McIntyre says FERC could be kept out of DOE effort to save at-risk generators

FERC Chairman Kevin McIntyre said he trusts Energy Secretary Rick Perry to decide whether or not to invoke emergency powers to save coal and nuclear plants from retirement.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • June 5, 2018

FERC splits again on affiliates, climate in Florida pipeline approval

Both the owner and offtaker of the Florida Lateral Project are owned by NextEra Energy, raising questions from one regulator about whether the pipeline is needed. 

By Gavin Bade • June 5, 2018

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

Grid mod policy actions jump 75%, with storage playing a central role

While the number of actions rose significantly from Q1 2017 to Q1 2018, they remained within the same set of 37 states, according to the latest edition of 50 States of Grid Modernization.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 5, 2018

Colorado integrates storage into utility planning process

Gov. Hickenlooper signed a bill Friday directing the state's Public Utilities Commission to develop procurement rules to enable investor-owned utilities to acquire energy storage systems.

By Robert Walton • June 5, 2018

How Trump's 'Soviet-style' coal directive would upend power markets

A federal order to keep coal and nuclear plants from retiring could reshape the government's relationship with the power sector, regulators and analysts say.

By Gavin Bade • June 4, 2018

Will FERC uphold state support for clean energy?

Some are celebrating FERC's apparent defense of state environmental policies, but that reaction is premature, write Danny Cullenward and Shelley Welton.

By Danny Cullenward and Shelley Welton • June 4, 2018

California regulators get another year to consider demand response issues

The California Public Utilities Commission is reviewing an evaluation of the demand response auction mechanism pilot, but says the issues are "too complex to be addressed in the informal resolution process."

By Robert Walton • June 4, 2018

Trump orders Perry to stop coal, nuclear retirements

The president’s directive to the Department of Energy comes the same day as the release of a memo advocating DOE use its emergency powers and a Cold War-era law to bail out at-risk plants.

By Gavin Bade • June 1, 2018

Trump administration preparing 2-year coal, nuke bailout

The federal government would purchase power from at-risk plants using its emergency authority and a Cold War-era nationalization law, according to a memo released Friday.

By Gavin Bade • June 1, 2018

California, New York, New Jersey see nearly $1.3B in new EV funding

The California PUC's approval of $738 million in utility electrification proposals represents the largest investment in charging infrastructure by a state to date, analysts said.

By Robert Walton • June 1, 2018

Trump's steel, aluminum tariffs expected to raise costs for energy projects

The power industry, like many sectors, is dependent on an affordable and reliable supply of materials like steel and aluminum for virtually all of its major projects, an attorney noted.

By Peter Maloney • June 1, 2018

New wind project would move MidAmerican within reach of 100% renewables goal

The utility wants to generate enough electricity from wind to equal its customer demand for a year, though other assets will likely remain on the system. 

By Gavin Bade • May 31, 2018

DOE IG report faults FERC pipeline reviews for lack of transparency

FERC should improve information sharing on pipeline applications, including upgrading its online "eLibrary" portal and better track comments throughout the process, the DOE Inspector General said. 

By Gavin Bade • May 31, 2018

Why natural gas' reign may come to a quick end

Turbulent markets and disruptive technology will require every fuel source — even those that are currently winning on low costs — to become even more efficient, writes Uptake's Michael Donohue.

By Michael Donohue • May 31, 2018

Salt River Project launches first standalone storage project

SRP is buying power from a new 10 MW battery system by an AES/Siemens venture, as it works to increase the reliability of its system and offset renewable energy installations.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 30, 2018

FERC, DOJ support Illinois nuclear subsidies in court filing

The controversial nuclear payments do not interfere with FERC's jurisdiction over wholesale power markets, the agencies argued.

By Gavin Bade • May 30, 2018

Vermont law 'ups the ante' on energy efficiency

To make up for federal inaction, Vermont has enacted energy efficiency standards for appliances, similar to the unpublished DOE standards released at the end of the Obama administration.

By Peter Maloney • May 30, 2018

Xcel to add 1.2 GW of wind to Texas, New Mexico mix, as PUC gives formal OK

The utility's plan nearly doubles the amount of wind capacity in that service area through two wind farms and a power purchase agreement from wind farms developed by NextEra.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 30, 2018

Puerto Rico's utility signed a $900M contract last week. Who will pay is a mystery.

PREPA is mired in bankruptcy and can't pay for a deal it just signed. Federal agencies, meanwhile, refuse to say if they will pick up the tab.

By Gavin Bade • May 29, 2018

EPA proposes to maintain Obama-era standards for sulfur oxides

The agency is also seeking comment on whether there are "appropriate alternative approaches" for half of the measures used in determining air quality.

By Robert Walton • May 29, 2018

N.J. sets 'aggressive' 2 GW storage target by 2030

Part of a broader recently-enacted law, the policy makes New Jersey the fifth state to set an energy storage goal.

By Peter Maloney • May 29, 2018

Cal Fire: PG&E violated state law, causing 3 wildfires last year

State officials released their first investigations into the 2017 California wildfire season last week, which could pose up to a $12 billion liability for PG&E.

By Gavin Bade • May 29, 2018

State regulators approve Westar, Great Plains Energy $15B merger

Kansas and Missouri regulators approved the deal after the companies removed a $4.9 billion acquisition premium that Great Plains proposed to pay for Westar.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 29, 2018

South Carolina regulators reject rehearing for controversial SCE&G solar rates

The utility's most recent avoided cost calculations lower the rates paid to PURPA projects to $0/kW-year.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 29, 2018

Trump abandons plan to sell off BPA power assets

The White House plan to sell off four federal power authorities, floated in its last two budget proposals, was opposed by electric co-op and municipal utility groups.

By Gavin Bade • May 29, 2018