What to watch in the wake of the DOE grid study

Power sector experts say there are several ways the long-awaited study could impact wholesale power markets, FERC and electric policy.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 28, 2017

NREL: 5 million commercial customers could benefit from BTM storage

The study identifies areas where customers have the greatest potential to benefit from investing in battery storage.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 28, 2017

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

Santee Cooper CEO resigns in wake of abandonment of Summer nuclear project

Carter’s replacement has yet to be named, but a search is underway for an interim CEO, a Santee Cooper spokeswoman told Utility Dive.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 28, 2017

Mississippi Power CEO 'very surprised' by failed Kemper negotiations

Mississippi Power and the Mississippi Public Utilities Staff have yet to reach a settlement regarding the utility’s canceled Kemper integrated gasification combined-cycle project.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 28, 2017

Oglethorpe seeks $1.6B from DOE to finish troubled Vogtle nuclear project

The Department of Energy has already pledged $8.6 billion in loans for Southern Co.'s nuclear project, whose fate remains uncertain in the wake of Westinghouse's bankruptcy. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Aug. 25, 2017

RGGI states propose to cut power plant emissions another 30%

The proposal would set the regional cap at 75.1 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2021, which will decline by 2.275 million tons of CO2 in each succeeding year. 

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 25, 2017

IHS Markit raises global solar installation forecast by 14% over Chinese solar boom

The consulting group predicts 90 GW of solar panels will be installed this year, with 45 GW of those installations in China.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 25, 2017

Why the science of where matters for utilities

Location intelligence can help your utilities enhance performance, lower costs and improve customer service.

By Bill Meehan, Director Utility Solutions, Esri • Aug. 24, 2017

NREL: Solar-plus-storage could be competitive by 2020

The findings are specific to a variety of circumstances, including how the storage system is coupled to the solar arrays and the overall degree of solar penetration.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 24, 2017

APS rate case, political funding fight spills into Arizona Supreme Court

Arizona Corporation Commissioner Bob Burns asked the state Supreme Court to overturn regulatory approval of Arizona Public Service Co.'s new rates. 

By Robert Walton • Aug. 24, 2017

DOE releases highly anticipated grid study, faults natural gas for baseload retirements

The study found cheap natural gas to be the greatest driver of plant retirements — and most notably, did not find renewables to be a threat to grid reliability. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Aug. 23, 2017

Mississippi Power misses Kemper settlement deadline

State regulators previously advised stakeholders that a settlement should not include a rate increase for Mississippi Power customers.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 23, 2017

DC Circuit rejects FERC approval of Southeast pipelines project over climate concerns

The D.C. Circuit Court concluded FERC should have considered climate change impacts when it approved the Southeast Market Pipelines Project last year.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 23, 2017

California nets $640M for greenhouse gas fund in latest cap and trade auction

All allowances in the state's greenhouse cap and trade auction are sold above minimum prices.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 23, 2017

California utilities plot ways to prep grid for coming EV boom

Utilities are rolling out comprehensive pilot programs to boost EV deployment to meet the state's ambitious transportation goals and leverage grid benefits. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 22, 2017

Alevo's bankruptcy illustrates the pitfalls newcomers face in energy storage markets

Stationary energy storage is a commodity market, and it is not kind to new entrants.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 22, 2017

MISO reports higher power prices during July

The grid operator attributed the higher prices to heavier loads and weaker wind generation during the period.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 22, 2017

How rural co-ops are shifting to a cleaner power mix

Driven by wind credits, low gas prices and consumer demand, rural co-ops are finding new ways to boost renewables. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 21, 2017

Federal court rejects Allco's rehearing request in challenge to Connecticut's renewable RFP

The Allco case was closely watched by both sides in recent court battles involving states’ legal rights to craft policies aimed at fostering clean energy goals.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 21, 2017

Los Angeles muni speeds deployment of 20 MW battery storage project

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power accelerated the timeline for a proposed storage project to come online in 2018 instead of 2020. 

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 21, 2017

Sempra swoops in with $9.5B Oncor bid after Buffett's Berkshire loses out

Energy Future Holdings abandoned a bid from Berkshire Hathaway after its main creditor criticized Warren Buffett for undervaluing the company's prized asset. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Aug. 21, 2017

Grid modernization efforts heat up in Q2, but more are on the way

The latest quarterly report from the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center sheds light on policy debates surrounding efforts to boost grid reliability and new technologies. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 18, 2017

Trump rolls out executive order to speed infrastructure permitting, approval

President Donald Trump's executive order fulfills campaign promises to streamline permitting and approval processes for major infrastructure projects.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 17, 2017

Ohio regulators reject challenge to FirstEnergy subsidy

Last year, state regulators allowed FirstEnergy to collect an additional $204 million annually for grid modernization efforts. Opponents say the extra monies will go toward keeping struggling coal and nuclear plants afloat.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 17, 2017

Is the future finally here for utility-scale solar-plus-storage?

8minutenergy's Carl Stills, vice president of storage integration, and Steve McKenery, vice president of storage solutions, discuss the future of solar-plus-storage.

By Carl Stills, Steve McKenery • Aug. 16, 2017