DOE pushing small modular coal plant development

By 2022, DOE wants to design at least two small-scale coal plants with "flexible operating capacity," according to its budget justification. 

By Gavin Bade • March 7, 2018

NRC chair outlines reforms for advanced reactor reviews

NRC will develop new processes to review non-light water nuclear plants, such as small modular reactors, and help industry develop new standards, Chairman Kristine Svinicki said. 

By Gavin Bade • March 7, 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

All in or half there: Maryland Legislature debates two different RPS bills

Lawmakers are debating two bills that would raise the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard to 50% or 100%. Analysts say the 50% increase will likely muster more support than the other measure. 

By Peter Maloney • March 7, 2018

Puerto Rico regulators, federal oversight board wrestle for control of PREPA

Puerto Rico's utility regulators say the Financial Oversight and Management Board is trying to wrest control of the island's utility and its energy future.

By Robert Walton • March 6, 2018

Co-op, muni, clean energy groups target capacity reforms in FERC letter

Any reform to capacity markets should prevent over-procurement of generation resources, the groups wrote, while also ensuring clear responsibilities for resource adequacy. 

By Gavin Bade • March 6, 2018

The flip side of FERC's landmark storage order: A call for states to take action

State action will be essential to reach the full potential of FERC Order 841, The Brattle Group says in a new report.

By Peter Maloney • March 6, 2018

Tackling the perverse incentive: Utilities need new cost recovery mechanisms for new technologies

If utility regulators change key accounting rules, utilities could ratebase contracted cloud computing and DER services, cut customer costs and benefit stakeholders.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 6, 2018

Utilities find groundwater contamination, radioactivity at unlined coal ash sites

The findings come as the Trump administration looks to roll back the Obama-era coal ash rule that compelled utilities to collect groundwater data.   

By Robert Walton • March 5, 2018

IRS: Residential storage eligible for ITC when charged by onsite solar

The ruling applies only to an individual storage facility, but shows how the agency may interpret home battery eligibility for the 30% solar investment tax credit.

By Gavin Bade • March 5, 2018

Time-travel, utility-style: Outlines of the utility of the future appear

Rocky Mountain Institute experts identify price, data and interconnection as the keys to success for the utility of the future, whether it's an expanded monopoly or a distribution system platform.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 5, 2018

Carbon tax fails — again — in Washington

Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee says the Senate does not have enough votes to pass the measure, but he expects a price on carbon at some point in Washington's future.

By Robert Walton • March 2, 2018

EPA moves to give states more leeway on coal ash

A new proposed rule includes many changes EPA previewed in a November court document, including alterations to groundwater monitoring and protection standards, cleanup and closure rules and location restrictions for ash pits.

By Gavin Bade • March 2, 2018

The 'stealth NOPR?' PJM CEO says market reforms are no bailout for coal

Some experts are concerned pending reforms in the nation’s largest electricity market could have similar results to a Trump administration subsidy plan rejected by federal regulators.

By Gavin Bade • March 1, 2018

FERC staff: Eversource, Avangrid did not withhold pipeline capacity

An October report from the Environmental Defense Fund asserted the two utilities had artificially constrained capacity on the Algonquin pipeline, driving up power prices in New England.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 28, 2018

Five energy industry trends of tomorrow impacting companies today

Energy is a long game, and all stakeholders have made a long-term affirmation that we are headed toward a more renewable future, REC Solar Senior Vice President Alan Russo writes.

By Alan Russo • Feb. 28, 2018

Report: Cities of all sizes can achieve sustainable energy solutions

The NRG report found that leading cities shared four main tactics in their efforts to boost sustainable energy: dedicating staff resources, employing unique assets, finding funding and accessing expertise.

By Katie Pyzyk • Feb. 27, 2018

PJM: Reliability strong during January cold snap, but pricing reforms needed

The nation's largest electricity market performed well during January's "bomb cyclone," its grid operator said, but a spike in uplift charges reveals the need for pricing reforms. 

By Robert Walton • Feb. 27, 2018

SEU 2018 survey: Utilities shaken, not moved, by Trump policies

Utility Dive's fifth annual State of the Electric Utility survey shows a sector committed to the clean energy transition, but wary of policies coming out of Washington.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 27, 2018

Team of rivals: Utilities, enviros unite to push electric vehicles

Old adversaries from the rooftop solar fights are finding common ground on transportation electrification.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 26, 2018

Let the US EPA coal ash rule procedures work

Environmentalists are raising concerns about risks to groundwater from coal ash, making this an opportune time to clarify EPA’s 2015 coal combustion residual rule, attorney Brent Fewell writes.

By Brent Fewell • Feb. 26, 2018

Solving our energy grid problems requires a data sharing economy

Solving energy grid problems in New York, Puerto Rico and beyond will depend on innovative leaders who are willing to foster standards and knowledge sharing, according to Lisa Salley, vice president of Global Industry Services at the American Petroleum Institute.  

By Lisa Salley • Feb. 23, 2018

Michigan, Louisiana press utilities to return tax savings to customers

The federal corporate tax rate dropped to 21% in January, but some utilities are still billing customers as though the rate is 35%.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 23, 2018

FirstEnergy CEO says generation subsidiary headed for bankruptcy protection

Chuck Jones said he would be "shocked" if the company's merchant generation business did not file for bankruptcy protection by the end of March.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 23, 2018

California energy agency predicts rising power demand

The California Energy Commission on Feb. 21 released its updated demand forecast, which sees higher consumption driven by electric vehicles and climate change. 

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 23, 2018

Customer empowerment upheaval forces California into hold on renewables

Customer choice aggregation is sweeping through California, putting almost everything about the state’s already groundbreaking power delivery into doubt.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 22, 2018