Regulation & Policy

EPA gives power plants, regulated entities pollution compliance flexibility, citing COVID-19 concerns

Environmentalists worry the new policy will give power facilities "an open license to pollute."

By Catherine Morehouse • March 30, 2020

Virginia rejects Dominion's $752M smart meter plan, other grid mod proposals

The full plan would have cost customers almost $7 billion over the next decade. Regulators penalized the company for failing to justify costs to deploy advanced metering infrastructure, after Dominion didn't submit a broad TOU rate plan.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 27, 2020

California sets electric sector GHG emissions target 56% below 1990 levels, but leaves room for more

The state's public utility commission set a 46 MMT target for load serving entities by 2030, but is also requiring them to submit resource portfolios by Sept. 1 for a 38 MMT target.

By Kavya Balaraman • March 27, 2020

Deep Dive

How COVID-19 is impacting 5 state energy legislation efforts

At least 22 states have delayed legislative sessions and most others are shifting priorities toward the pandemic. That means state energy progress will likely take a hit this session, stakeholders say.

By Catherine Morehouse • March 26, 2020

Deep Dive

Cheapest is not always best: Concentrated solar power could beat lower price PV with new market rules

CSP can deliver greater grid stability than photovoltaics, but needs better recognition of its value to be competitive.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 26, 2020

PG&E fire victims concerned that COVID-19 market turmoil could affect payouts

Fire victims, along with PG&E's other creditors, will need to vote on the company's proposed reorganization plan by May 15.

By Kavya Balaraman • March 26, 2020

Opinion

The politicization of public utility regulation

Public utility regulation has extended far beyond its longstanding mandate, the author writes.

By Kenneth W. Costello • March 26, 2020

Nearly $2T stimulus package omits direct renewable sector aid after Trump, McConnell opposition

President Donald Trump signed the latest stimulus package into law Friday. Power sector leaders see broad benefits stemming from the bill, including small business and unemployment loans.

By Catherine Morehouse • UPDATED: March 30, 2020 at 8:38 a.m.

Opinion

One easy fix to COVID-19 disruption of advanced energy development

Direct payment of federal incentives for advanced energy development is required to keep the industry on track, Nat Kreamer, CEO of Advanced Energy Economy, says.

By Nat Kreamer • March 24, 2020

Deep Dive

COVID-19 may sport the thinnest silver lining: a cleaner climate

There is evidence of declining carbon emissions and improved air quality as societies lock down. Experts say potential stimulus funding could present an opportunity to perpetuate these changes.

By Chris Teale • March 24, 2020

Solar developers launch lobbying effort to curb COVID-19 impacts, advance remote permitting

U.S. solar industries are ramping up congressional lobbying for additional aid to small businesses and solar tax credit extensions, given the challenges of the spread of the novel coronavirus.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 23, 2020

Tracking the impacts of coronavirus on the US power sector

EPA eases pollution compliance requirements for power plants and other regulated entities; FERC and NERC say the electric sector is taking aggressive steps on coronavirus, but a deeper assessment is coming in April.

By Nami Sumida • UPDATED: March 30, 2020 at 9:57 a.m.

18 Senate Democrats call on Congress to include renewables in stalled stimulus package

A Friday letter recommends tax credit extensions or an elimination of the tax credit phase-out, direct payment, refunds, or safe harbor extensions, among other options.

By Catherine Morehouse • March 23, 2020

Deep Dive

PG&E, SCE abandon big microgrid plans for temporary emergency measures as wildfire season nears

Regulators' push to implement a law requiring microgrid rollouts is being frustrated by the costs of traditional generation and clean energy complexities.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 23, 2020

Opinion

California risks going seriously off course this week on its path to a zero carbon power sector

The state's public utilities commission, at its upcoming March 26 business meeting, may adopt a greenhouse gas emissions target for 2030 that defers emissions-critical, near-term decisions, the author writes.

By Ed Smeloff • March 23, 2020

Unemployment poised to skyrocket, creating urgent need to spur renewables: Obama veteran of 2008 financial crisis

Power sector leaders are pushing Congress to address hits to the industry, as a former Obama transition team member says renewables and transmission buildouts could be the first jobs to start hiring.

By Catherine Morehouse • March 20, 2020

CPUC's $2.1B wildfire fine could derail bankruptcy exit financing commitments: PG&E

The utility urged regulators to instead adopt a $1.68 billion penalty it negotiated last year.

By Kavya Balaraman • March 20, 2020

FERC launches long-delayed revision of transmission incentives, bringing benefits into the equation

Chairman Neil Chatterjee wants to "keep the business of the commission going" while taking precautions given the spread of the novel coronavirus, potentially rushing a response from stakeholders.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 20, 2020

Ohio bans door-to-door energy sales over coronavirus concerns, following Illinois, Pennsylvania

A proposal from the Ohio Consumers' Counsel said not only that door-to-door sales pose a "health risk," but that "policing the tactics of some of the marketing companies is difficult."

By John Funk • March 19, 2020

PJM MOPR compliance plan allays renewable sector concerns of being shut out of capacity auctions

The grid operator's long-awaited compliance filing is a "phenomenal" attempt to minimize the most contentious aspects of the federal order, according to an industry lawyer.

By Catherine Morehouse • March 19, 2020

Oklo submits first advanced reactor license application in US as NRC moves to streamline reviews

Advanced reactors purport to be the "next generation" of nuclear that can fix the problems facing the current industry, but first they need to go through a lengthy regulatory process.

By Matthew Bandyk • March 18, 2020

Opinion

Coronavirus calls utilities to humanitarian role — how to help troubled customers in this time of need

As the nation mobilizes to contain the coronavirus, utilities' most vulnerable customers need special assistance as the pandemic exposes and exacerbates existing fault lines between haves and have-nots, the author writes.

By Lisa Markus • March 18, 2020

Deep Dive

A red state template for 100% renewables? Utah bill unites Rocky Mountain Power, cities and activists

An 80% Republican legislature has approved HB 411, which will move more than a third of the state’s electricity load to 100% renewables by 2030.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 17, 2020

PJM over-forecasting costs consumers up to $4.4B for unneeded energy capacity: Report

The Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council funded a report that confirms the large price tag of the high reserve margin in PJM's forward capacity auction.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 17, 2020

Opinion

As Congress mulls stimulus, Trump should avoid Obama's 2009 mistake

Today's low capital costs combined with low-cost deployment of proven and workable clean power systems present us an opportunity we will likely never have again, the author writes.

By Reed Hundt • March 17, 2020