Glick 'at a loss' over FERC role in Trump coal and nuclear bailout

The Democrat commissioner said he has no knowledge of FERC's efforts to assist the Trump administration in supporting money-losing coal and nuclear plants, which the agency's chief of staff revealed last week.

By Gavin Bade • Aug. 16, 2018

PacifiCorp, Sierra Club head to court over confidential coal fleet study

A study produced for Sierra Club concludes the utility could save nearly $700 million by shutting down 11 of its 24 coal units and replacing the power on the open market.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 16, 2018

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 Stories from Utility Dive

Power demand is rising amid dramatic shifts in federal energy policy, but technology and markets continue to push the grid toward cleaner, more distributed resources. 

By Utility Dive staff

Houston public safety team reflects on 3-day cyberattack simulation

The Jack Voltaic 2.0 exercise aimed to bring electric, water and telecom utilities to the same table to prepare for a coordinated cyberattack. 

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 16, 2018

PJM prepares new capacity repricing rule in response to FERC order

The RTO is considering a resource specific carve-out, or "ReCO," as an alternative to the minimum offer price rule that FERC rejected.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Aug. 16, 2018

Powering California's future: What role does natural gas play as we move toward nearly GHG-free electricity?

The core issue is that natural gas is present in the state's 2030 electric portfolio, even in the most aggressive emissions reduction scenarios, CPUC Commissioner Liane M. Randolph says.

By Liane M. Randolph • Aug. 16, 2018

California Senate appropriations committee takes up ISO regionalization bill

State policymakers have been pushing hard for a regional market that would encompass all the western states for years, but opponents have been pushing just as hard to kill the bill.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 15, 2018

PJM asks FERC to delay 2019 capacity market auction

If FERC cannot deliver a final decision on market reforms before January, the grid operator said it will need to delay its capacity auction from May to August of next year. 

By Gavin Bade • Aug. 15, 2018

Environmental regulatory rollbacks are no time for utilities to relax

Power plant operations and infrastructure are caught in the crossfire as NGOs and other parties challenge federal agency action through citizen suits, according to Schiff Hardin environmental attorneys.

By J. Michael Showalter and Ryan Granholm • Aug. 15, 2018

Indiana consumer advocate urges regulators to reject $900M Vectren generation plan

The state's Office of Utility Consumer Counselor says the utility didn't consider all alternatives to its plan to retire four of its five coal plants.

By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 15, 2018

PG&E's landmark energy storage projects snagged by pushback

The CPUC extended the approval process for the four projects after critics filed comments claiming the utility did not meet regulatory criteria.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 14, 2018

Lawmakers skeptical of Gov. Brown's plan to alter California wildfire liability rules

As wildfires continue to spread throughout the state, lawmakers hesitate to tackle legislation that could be construed as a bailout for electric utilities.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 14, 2018

Missouri court overrules regulators, finds PSC has jurisdiction over EV charging stations

By granting the state PSC jurisdiction over charging stations, the judge gave utilities a path to recover EV infrastructure investments from their rate base.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 14, 2018

Exit fee: Deciding the fate of California's utilities and customer choice movement

The future of California's biggest utilities may depend on how much customers have to pay to leave them. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Updated Aug. 16, 2018

Federal oversight board orders changes to PREPA budget

Puerto Rico's utility has until Wednesday to issue revised plans or risk the federal board imposing its budget.

By Gavin Bade • Aug. 14, 2018

Newly-released emails spark transparency concerns among California regulators

The heads of state energy agencies have been secretly meeting to develop policy, the Union-Tribune reports, reminiscent of a scandal that brought down former CPUC Chair Michael Peevey.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 14, 2018

MISO plans storage market roles in response to FERC Order 841

Proposed rules would have two metrics for measuring energy storage capacity to help the resources participate in wholesale electricity markets. 

Aug. 13, 2018

FERC halts Atlantic Coast, clears 3 other pipeline projects in busy Friday

The decisions came hours before Republicans lost their one-vote majority on FERC. Until a replacement is confirmed, Democrats can deadlock agency votes. 

By Gavin Bade • Aug. 13, 2018

Nevada pushes distributed resource planning regulations ahead of ballot initiative

The Public Utility Commission proposed a rule to implement new state provisions for filing integrated resources plans, as support builds for front-of and behind-the-meter clean energy technologies.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Aug. 13, 2018

Interest groups protest SCE's $760M EV plan

The Utility Reform Network and Small Business Utility Advocates say SCE is placing the cost burden on customers and not considering the small business market. 

By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 10, 2018

As Powelson steps down, greens call for FERC seat to stay vacant

Powelson's departure Friday comes during a busy summer for FERC, with the commission facing high-profile decisions on pipelines, grid resilience and the PJM capacity market. 

By Gavin Bade • Aug. 10, 2018

NRC says manufacturing flaws 'negligible,' plant shutdowns not necessary

Defects in reactor components shut nuclear plants in France. A petition by Beyond Nuclear alleges reactors at the plants named in the petition rely on potentially defective components and potentially falsified quality assurance documentation.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 10, 2018

Wisconsin brings energy pricing transparency into strategic assessment

After stakeholders challenged the Public Service Commission's lack of transparency regarding the state's electricity costs, the updated assessment includes more data and insight. 

By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 10, 2018

Breaking into the US energy market, offshore wind developers strive to please all

Companies building regulatory and project management experience in creating offshore wind farms in the U.S. hint at a future snowball effect of projects once new channels are established and economies of scale can be reached.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Aug. 9, 2018

An offer utilities can't refuse: The low cost of utility-scale solar

A new report finds even policy uncertainties have not stopped the growing partnership between utilities and solar.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 9, 2018

Report: FERC working with White House, NSC on coal and nuclear bailout

FERC's chief of staff said the agency is working to identify plants "critical" to the grid, E&E reports, the first step in a bailout plan detailed in a leaked NSC memo this spring. 

By Gavin Bade • Updated Aug. 9, 2018