Regulation & Policy: Page 114
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Federal court denies FERC jurisdiction in PG&E bankruptcy case
FERC asserted it had "concurrent jurisdiction" and could prevent power contracts from being altered as part of PG&E's bankruptcy proceeding.
By Gavin Bade • March 13, 2019 -
Pennsylvania lawmaker: State crafted nuke subsidy bill after DOE said not to wait for bailout
The new bill to provide financial support to the state's nine nuclear plants is part of a trend of states taking the lead on premature retirements in the face of inaction from the federal government.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 12, 2019 -
Explore the Trendline➔
adamkaz via Getty Images
TrendlineThe 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 -
With storm hardening 'a larger focus,' DC approves PEPCO underground distribution lines
The $500 million project, which aims to boost resiliency and reduce outages from storm-damaged power lines, cleared its final hurdle last week, and construction is expected to begin this spring.
By Catherine Morehouse • March 12, 2019 -
Elizabeth Regan, Industry Dive/Utility Dive
PJM pushes FERC to act on capacity market rules, citing 'uncertainty' and 'confusion'
Until FERC approves a replacement for the capacity market design it threw out last year, PJM said it is directing market participants to prepare for an upcoming auction under both sets of rules.
By Gavin Bade • March 12, 2019 -
Trump budget again seeks deep cuts to EPA, DOE renewables research
The budget would eliminate ARPA-E and cut the DOE energy efficiency and renewables office by more than two-thirds — proposals Congress has already twice rejected.
By Gavin Bade • March 11, 2019 -
Arizona regulators at odds over PURPA implementation
The state could miss out on $500 million in solar investment if regulators delay changes to contract terms under the federal law, Commissioner Andy Tobin argues.
By Gavin Bade • March 11, 2019 -
Duke defends IRP as greens push North Carolina regulators to reassess
Consumer and environmental advocates say the utility's 15-year plan in North Carolina is too expensive and doesn't do enough to eliminate fossil fuels.
By Robert Walton • March 11, 2019 -
Opinion
Consumers shouldn't pay for bureaucratic thinking on electricity
Achieving grid reliability and resilience that meet customer needs will require a culture shift within regulatory agencies and grid operators away from reliability-at-all-costs and toward reliability-at-the-right-cost.
By Devin Hartman and Caitlin Marquis • March 8, 2019 -
DOE plans to complete 13 of 16 delayed efficiency standards in 'coming months'
A spokesperson said the standards include rules for clothes dryers, cooking products and electric motors, but did not provide further details.
By Gavin Bade • March 7, 2019 -
ISO-NE forecasts transition to distributed, renewable generation
The grid operator released its 2019 Regional Electricity Outlook last week, listing natural gas plants as the only new conventional generation resource expected online between 2018 and 2020.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 7, 2019 -
Judge scales back PG&E wildfire safety plan in new proposed order
PG&E would follow its wildfire mitigation plan under a new order from Judge William Alsup, but would not have to comply with an extensive Jan. 9 proposed order it estimated could cost $150 billion.
By Gavin Bade • March 7, 2019 -
Efficiency leads 2019 energy job growth prospects
Energy efficiency employers project a 7.8% growth rate for jobs this year, more than double the increase last year, in what the latest U.S. Energy and Employment Report deemed the "toughest hiring climate."
By Robert Walton • March 7, 2019 -
Podcast
EPS Ep. 8: 'The coal bailout no one is talking about' with Joe Daniel of UCS
Customers are subsidizing coal plants with more than a billion dollars a year, the Union of Concerned Scientists analyst says, thanks to market rules that allow monopoly-owned plants to choose when they generate electricity.
By Gavin Bade • March 6, 2019 -
Opinion
Extreme weather alert: How utilities are adapting to a changing climate
The costs of recent U.S. hurricanes and wildfires have been in the tens of billions of dollars. The pace, scale and scope of efforts need to increase dramatically to ensure safe and reliable energy delivery, Navigant says.
By Frank Stern, Sarah Hendel-Blackford, Kaboo Leung, Ian Trim Rodrigo Leal and Danielle Vitoff • March 6, 2019 -
Industrial consumers oppose evolving Pennsylvania nuclear subsidy proposal
An early-February draft bill leaked last week would create a tier under Pennsylvania's Alternative Energy Portfolio to direct utilities to purchase power from the state's nine nuclear plants.
By Gavin Bade • March 6, 2019 -
Minnesota 100% carbon-free bill joins flurry of state level clean energy action
Gov. Tim Walz's proposal expands energy efficiency programs and removes benchmark emissions requirements that utilities "have always blown by."
By Catherine Morehouse • March 5, 2019 -
Wyoming passes coal support bill in spate of Western action to save ailing plants
Montana lawmakers are also considering a bill to support the 2.2 GW Colstrip plant and a New Mexico clean energy bill includes provisions to help utility PNM recoup coal closure costs.
By Gavin Bade • Updated March 11, 2019 -
'Virtually all' coal plants monitoring groundwater show ash pollution, report finds
The first comprehensive analysis of utility groundwater reports — representing three quarters of the U.S. coal fleet — reveals a widespread environmental and public health issue.
By Gavin Bade • March 4, 2019 -
New York moves to phase out older peaking plants as it targets 100% clean energy
A new state proposal would set lower thresholds for emissions of nitrogen oxides, and allow plant owners to meet the new standards in part by installing renewable or batteries.
By Robert Walton • March 1, 2019 -
Business, enviro groups see strong prospects for Illinois 100% clean energy bill
Analysts consider energy efficiency essential to achieving a 100% renewables by 2050 goal, and the bill recommends extending the timeline for such energy saving programs to maximize benefits.
By Catherine Morehouse • March 1, 2019 -
Senate confirms Wheeler as EPA head, reinforcing regulation rollback
The 52-47 vote will allow the former coal lobbyist to continue his deregulatory efforts uninterrupted, despite defections from two senators who voted to confirm him as the No. 2 at EPA last year.
By Gavin Bade • March 1, 2019 -
Are city climate goals too ambitious? Leaders worry about compressed timelines
During a WRI-hosted media briefing, city sustainability leaders expressed concern that it may be too late to deal with the worst effects of climate change.
By Chris Teale • Feb. 28, 2019 -
Perry wants new FERC regulators to push through LNG export applications
Perry praised FERC’s approval of the Calcasieu Pass LNG facility last week, but said having a full contingency at FERC would help push through 12 more LNG applications.
By Gavin Bade • Feb. 28, 2019 -
Newly-elected Arizona commissioner prepares to subpoena APS over political spending
Arizona Corporation Commissioner Sandra Kennedy is acting on a 2018 campaign promise to require Arizona Public Service and its parent company, Pinnacle West Capital, to disclose several years of political spending.
By Robert Walton • Feb. 28, 2019 -
California regulators tee up changes to utility distributed storage programs
A proposed decision from an Administrative Law Judge would direct utilities to allow independently owned projects to compete with utility-owned proposals when procuring distributed storage.
By Gavin Bade • Feb. 28, 2019
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