Regulation & Policy
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Opinion
Accelerating utility rate case filings with generative AI
By leveraging generative AI, utilities can draw on a wealth of information to construct more robust and evidence-backed rate proposals.
By Huzaifah Basrai • Oct. 22, 2024 -
Deep Dive
With Palisades and Three Mile Island units set to restart, could more retired reactors follow?
Much depends on the retired plants’ condition, decommissioning status and reactor technology, experts say.
By Brian Martucci • Oct. 22, 2024 -
Trendline
The Energy Transition to Renewables
New policy and business actions are giving a significant boost to renewable energy in the U.S., but opposition is growing and grid interconnection, permitting, labor and other challenges remain.
By Utility Dive staff -
PJM floats options for fast-track interconnection for shovel-ready projects
The plan may face challenges at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and in courts for giving a preference to certain generating projects, some PJM stakeholders said.
By Ethan Howland • Updated Oct. 21, 2024 -
CFTC issues final guidance for listing carbon credits on voluntary markets
The final guidance includes standards to ensure carbon credits are not subject to manipulation and have their contract terms monitored.
By Lamar Johnson • Oct. 21, 2024 -
ADVANCE Act keeping NRC ‘very busy,’ official says, highlighting 30+ implementation actions
NRC staff shared timelines for steps the commission is taking under the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act and sought public comment on its work during a Wednesday meeting.
By Brian Martucci • Oct. 18, 2024 -
DOE selects nearly $2B in projects for grid resilience funding
The projects will boost transmission capacity by more than 7.5 GW, accelerate interconnection for clean energy and spark over $4.2 billion in public and private investment, according to DOE.
By Ethan Howland • Oct. 18, 2024 -
FERC bars payments for ‘deadband’ reactive power, plus 4 other open meeting takeaways
Renewable energy trade groups, Public Service Enterprise Group and other generators opposed the agency’s decision on reactive power.
By Ethan Howland • Oct. 18, 2024 -
Supreme Court rejects calls to put a hold on EPA power plant carbon rule
Utilities asking the court to stay the rule included American Electric Power, Duke Energy, MidAmerican Energy, PacifiCorp and Southern Co.
By Ethan Howland • Oct. 17, 2024 -
Opinion
Creating a clean and reliable grid for Illinois
The recent price spike in PJM’s capacity market is drawing attention to the growing need for policy that moves Illinois towards an affordable clean energy future.
By John Delurey • Oct. 17, 2024 -
Opinion
Mining for talent: Education’s crucial role in America’s clean energy, mineral-driven future
Amid a clean energy revolution and a precarious geopolitical landscape, effectively bridging the educational gap in mining and engineering is pivotal for securing America's technological and environmental future.
By Misael Cabrera and Bill Zisch • Oct. 15, 2024 -
Possible PJM market changes could lower near-term capacity prices: Morgan Stanley
A planned delay in the grid operator’s upcoming capacity auction could spark greater demand for behind-the-meter deals between data centers and nuclear power plants, Morgan Stanley analysts said.
By Ethan Howland • Oct. 15, 2024 -
Opinion
Turning the US hydrogen field of dreams into reality
Perhaps a line from the classic American film “Field of Dreams” best summarizes the approach to hydrogen production and infrastructure: “If you build it, they will come.”
By Jeremy Harrell • Oct. 14, 2024 -
AEP Ohio urges PUC to reject ‘Hail Mary’ data center tariff proposal from Amazon, others
Google, Microsoft and Meta joined Constellation Energy and other organizations last week in proposing terms for connecting “electricity-intensive” customers to the grid.
By Ethan Howland • Oct. 14, 2024 -
PJM plans to delay upcoming capacity auction by six months
The delay will give the PJM Interconnection time to craft potential market reforms sought by state utility regulators and others, the grid operator said.
By Ethan Howland • Oct. 11, 2024 -
Opinion
How clean energy legislation can incentivize US mineral production
Both presidential candidates generally agree on the importance of supporting U.S. critical mineral projects given their role in securely supplying key industries, from defense manufacturers to automotive companies.
By Gregory Wischer and Morgan Bazilian • Oct. 11, 2024 -
US energy transition path currently in line with 2.6 degrees Celsius temperature rise: BNEF
The nation is currently on track to cut just 22% of its carbon emissions by 2030, compared with the 50% needed to reach its Paris Agreement goals.
By Lamar Johnson • Oct. 10, 2024 -
Opinion
Unfinished business: The bipartisan appeal of distributed power plants
Policymakers can best address the grid’s problems by leveraging existing regulatory authorizations to make better use of our assets and infrastructure, former FERC chairs Jon Wellinghoff and Neil Chatterjee write.
By Jon Wellinghoff and Neil Chatterjee • Oct. 10, 2024 -
NRC updates streamlined environmental review proposal for new nuclear reactors
The new generic environmental impact statement could reduce applicant and NRC staff costs by up to $2 million per license application, the commission said Friday.
By Brian Martucci • Oct. 9, 2024 -
Omitting Talen Energy RMR units from PJM’s next capacity auction could cost $14.5B: OPSI
The Organization of PJM States Inc., which represents state utility regulators in the grid operator’s region, is backing a complaint at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission over reliability must-run power plants.
By Ethan Howland • Oct. 9, 2024 -
PJM aims to fast-track reliability projects in interconnection queue
The PJM Interconnection’s plan to allow a limited number of reliability-oriented generating projects to enter an interconnection study process early next year sparked concerns from some stakeholders, including Invenergy.
By Ethan Howland • Oct. 9, 2024 -
DOE proposes serial development approach for nuclear reactors as load growth, IRA boost valuations
Emulating the demand-aggregation approach Boeing used for the 787 Dreamliner could create a “committed orderbook” of 5-10 new reactors of the same design and cut near-term deployment costs, DOE says.
By Larry Pearl • Oct. 8, 2024 -
Opinion
Hawai‘i’s electricity problems expose a failed energy transition strategy
Hawai‘i, like several other states, is taking fossil fuel generation out of the system faster than it is bringing on alternative generation.
By Jonathan Chanis • Oct. 8, 2024 -
DC Circuit upholds FERC order on NextEra Seabrook circuit breaker
The court decision on Friday likely resolves the last major hurdle for Avangrid’s $1.5 billion New England Clean Energy Connect transmission project, ClearView Energy Partners said.
By Ethan Howland • Oct. 7, 2024 -
DOE selects 3-GW Pattern Energy transmission project linking ERCOT, Southeast for capacity buy
Avangrid, Invenergy and Grid United were other winning developers in the department’s $1.5 billion solicitation to buy transmission capacity.
By Ethan Howland • Oct. 4, 2024 -
US nuclear industry needs further policy, regulatory advances: NCEW panel
The ADVANCE Act was necessary but not sufficient to speed nuclear deployments to meet growing electricity demand and “win the AI race,” conference panelists said on Sept. 26.
By Brian Martucci • Oct. 3, 2024