Pacific Power: Oregon 50% RPS will barely raise customer rates thru 2028

Five months ago, the utility told regulators the 50% renewable energy mandate would raise retail rates 0.8% — annually — through 2030. Now it says the number is a cumulative 0.1% over nearly the same timeframe. 

By Gavin Bade • Aug. 8, 2016

Arizona regulator hires outside attorney to investigate ratemaking process

ACC regulator Bob Burns cited concerns over improper influences in the past as the basis for his inquiry. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Aug. 8, 2016

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

Upper Peninsula utility first in Michigan to hit solar net metering cap

Upper Peninsula Power Co. has hit its cap for net metered solar systems, which Michigan limits at 1% of a utility's peak demand. 

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 8, 2016

PJM suspends Artificial Island transmission project

The PJM Board directed the grid operator to do a comprehensive analysis of the project, which had come under scrutiny due to escalating costs.

By Krysti Shallenberger • Aug. 8, 2016

Nuclear plants safe, New York ISO CEO Brad Jones readies for a low-carbon grid

New transmission and grid practices will be needed for a deeply decarbonized grid, Jones told Utility Dive. 

By Gavin Bade • Aug. 8, 2016

California files 1st state Clean Power Plan compliance draft despite SCOTUS stay

The plan is to continue down the green energy path California has been on for years, including using the cap-and-trade program. 

By Robert Walton • Aug. 5, 2016

Nevada Supreme Court rejects net metering ballot proposal

The state's high court upheld an earlier ruling that found the proposal's wording was misleading.

By Krysti Shallenberger • Aug. 5, 2016

Water near Duke Energy coal ash pits unsafe for drinking, expert says

The official North Carolina state toxicologist said in a deposition that the state's public health director misled residents by telling them the water near Duke Energy's coal ash pits was safe to drink. 

By Shalina Chatlani • Aug. 4, 2016

NARUC rate design manual reignites debate over cost shift, value of solar

A new guidebook for state regulators runs into familiar contentions among utilities and the solar sector.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 4, 2016

Texas regulators to explore alternative utility ratemaking mechanisms

The Public Utility Commission of Texas will address a report on revisions to traditional cost-of-service ratemaking in their Aug. 10 meeting. 

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 4, 2016

CAISO: EIM showed $23.6M in benefits for Q2

The California ISO said its energy imbalance market displaced nearly 68,000 metric tons of CO2 in the second quarter.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 3, 2016

A 'transformational' mandate: Greens hail Massachusetts offshore wind, renewables bill

The U.S. trails in offshore wind, but backers say this measure could "start a new industry," though questions about the role of natural gas remain. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 3, 2016

Finding the flow: Harvard researchers tweak vitamin B2 to boost flow batteries

Building on their previous work, researchers at Harvard University are using organic chemicals to bring down energy storage costs.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 2, 2016

PG&E: California policies will boost its capital expenditures

The utility expects to spend $5.6 billion this year, including $2 billion on distribution, $1.2 billion on transmission and $700 million on generation,

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 2, 2016

Massachusetts passes mandates for storage and 2.8 GW of offshore wind, hydro

The measure calls on utilities to to procure 1,600 MW of offshore wind and 1,200 MW of hydro, but did not include a boost to the renewable portfolio standards.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 2, 2016

Updated: New York PSC approves 50% clean energy standard, nuclear subsidies

The decision will direct $965 million in additional revenue to three upstate nuclear plants in the first two years of the program.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 1, 2016

Independence Day: Local utilities ditch power suppliers for renewables, stable prices

A muni and a co-op in New Mexico are the latest utilities to cut ties with their generation supplier in search of more clean energy.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 1, 2016

Boulder City Council to consider annexation proposal sparked by muni bid

For more than five years, Boulder, Colo., has been working to form a municipal utility but has been stymied by laws that keep it from taking over Xcel Energy's territory. 

By Robert Walton • Aug. 1, 2016

Connecting the dots: PG&E DERMs pilot aims to manage multiple aggregator platforms

PG&E wants a distributed resource management system that can interact with any vendor's software.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 29, 2016

Energy advisor says Clinton is open to a carbon tax

Hillary Clinton's energy advisor said the presidential candidate is open to a CO2 tax if lawmakers bring it to her.

By Peter Maloney • July 29, 2016

NextEra agrees to buy Oncor from Energy Future Holdings for $18.4B

News of the deal comes after NextEra failed to get regulatory approval to buy Hawaiian Electric earlier this month, and Hunt Consolidated pulled its bid to buy Oncor in May. 

By Gavin Bade • July 29, 2016

Consumers Energy seeks to put 800 EV charging stations in Michigan

The utility has asked Michigan regulators for permission to put the cost of installing 800 EV stations into its ratebase.

By Peter Maloney • July 28, 2016

NV Energy proposes grandfathering rooftop solar customers

Under the proposal, only rooftop solar customers with applications filed or pending before December 31, 2015 would be grandfathered in. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • July 28, 2016

PURPA's puzzle: FERC workshop revisits 1978 law, embattled as ever

After fading in importance, PURPA has made a comeback, as have the contentious debates about its implementation.

By Peter Maloney • July 28, 2016

Mississippi Power raises cost estimate again for Kemper coal gasification plant

Originally estimated to cost $2.9 billion, the bill for the coal gasification project now stands at $6.8 billion.

By Peter Maloney • July 28, 2016