Vogtle in sight as money pours into Georgia regulator race

Competition for two Public Service Commission seats has become increasingly heated as Republican incumbents garner support from individuals affiliated with Southern Company.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Nov. 2, 2018

4 state ballot initiatives the utility sector will watch on Election Day

RPS measures in Nevada and Arizona are likely to pass, while the question of a carbon tax in Washington is too close to call.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 2, 2018

Explore the Trendline➔

The Energy Transition to Renewables

Rising demand for power is continuing to drive demand for renewables, but policy uncertainty and mixed signals from the Trump administration add to existing challenges.

By Utility Dive staff

2018 Election Roundup: Democrats seek gains amid clean energy push

While energy is typically low on voters' priority lists, Utility Dive looks at a number of developments that could impact the power sector — from four state ballot initiatives to the race for Georgia's Public Service Commission.

Nov. 2, 2018

PJM CEO pans coal bailout but says plant payments needed in mid-2020s

A new report on PJM fuel security shows risks to the system could arise in five to six years if more power plants retire than anticipated and multiple stressors hit the grid at once. 

By Gavin Bade • Nov. 1, 2018

Port Authority of NY/NJ pledges to electrify entire bus fleet

The agency is also spending $100 million on energy retrofits as part of a goal of cutting emissions 80% by 2050.

By Chris Teale • Nov. 1, 2018

Nevada's Question 3 pits retail choice against uncertainty in battle of billionaires

Voters could pass a constitutional amendment that restructures the state's regulated utility, opens a competitive electricity market and subjects customers and lawmakers to hard questions.

By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 1, 2018

Chatterjee pledges no political influence after 'growing into' FERC role

The new FERC chairman says he's evolved into a nonpartisan regulator in the past year — and that will help keep the agency insulated from political pressures. 

By Gavin Bade • Oct. 31, 2018

Glick raises bailout concerns over resilience, fuel security dockets

The FERC regulator is worried open proceedings at his agency could have similar effects to a coal and nuclear bailout from the White House that his agency rejected last year. 

By Gavin Bade • Oct. 31, 2018

Utility solar expands in Florida as regulators approve 260 MW

Investor-owned utilities like Tampa Electric are using a state solar funding mechanism to "rate base" large-scale projects before the investment tax credit winds down.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Oct. 31, 2018

Western Regionalization Plan B: Utilities take an interim step to expand the grid

California lawmakers rejected the CAISO expansion so western participants are instead looking to evolve the energy imbalance market.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 30, 2018

Minnesota PUC approves 550 MW gas plant despite renewables push

Minnesota Power says the project will be necessary as "flexible, dispatchable energy producer" to help with its goal to supply 44% of electricity from renewables by 2025.

By Catherine Morehouse • Oct. 30, 2018

US on pace for record coal retirements in 2018, IEEFA finds

The U.S. will retire 15.4 GW of coal capacity this year, the clean energy think tank reported, "easily" exceeding the previous record of 14.7 GW of coal shutdowns in 2015.

By Gavin Bade • Oct. 30, 2018

Three ways utilities can better engage low-income customers

Renewables, smart meters, electric vehicles, mobile apps and other features of the "utility of the future" are proliferating. But are these technologies actually reaching all residential energy customers?

By Patty Durand • Oct. 30, 2018

Chatterjee, changed: FERC watchers see a more focused, less political chairman

Industry sources applaud Chatterjee’s newfound independence, but also preach caution about the once and current chairman.

By Gavin Bade • Oct. 29, 2018

PJM's capacity market proposal: Bad for customers, states, and the fight against climate change

While FERC expressed concern about the impact of clean energy policies among different states in the region, it did not ask for a plan that would prop up generators at the expense of customers.

By Ann McCabe and John Moore • Oct. 29, 2018

California regulators moving quickly to review utility fire mitigation plans

The California Public Utilities Commission opened a proceeding to review utility fire mitigation measures, including new requirements set by recent legislation.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 29, 2018

Tesla's 'historic' quarter included gains in storage, solar

The company expects to triple energy storage deployments, installing 239 MWh of energy storage and 93 MW of solar in the third quarter.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 26, 2018

ISO-NE, generators spar over fuel security at FERC

The grid operator and independent generators in its market are at odds over whether a proposal to retain fuel secure resources would depress market prices. 

By Gavin Bade • Oct. 26, 2018

Minnesota, New York lead on shared renewables; California, Connecticut fall short

The Interstate Renewable Energy Council released its annual scorecard Thursday, grading 17 programs across 12 states on their shared renewable energy programs.

By Catherine Morehouse • Oct. 26, 2018

California regulators prod utilities to start drafting roadmap to 100% clean energy

The sum of renewables procurements from California electricity providers is not enough to achieve the state's 2045 target, and regulators are struggling for solutions.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 25, 2018

Longer lasting storage needs cheaper chemistries, MIT prof says

Market design and cheaper chemistries will be key to developing energy storage to support renewables, experts said at California ISO's Stakeholder Symposium.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 25, 2018

#UtilityDiveLive Twitter chat calls out utilities advancing DER

We partnered with the Smart Electric Power Alliance to talk about the opportunities and pitfalls of getting to the grid of the future.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Oct. 25, 2018

Beyond fuel security: Reliability, resilience and a more sustainable future through grid flexibility

Why the focus on fuel security when improving grid flexibility could achieve the aims of fuel security more cost effectively while modernizing and decarbonizing our grid?

By Jennie Chen and Kate Konschnik • Oct. 25, 2018

Trump names Chatterjee FERC chair

Outgoing Chairman Kevin McIntyre will step down from his post but remain on FERC as a commissioner, according to a letter released by the agency.

By Gavin Bade • Updated Oct. 25, 2018

Utilities worry FCC plan to open wireless spectrum could compromise communications

Making 6 GHz bandwidth available to unlicensed users could interfere with communications between utilities and their customers during emergencies, sector leaders fear. 

By Catherine Morehouse • Oct. 24, 2018