Louisiana utilities to pay less for rooftop solar power under new net metering rules

The changes will also allow utilities to recover any lost revenues from the excess power provided by rooftop solar, "a pretty remarkable turn," says one opponent.

By Catherine Morehouse • Sept. 13, 2019

Michigan urges MISO, PJM to improve regional reliability after Consumers compressor station fire

In a letter to the grid operators, the state's governor and head regulator called for quicker interconnection processes to improve regional resource diversity and a reexamination of demand response capabilities.

By Catherine Morehouse • Sept. 12, 2019

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

Redefining utility affordability: CPUC pursues broad approach to guide decisions

"Although the CPUC currently considers bill impacts in our individual decisions — such as General Rate Cases — we do not assess the cumulative effects on consumers' ability to pay," writes Commissioner Clifford Rechtschaffen.

By Clifford Rechtschaffen • Sept. 12, 2019

As utilities scramble to manage explosive DER growth, is power grid autonomy a solution?

The U.S. electric grid could face hundreds of millions of distributed resource deployments in the near future. But optimizing these data points may exceed human ability.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 11, 2019

Bipartisan Senate bill allocates $100M to ease residential solar, storage permitting

The bill from Sens. Susan Collins and Martin Heinrich would direct the Energy Department to create the Distributed Energy Opportunity Board, to streamline local permitting and inspection for qualifying systems.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Sept. 10, 2019

PJM policy to add $5.7B cost to capacity market? We don't think so

The consulting firm Grid Strategies recently found significant cost impacts from PJM's proposed minimum offer price rule. The heads of PJM Power Providers Group and the Electric Power Supply Association dispute that.

By Glen Thomas and Todd A. Snitchler • Sept. 9, 2019

Arizona's chief utility regulator pressures APS to cut political spending

A lack of action by Arizona Public Service and its parent company, Pinnacle West, could impact the utility's next rate proceeding, according to Arizona Corporation Commissioner Bob Burns.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Sept. 9, 2019

NERC finds first remote hacker interference on US grid from cyberattack

A March cyberattack resulted in a denial of service condition at a "low-impact" control center and multiple remote generation sites, according to newly released analysis.

By HJ Mai • Sept. 9, 2019

FirstEnergy Solutions asks Ohio Supreme Court to block proposed referendum on nuke bailout law

An anti-bailout group has been trying to get the referendum on the state's 2020 ballot.

By HJ Mai • Sept. 6, 2019

Cleco, SWEPCO shift coal plant use, target 2.8 GW renewables in latest resource plans

Southwestern Electric Power and Cleco Power, which co-own the Dolet Hills power plant, have adjusted the generator to seasonal dispatch in light of increasing costs for the fuel and other factors.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Sept. 6, 2019

Connecticut governor calls for 100% carbon-free power by 2040

The Lamont administration also committed to building out some natural gas infrastructure, frustrating some advocates.

By Catherine Morehouse • Sept. 5, 2019

FERC chairman to Congress: 'Make energy policy boring again'

Neil Chatterjee says Congress, not regulatory agencies, should be making major energy policy decision and wants to see broad legislation, including an overhaul of PURPA.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Sept. 5, 2019

DOE downplays impact of new light bulb rules, but NGOs ready to sue

The U.S. Department of Energy says new standards for general service incandescent lamps are not economically justified. Efficiency advocates say they would save consumers billions. The fight is likely headed to court.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 4, 2019

FERC, NERC propose to publicly identify utilities violating cybersecurity standards

The Federal Energy Regulation Commission said it has received an unprecedented number of Freedom of Information Act requests for information on violations of infrastructure reliability standards since 2018.

By HJ Mai • Sept. 4, 2019

Electricity markets don't need an overhaul

With moderate tinkering, existing independent system operator-run markets can support very low emission electricity systems that rely primarily on solar and wind energy, writes Fritz Kahrl, a director at consulting firm E3.

By Fritz Kahrl • Sept. 4, 2019

Former FERC adviser puts $5.7B price tag on PJM's clean energy market policy

Stakeholders expect a final order soon from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on the wholesale market policy intended to reduce the influence of clean energy subsidies on PJM capacity prices.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Sept. 3, 2019

The unknown costs of a 100% carbon-free future

State approaches to 100% clean energy vary, and while several costs remain unknown, some utility solutions are emerging.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 3, 2019

Nuclear technology innovation and regulatory transformation are essential to meeting climate goals

A key challenge for nuclear regulators is to adapt oversight practices to technologies that didn't exist when today's regulatory framework was developed, write three former heads of DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy.

By Warren F. Miller, Peter B. Lyons and John F. Kotek • Sept. 3, 2019

Delayed since 2016, Constitution Pipeline scores win on New York water permit

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last week reversed a previous decision, breathing new life into the Williams Cos. project and leaving backers cautiously optimistic.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 3, 2019

Rhode Island issues 10-year tax credit to draw offshore wind business

The state uses its Qualified Jobs Tax Credit program to attract companies to relocate or expand, and wind O&M companies have been approved for $2.8 million in credits over a decade.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Aug. 29, 2019

Green Mountain Power partners with Sunrun to expand BYOD storage program

GMP first launched its battery program in 2018 through an exclusive partnership with Tesla.

By HJ Mai • Aug. 29, 2019

DTE resource plan ignores dynamic modeling, undervalues solar, stakeholders complain

The utility's long-term plan is rigid in its resource assumptions, allowing uneconomic coal to stay online longer and undervaluing the potential benefits of renewables, according to expert testimony.

By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 27, 2019

PG&E may answer the billion dollar grid modernization question

A step-by-step regulatory process in California confronts the technical challenges and "obscene expenses" of distributed resource investments.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 26, 2019

RMI calls for national mandates on EV purchases, AV testing

The Rocky Mountain Institute warned the U.S. could fall further behind on new mobility options without stronger central leadership.

By Chris Teale • Aug. 23, 2019

An uncertain path to a cleaner future: Zero carbon electricity legislation in New York and California

How should California, New York and other states plan to meet their new 100% zero carbon electricity market goals with minimal impacts on reliability and affordability?

By Thomas R. Brill and Steven C. Russo • Aug. 23, 2019