New Hampshire governor's energy plan leans on nuclear, gas

The new plan by Gov. Sununu aims to diminish the cost impacts of renewable energy procurement by neighboring states, assuming those contracts will be above market rates.

By Peter Maloney • April 18, 2018

FERC chair takes up coal lobby line on plant retirements

Chairman Kevin McIntyre told House lawmakers he is concerned entire resource categories could "go the way of the dodo bird." It's a line common among the coal and nuclear lobbies, and few others. 

By Gavin Bade • April 17, 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

State-federal concerns could dim FERC's landmark storage order

Wider access to a variety of markets has been hailed as the basis for energy storage growth, but jurisdictional issues could thwart an overarching solution.

By Peter Maloney • April 17, 2018

Exelon, FE nuke closures would reverse PJM wind, solar benefits: Brattle report

Closing four plants in Ohio and Pennsylvania would harm the environment and raise electricity costs for consumers, a recent analysis finds.

By Peter Maloney • April 17, 2018

EPSA rails against FirstEnergy emergency request, New Jersey nuke subsidies

The trade group for independent power plant owners argues both requests amount to unnecessary bailouts for failing power plants.  

By Gavin Bade • April 16, 2018

NGOs challenge New Orleans regulatory plan, Entergy peaker

The New Orleans City Council approved Entergy's proposed gas plant earlier this year, but environmental advocates say the City Council failed to examine "more benign" alternatives, like renewable energy. 

By Peter Maloney • April 16, 2018

Oregon's chief utility regulator resigns abruptly

Lisa Hardie, appointed in 2016 by Gov. Kate Brown to the Public Utilities Commission, didn't give a reason for her resignation. She will be replaced as Chair by Megan Decker.

By Robert Walton • April 13, 2018

New Jersey passes bills for nuke subsidies, 50% RPS, 2 GW storage target

Gov. Phil Murphy (D) is expected to sign the measures, but proposed reforms to PJM's capacity market make the nuclear subsides' impact on wholesale power prices unclear.

By Gavin Bade • April 13, 2018

US led surging global energy storage market in 2017, GTM says

While the U.S. remains the leader in energy storage deployments, with 431 MWh out of a global total of 2.3 GWh in 2017, China is rising quickly into second.

By Peter Maloney • April 13, 2018

Senate confirms coal lobbyist Wheeler as EPA No. 2

Andrew Wheeler was present for preliminary meetings last year that led to the crafting of the Department of Energy's controversial plan to bail out coal and nuclear plants. 

By Gavin Bade • April 13, 2018

Perry: Emergency order for coal, nukes is 'exactly what has to happen'

The Secretary of Energy told a House committee Thursday emergency action to save coal and nuclear plants is necessary, though he stopped short of committing to a particular action. 

By Gavin Bade • April 12, 2018

How much are tariffs holding solar back?

Solar is maturing into a least-cost, best-fit resource for utilities and customers while facing down challenges with plunging costs and new grid services.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 12, 2018

Mitsubishi subsidiary seeks permits for $1.5B gas plant to send power to NYC

Diamond Generating is proposing a 1,200 MW plant in New Jersey's Meadowlands — an area close to major markets for electricity, but also environmentally sensitive.

By Peter Maloney • April 12, 2018

Utilities, DER providers face off over market access at FERC meeting

Grid operators and utilities want to ensure that new distributed resources do not threaten reliability, while DER providers are wary they will use the argument as an excuse to stifle competition.

By Gavin Bade • April 12, 2018

DC Council bill would establish US's first independent DER authority

The authority would have the power to review any utility investment over $25 million to see if non-wire alternatives could meet grid needs less expensively. 

By Gavin Bade • April 11, 2018

MISO states push for authority over DER in electricity markets at FERC meeting

The states want to be able to choose whether they allow distributed resource aggregations to play in both retail and wholesale markets.  

By Gavin Bade • April 11, 2018

Residential storage faces sunny prospects this year

Pairing storage with rooftop solar could boom if interest translates into action.

By Peter Maloney • April 10, 2018

Three things consumers want from electricity providers

Utilities are working to improve the customer experience, but what do consumers really want? Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative's Patty Durand explores.

By Patty Durand • April 10, 2018

PJM files competing capacity market reforms at FERC

Stakeholder consternation over the two plans led the grid operator's leadership to punt the decision to federal regulators.

By Gavin Bade • April 10, 2018

Perry: Economics not 'the issue' for FirstEnergy emergency evaluation

A senior DOE official previously said the agency "would never use" an emergency order to "stave off an economic issue."

By Gavin Bade • April 9, 2018

Southern Co. to be 'low to no carbon' by 2050, CEO says

While he gave no exact targets, Tom Fanning told Utility Dive that Southern will focus on technologies "that will allow us to take down carbon emissions to zero."

By Gavin Bade • April 9, 2018

What's next for South Carolina's embattled utilities?

The $10 billion planned cost for new nuclear turned into more than $20 billion, and the utilities' nuclear renaissance turned into a nuclear nightmare.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 9, 2018

Updated: California muni shelves gas plant to consider renewable options

The Glendale community becomes the latest on the list of jurisdictions reconsidering gas plant investments. 

By Gavin Bade • April 9, 2018

Trump 'looking at' emergency order to save PJM coal, nuclear plants

The president's off-the-cuff remarks came a day after he dined with a former lobbyist for FirstEnergy, the coal-bound Ohio utility that requested a bailout for the plants. 

By Gavin Bade • April 5, 2018

The two key questions about going to 100% renewables in Los Angeles

The city council wants its municipal utility to reach the clean energy goal, and a new report says it can by 2030 — if the utility can learn new ways.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 5, 2018