Regulation & Policy


  • GenAI legal technology AI
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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
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    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
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    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
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    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 Updated Oct. 21, 2024
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    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
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    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
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    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 Oct. 18, 2024
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    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 Oct. 18, 2024
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    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 Oct. 17, 2024
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    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
  • Chunks of lithium resting on a table with its a tab containing its periodic table number leaning against it.
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    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
  • A wind farm on rolling hills in Pennsylvania, which is part of the PJM Interconnection.
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    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 Oct. 15, 2024
  • Machine for the production of hydrogen by electrolysis. Concept.
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    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
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    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 Oct. 14, 2024
  • FirstEnergy's 1,100-MW coal-fired Fort Martin power plant in Maidsville, West Virginia, along the Monongahela River.
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    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 Oct. 11, 2024
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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 Oct. 9, 2024
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    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 Oct. 9, 2024
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    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 Oct. 8, 2024
  • Aerial view of wind farm and solar farms on the island of Oahu in Hawaii Islands.
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    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
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    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 Oct. 7, 2024
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    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 Oct. 4, 2024
  • Energy Harbor's Perry nuclear plant in North Perry, Ohio.
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    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