomination hearing where the acting administrator faced pressure from activists and Democrat senators on climate change. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 16, 2019

New York Gov Cuomo moves to double solar, triple offshore wind capacity targets

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a slew of new goals on Tuesday as part of New York's "Green New Deal," which aims to move the state to 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Jan. 16, 2019

Lowering bills for low-income households with community solar: Partnering on regs, tech

A Minnesota-based non-profit applied its expertise to help shepherd an Energy Assistance provider's 100-kW project in southeast Vermont.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Jan. 15, 2019

San Francisco considering municipal utility as PG&E prepares bankruptcy filing

The city government's retail water and power provider is planning for when PG&E files for Chapter 11 protections, "including possibility of acquiring or building electrical infrastructure assets."

By Gavin Bade • UPDATED: Jan. 15, 2019 at 12:31 p.m.

PG&E to file for bankruptcy protection as California wildfire costs mount

The company that emerges from the Chapter 11 proceeding could look quite different from the large, investor-owned utility holding company that is the biggest player in California.

By Gavin Bade • UPDATED: Jan. 14, 2019 at 12:39 p.m.

PUC order keeps Minnesota ahead of the curve on performance-based rates

The order, the culmination of a process that began in September 2017, establishes procedures and goals for developing metrics for performance-based rates by the fall.

By Peter Maloney • Jan. 11, 2019

California regulators move to outline wildfire cost recovery as PG&E teeters

The CPUC opened a docket to determine how much PG&E can pay for wildfire damages on the same day that Moody's downgraded its credit rating four notches. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 11, 2019

Opinion

EPSA: State subsidies threaten PJM's Capacity Market

​Well functioning energy and capacity markers go hand in hand with climate reduction. But state subsidies will make future investment on a competitive, merchant basis in PJM less likely, writes EPSA CEO John Shelk.

By John Shelk

Podcast

EPS Ep. 4: Travis Kavulla on combating bailouts and the 'pernicious alliance' between greens and utilities

The former Montana utility regulator recently moved to a Washington think tank to build the "leading right-of-center program on electric policy."

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 10, 2019

New California governor prioritizes PG&E as CPUC moves to examine wildfire cost recovery

Democrat Gavin Newsom is reportedly having long conversations with PG&E executives as the utility hires several financial advisors to explore its options.

By Larry Pearl • Jan. 10, 2019

Fossil generators ask Supreme Court to review state nuclear subsidies

After losing in two federal district courts, independent generators are hoping the Supreme Court will throw out nuclear subsidy programs in New York and Illinois that have spread to other states. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 09, 2019