Pruitt: No decision yet on carbon endangerment finding challenge

The EPA administrator is still weighing whether to conduct a "red team, blue team" review of climate science, he told a Senate committee Tuesday.

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 30, 2018

DOE report touts small modular reactors, but hurdles remain

The department highlights the resiliency of SMRs for federal facilities, recommending their use by the Tennessee Valley Authority at a site in Oak Ridge, Tenn., adjacent to a national nuclear and security facility.

By Peter Maloney • Jan. 30, 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

Energy storage has an upstream swim in the Pacific Northwest

The dominance of low cost hydropower in the region, along with policies that favor large power plant development over distributed energy resources, present challenges for the resource.

By Peter Maloney • Jan. 30, 2018

Arizona regulator proposes 80% clean energy mandate, 3 GW storage target

The Clean Peak Standard from Arizona regulator Andy Tobin would require utilities to deliver an increasing portion of their renewable energy during peak demand hours. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 30, 2018

The best laid plans of state regulators are now aimed at building a better distribution system

Regulators are pushing utilities to plan for the rising penetrations of distributed energy resources, but they're doing it in many ways.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 30, 2018

New Jersey to rejoin RGGI in new executive order

Former Gov. Chris Christie withdrew the state from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in 2012, causing it to fall behind on emission targets. 

By Peter Maloney • Jan. 29, 2018

FirstEnergy: Davis-Besse nuke will soon close absent Ohio subsidies

The leader of the utilities committee in the Ohio Senate said separately he has no plans to move a plant subsidy bill. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 26, 2018

EPA loosens Clean Air Act rules for major pollution sources

The agency is rescinding the "once in, always in" policy that made major pollution sources permanently subject to tougher emission control standards.

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 26, 2018

Ohio Supreme Court sides with FirstEnergy in $43M renewable credit refund case

The court said the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio erred in a 2013 order directing the utility to return the money to ratepayers, finding it would amount to "unlawful retroactive ratemaking."

By Robert Walton • Jan. 25, 2018

Will utilities keep investing in solar after Trump's tariffs?

The answer is yes, but the solar sector will also look to state mandates and incentives to keep businesses running. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Jan. 25, 2018

Maine's governor puts the kibosh on new wind power in the state

Gov. Paul LePage's executive order puts a moratorium on new wind turbines and creates a commission to review past and future wind projects.  

By Peter Maloney • Jan. 25, 2018

Will the country's first mandatory residential demand charge slow the Massachusetts solar boom?

Opponents of the charge, approved as part of an Eversource rate case, say it could harm the growth of solar and other distributed energy resources by significantly increasing costs for customers.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 25, 2018

Dominion's Millstone nuclear plant could warrant subsidies, draft report says

However, the draft report also found that retiring the nuclear plant could cost ratepayers as much as $5.5 billion to replace its zero emission generation with renewable resources.

By Peter Maloney • Jan. 23, 2018

FERC lauds grid performance in bomb cyclone; PJM pushes price formation in hearing

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing to assess the performance of the bulk grid system during January. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Jan. 23, 2018

6 months after target adoption, Massachusetts sees energy storage growth, challenges

Hurdles remain in integrating the technology in the state and into the wider ISO New England.

By Peter Maloney • Jan. 23, 2018

Getting to 'head-spinning' low prices for U.S. offshore wind

Projected additions to U.S. offshore wind capacity are expected to drive the emergence of the domestic support system the sector needs to drive prices closer to other generation options.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 23, 2018

Puerto Rico governor moves to privatize utility PREPA

The nation's largest public utility, long beset by underinvestment and mismanagement, has been under fire for its response to Hurricane Maria.

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 23, 2018

Trump issues 30% tariff on solar panel imports

The Trump administration issued a 30% tariff on crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules and cells, which will decline over a four-year span.

By Krysti Shallenberger • Jan. 22, 2018

FERC approves PennEast pipeline in 4-1 vote, Glick dissents

Pipeline owners aim to start construction this year, but still must obtain environmental permits from New Jersey, where local sentiment against the project remains strong. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 22, 2018

10 trends shaping the power sector in 2018

FERC turns to resilience, utilities embrace storage and renewables face new obstacles. Here's what we're watching in the year ahead. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 22, 2018

Virginia lawmakers seek to end Dominion rate freeze

The bipartisan effort would also return some funds to customers, due to the recent tax system overhaul and lower corporate rates.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 22, 2018

EPA, DOE and FERC continue operations amid government shutdown

These agencies have enough funds to continue operating for a limited time, but have set contingency plans should the shutdown drag out longer. 

By Robert Walton • Jan. 22, 2018

Is cap and trade the climate solution? The jury's still out

California and New England are about to find out what the market-based mechanism for reducing emissions can really do.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 19, 2018

McIntyre: FERC ex parte rules 'worked perfectly' in FirstEnergy coal plant case

The FERC chair said after Thursday's open meeting he would speak to commission staff about the source of leaked information that led to an ex parte communication between a FirstEnergy lawyer and Commissioner Neil Chatterjee. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 18, 2018

ERCOT sets winter demand record, pushing prices above $2K/MWh

High prices are welcome news for generators, but analysts warn solar growth could depress such events in the future. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 18, 2018