The rate cases are coming: How will utility customers react?

Strong customer opposition to current rate cases could leave utilities in the lurch when it comes to raising funds they need to make good on their promises to improve the safety and sustainability of their operations.

By Mark Spalinger • Nov. 9, 2023

Kentucky PSC partly approves PPL’s $2.1B plan to retire coal, add gas, solar and storage

The commission approved a 125 MW/500 MWh battery energy storage facility, which it said will give LG&E/KU insight into operating and integrating large-scale storage to meet customer demand.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 8, 2023

Explore the Trendline➔

Cybersecurity of the Grid

While cyberthreats to the power sector are expanding, so are the tools to address them. But a key question remains — are companies doing what's needed to reduce the risk?

By Utility Dive staff

Texas voters approve $10B energy fund, with most going to build gas-fired power plants

The fund will be administered by the Public Utility Commission of Texas, with $7.2 billion allocated for new construction or upgrades of dispatchable power generation. 

By Robert Walton • Nov. 8, 2023

Where do cellular generational standards come from, and what is 6G?

What exactly does “6G” mean? The development of cellular generations involves a collaborative effort between the International Telecommunications Union and 3GPP.

By Mathew Eshpeter, Technical Consultant, Burns & McDonnell • Nov. 6, 2023

MISO capacity proposal draws mixed reviews at FERC. Mississippi PSC calls it ‘hokum.’

The Organization of MISO States backs the Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s proposal to change its capacity auctions, but Entergy, Southern utility regulators and environmental groups oppose parts of the plan.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 6, 2023

Duke, others leverage new IRA rules to finance clean energy, but cost, complexity are hurdles

New tax credit provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act could more than triple the $20 billion annual tax equity market that today finances clean energy in the U.S., if various challenges can be overcome.

By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 6, 2023

How America’s grid modernization stakes echo Eisenhower’s interstate revolution

Enacting sound policies that deliver a 21st century grid and spur interregional transmission development will drive tremendous economic and other benefits like our interstate highway system has done.

By Jose Zayas • Nov. 6, 2023

More MISO-PJM transmission transfer capacity could save over $15B by 2035: report

The American Council on Renewable Energy called on the PJM Interconnection to adopt a proactive, multi-value transmission planning approach.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 3, 2023

FERC Order 2023 won’t solve fundamental interconnection problems: Commissioner Clements

“The reality is, when we have these complex issues, you don't just solve it, like the good old days, with one rule,” Clements said Thursday. “This is going to be a series of steps.”

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 3, 2023

DOE picks National Grid, Berkshire Hathaway, Grid United transmission projects in first capacity buys

The planned transmission projects in New England and the West could carry 3.7 GW of clean energy while bolstering grid resilience, DOE said Monday.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 30, 2023

Supply Chain and Asset Traceability for Electric (SCATE) with Unique IDs and Smart Tags

A new IEEE Industry Connection program is developing a specification for Unique IDs and Smart Tags to enable supply chain and asset traceability.

By Alicia Farag • Oct. 30, 2023

CPUC proposals for PG&E revenues insufficient for necessary safety work: CEO Poppe

A ratepayer advocate stressed, however, that utilities can’t have a blank check approach to safety.

By Kavya Balaraman • Oct. 27, 2023

131 companies press for 100% decarbonized power systems in all countries by 2040

The coalition, which includes companies like EDP and Ørsted and represents nearly $1 trillion in annual revenue, is asking policymakers to end reliance on fossil fuels through regulations and clean-energy investments.

By Zoya Mirza • Oct. 27, 2023

Key lessons for an economical and reliable path to a 100% clean electricity system

While the near- and mid-term path to reach an 80%-90% clean system is relatively clear, the technological mix of the final leg is still highly uncertain.

By Derek Stenclik and Priya Sreedharan • Oct. 27, 2023

DOE issues draft plan for speeding up, improving grid interconnections

The draft road map goes beyond the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s recent interconnection reform rule, in part by calling for fast-track interconnection options.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 26, 2023

Bloom Energy, Google, others back microgrid tax credit extension

The push for the microgrid controller investment tax credit extension comes amid growth but also emerging challenges for the sector.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 25, 2023

Princeton’s Zero Lab has it wrong on corporate renewable energy procurement and emissions

The authors disagree with Zero Lab’s core conclusion that any procurement strategy other than hourly matching will have “zero or near-zero long-run impact on system-level CO2 emissions.”

By Jake Oster, Rob Threlkeld, Chad Reed and Hannah Hunt • Oct. 25, 2023

AI can play a game-changing role in the clean energy transformation

People need to be trained on how and when to use AI. Just because you can use AI to solve a problem doesn’t mean you should.

By Jeremy Renshaw • Oct. 24, 2023

Invenergy’s 5-GW Grain Belt transmission project faces continued opposition at FERC

The Missouri Landowners Association wants Invenergy to re-apply for Grain Belt’s negotiated rate authority, a move that could delay the financing and construction plans for the $7 billion project.

By Ethan Howland • Updated Oct. 24, 2023

FERC directs NERC to draft reliability standards for wind, solar and storage

With inverter-based resources occasionally tripping offline, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Oct. 19 ordered that new reliability standards take effect by the end of the decade.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 20, 2023

Let’s get hydrogen right from the start: We need a tax credit that is practical and workable

DOE’s recent hydrogen hub awards represent tens of thousands of clean energy jobs across the U.S., which could be at risk if upcoming tax credit guidance limits the ability to scale hydrogen quickly.

By Katrina Fritz • Oct. 19, 2023

Failing to expand the grid may be biggest threat to US energy transition: National Academies

A panel of experts urged FERC to “expeditiously” issue its pending transmission planning and cost allocation reforms and to make sure wholesale power markets can support a shift to 100% clean energy.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 19, 2023

Investments in PJM-area power plants hurt private equity funds’ performance: report

Poor returns could prompt disinvestment in a market where private capital has played a critical role, an analyst says, but that may not be a bad thing for the energy transition.

By Emma Penrod • Oct. 19, 2023

DOE announces ‘largest-ever investment in America’s grid,’ giving $3.5B across 44 states

The first round of funding under the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships program will boost U.S. renewable capacity by more than 10% within this decade, said DOE officials.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 19, 2023

Utilities, charging companies battle over EV fast chargers, slowing deployment amid massive needs

State and federal policies are driving utilities and EV charger providers to transform U.S. transportation. They have found common ground in some areas but cannot agree on the utility role in fast charging deployment.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 18, 2023