Regulation & Policy: Page 2

New York to test green hydrogen at Long Island power plant

The experiment is part of a research initiative by the power authority as the Empire State scrambles to reduce carbon emissions by 85% over the next three decades.

By Scott Voorhis • July 12, 2021

Opinion

Fix Texas electricity — and hurry!

A report from former Texas regulators and staff offers 20 recommendations following the February outages. Nearly all apply to cold weather outages as well as the grid operator's generation shortfall and demand surprises in June.

By Alison Silverstein • July 12, 2021

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Trendline

Sustainability

Power 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

As Chatterjee's tenure ends, FERC could be 'single most impactful agency' on climate: Rep. Casten

The question of who will fill Commissioner Neil Chatterjee's seat took on new urgency last week as the commissioner announced that July would, probably, be his last open meeting.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 12, 2021

PJM Board approves new MOPR plan in effort to placate states, FERC

The plan aims to accommodate state policies, mitigate buyer side market power and be a long-lasting, resilient solution, according to PJM officials.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 09, 2021

New England and the South shoulder the nation's highest energy costs, WalletHub survey finds

Consumers in New England and the Southeast face some of the highest energy costs in the country, potentially accelerating a shift towards solar and other distributed resource solutions.

By Scott Voorhis • July 08, 2021

Groups ask Congress for first-of-its-kind cost analysis of RTOs amid market expansion debate

Though markets were restructured in the early 2000s and some studies have pointed to their benefits, a more comprehensive cost analysis has never been done.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 08, 2021

Kentucky regulators deny utility request to recover EEI dues. A similar question sits before FERC.

The state's ruling comes as environmental and consumer groups ask federal regulators to require utilities and their trade groups to justify why trade dues should be charged to ratepayers.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 02, 2021

Groups protest PG&E plan to move away from diesel, as utility forecasts $7.4B in fire investments

Clean energy groups and ratepayer advocates say the utility's plan to reduce the use of temporary diesel generation during public safety power shut-offs through existing demand response programs doesn't go far enough.

By Kavya Balaraman • July 02, 2021

Deep Dive

As utilities risk missing carbon reduction targets, analysts stress need for organizational change

Sierra Club and the Smart Electric Power Alliance published separate analyses on the shortcomings of utilities in their net zero emissions pledges, finding a common solution in new organizational approaches.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 01, 2021

'What in the world is happening with the weather': Western heat wave raises questions for grid planning

The heat wave showed that the region can face weather events outside of anything it has experienced in the past — "and a huge amount of utility planning is based on looking at our previous experience," one expert said. 

By Kavya Balaraman • July 01, 2021

Transmission developer files complaint with FERC against PJM's 'Catch-22' on merchant-owned transmission

Under PJM's market rules, merchant-developed transmission projects have to be evaluated in the generation interconnection queue, causing years of delay for the SOO Green HVDC Link.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 01, 2021

Oregon leaps past California and Washington as legislators pass bill to decarbonize power grid by 2040

Lawmakers passed a bill that could lead to the development of 2,765 MW of new renewables by 2030 by Portland General Electric and PacifiCorp, according to one analysis.   

By Kavya Balaraman • June 30, 2021

Biden administration, House Dems talk up need for interconnection reform

As extreme heat strains electricity grids, the Department of Energy calls for robust reform to boost reliability and clean energy development. 

By Jason Plautz • June 30, 2021

FERC just established an Office of Public Participation. Why did it take 40 years?

"We take votes on many important and pressing issues," said Commissioner Allison Clements, who led the effort. "That said, I'm sure this is one of the most important things that will happen during my tenure at the commission."

By Catherine Morehouse • June 30, 2021

Opinion

Building a US clean manufacturing strategy to counter China and tackle climate change

The authors highlight four industries, including hydrogen production, that promise to become major export businesses as global markets for clean products grow.

By David Hart and Stefan Koester • June 29, 2021

South Carolina regulators OK a dramatically revamped Dominion IRP

The modified integrated resource plan calls for shuttering the company's coal-fired plants in the state within the decade while also relying more on renewable sources of power.

By Scott Voorhis • June 28, 2021

New York passes flurry of legislation in wake of frustrations over PSEG Long Island storm performance

Lawmakers in New York have passed a series of bills taking aim at PSEG Long Island over its performance during tropical storm Isaias, which left hundreds of thousands of the utility's customers without power for days last August.

By Scott Voorhis • June 25, 2021

California approves 11.5 GW of new clean resources in largest-ever single procurement order

"This is a landmark decision. I don’t think it's hyperbole to describe it as such," CPUC Commissioner Clifford Rechtschaffen said at the Thursday meeting.

By Kavya Balaraman • June 25, 2021

House passes broad bipartisan measure to help states fund energy cybersecurity efforts

The House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced eight bipartisan bills to the full House, aimed at bolstering national cybersecurity and protecting critical infrastructure.

By Robert Walton • UPDATED: July 22, 2021 at 10:09 a.m.

CPUC ditches natural gas in 11.5 GW proposal but leaves door open for future fossil fuel procurement

Regulators want further analysis of the potential reliability impacts before asking for additional fossil fuel procurement, they said in a new version of the proposed decision. 

By Kavya Balaraman • June 24, 2021

'An unprecedented mess': DC Circuit rejects FERC approval of existing Spire gas pipeline

"FERC's ostrich-like approach flies in the face of the guidelines set forth in the Certificate Policy Statement" on natural gas pipelines, the court said.

By Catherine Morehouse • June 23, 2021

US grid needs overhaul to keep up with renewable revolution, says GE exec, Sen. Heinrich

The infrastructure package Congress is debating must include tens of billions of dollars to modernize the aging U.S. electric grid, a U.S. senator and industry experts said last week.

By Scott Voorhis • June 22, 2021

North Carolina legislature retools Duke-backed bill after Dems, governor protest weakened oversight

The legislation is a high priority for Duke Energy, one of few stakeholders allowed in closed-door negotiations on the initial text.

By Catherine Morehouse • June 22, 2021

Opinion

Ending the snipe hunt for buyer-side power in PJM and other capacity markets

Going forward, FERC should be judicious when applying mitigation measures to state policies and should consider tools beyond the MOPR, the authors write.

By Burçin Ünel and Sarah Ladin • June 21, 2021

South Carolina regulators reject Duke's long-term power plant construction plans, call for changes

South Carolina utility regulators are calling upon Duke to rethink its long-term power plant construction plans and are urging the company to look more closely at solar, storage and other resources.

By Scott Voorhis • June 21, 2021