House boosts advanced nuclear, passing Senate-approved bill

The legislation would create a National Reactor Innovation Center, combining national lab and Department of Energy expertise to help speed advanced nuclear reactors to market.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Sept. 14, 2018

Nudged by FERC, federal appeals court upholds Illinois nuclear subsidies

The decision is a blow for fossil fuel generators and adds to a growing body of case law concerning the boundary between state and federal jurisdictions in the power sector. 

By Gavin Bade • Sept. 14, 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

Duke shuts down Brunswick nuclear plant ahead of Hurricane Florence

The utility says it expects up to 3 million power outages as a result of the massive storm and has 20,000 workers ready for the recovery effort.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 13, 2018

Renewables: As rooftop solar expands, states grapple with successors to net metering

Replacements to the controversial solar incentive have cropped up in Hawaii, California and elsewhere, but policymakers have struggled to devise a replicable model across the U.S. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 13, 2018

Arsenic pollution from Dominion coal plant did not violate CWA, appeals court rules

Dominion's Chesapeake coal plant does not qualify as a "point source" under the Clean Water Act because arsenic it seeped diffusely from it into navigable waters, the court wrote. 

By Gavin Bade • Sept. 13, 2018

FERC, NERC open inquiry into winter load event that stressed Midwest grids

The inquiry could take on special significance given FERC's open grid resilience proceeding and the looming threat of a coal and nuclear bailout from the White House. 

By Gavin Bade • Sept. 13, 2018

Washington munis oppose second ballot initiative for taxing carbon

Voters rejected a carbon tax at the polls in 2016 and another proposal failed in the state Senate earlier this year.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 13, 2018

Initiative gives cities equal access to competitive EV bids

The Climate Mayors Electric Vehicle Purchasing Collaborative provides an online portal for cities to bid on the vehicles and charging infrastructure.

By Chris Teale • Sept. 12, 2018

Outages, coal plant flooding top concerns as utilities brace for Hurricane Florence

Environmental groups are afraid flooding could release toxic coal ash, but utilities say their bigger worry involves cooling ponds at regional power plants. 

By Catherine Morehouse • Sept. 12, 2018

SCE floats new wildfire grid upgrades after passage of California law

SCE's proposed $582 million hardening package comes in response to Senate Bill 901, which required utilities to update fire mitigation plans.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 12, 2018

Arizona regulators approve lower rooftop solar credits for TEP, UNSE customers

Regulators did not cut solar compensation as much as the utilities wanted, but installers still worry the lower rates will hamper adoption. 

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Sept. 12, 2018

McIntyre again defends FERC chief of staff amid political influence concerns

The FERC chairman said his chief of staff is "highly qualified" despite his comments that were widely interpreted as a statement that FERC is working with the White House on a bailout for coal and nuclear generators. 

By Gavin Bade • Sept. 12, 2018

Tucson Electric Power joins fight against Arizona's 50% renewables ballot initiative

Tucson Electric Power Co. has registered a political action committee to oppose the 50% renewable energy standard that will appear on ballots in November, according to local media reports. 

By Robert Walton • Sept. 11, 2018

Under new Iowa law, MidAmerican proposes to cut efficiency spending by 60%

Alliant and MidAmerican's recent filings reflected changes from recent state legislation enacted to cut back efficiency programs.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 11, 2018

Southern environmental groups sue TVA over new rates, grid charge

The five groups allege the utility's proposed rate structure discourages distributed energy adoption in order to maximize profits. 

By Catherine Morehouse • Sept. 11, 2018

California has a 100% clean energy goal, but not the laws to get it there, critics say

Legislators went big on renewable energy and utility wildfire protections, but went home before kickstarting clean energy procurement or expanding the CAISO market.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 11, 2018

Lyft commits to 100% renewable energy, full carbon neutrality

The company is "doubling down on our climate and clean energy commitments" just in time for the 2018 Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco.

By Kristin Musulin • Sept. 11, 2018

Battery material shortage pushes developers to shift li-ion chemistries

Demand for nickel manganese cobalt batteries is outstripping supply, so some storage developers are turning to the more "rugged" lithium iron phosphate chemistry.

By Peter Maloney • Sept. 11, 2018

Developers see value in California offshore wind development

Following market growth and big contract price drops along the East Coast, offshore wind developers are taking on floating foundations and the Navy on the West Coast. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 10, 2018

Pepco unveils $15M transportation electrification program for DC

Electric vehicle growth has been uneven in the District of Columbia, where two-thirds of residents are renters and have limited access to charging infrastructure.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 10, 2018

Duke 15-year plans lean heavy on gas to replace coal

Two-thirds of Duke's new capacity through 2033 will be from gas-fired power plants if regulators approve two resource plans submitted by the utility last week. 

By Robert Walton • Sept. 10, 2018

Bipartisan senators seek to revive nuclear energy investment

The ambitious agenda of the new bill includes items the Department of Energy could enforce to support the development of advanced nuclear reactors.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Sept. 10, 2018

Ex-GOP FERC chair on coal bailout: 'This too shall pass'

"I just hate that everybody's wasting time worrying about this [stuff]," former Chairman Pat Wood III said of the Trump administration's plan to bail out coal and nuclear generators.

By Gavin Bade • Sept. 7, 2018

California ISO board approves measures to propel energy storage, DERs

CAISO's Board of Directors approved changes to how behind-the-meter energy storage resources participate in the ISO and measures to facilitate the use of demand response resources in the wholesale market.

By Peter Maloney • Sept. 7, 2018

San Francisco announces 4 key environmental commitments

Mayor London Breed committed the city to zero waste, making its buildings carbon neutral, issuing green bonds and using 100% renewable energy.

By Chris Teale • Sept. 7, 2018