NRC issues preliminary language for licensing and oversight of fusion energy systems

The Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act, signed by President Trump in 2019, directs the NRC to establish a regulatory framework for fusion reactors by Dec. 31, 2027.

By Larry Pearl • Oct. 4, 2023

FERC in Focus: Would 2 empty seats in 2024 be so bad?

A Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staffer is the leading nominee for one empty seat, but questions about timing — and about Commissioner James Danly’s seat — remain.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 4, 2023

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

PJM ‘Catch-22’ blocks large-scale residential demand response, hurts grid reliability: CPower

Utilities don’t give curtailment service providers smart meter data they need to aggregate thousands of residential demand response customers, CPower said.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 3, 2023

Grid operators oppose FERC conference on valuing reliability benefits of batteries, generators

Supporters of a conference on capacity accreditation approaches for grid resources include Southern California Edison, Advanced Energy United and the Colorado Public Utilities Commission chair.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 3, 2023

PJM, 80 parties agree to trim Winter Storm Elliott penalties

The agreement resolves 15 complaints brought by Calpine, Energy Harbor, Talen Energy and others that could have become “mega-litigation” taking years to resolve, the parties said.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 2, 2023

Texas PUC begins work to attract advanced nuclear reactors, in and out of ERCOT market

“We have vertically integrated utilities in some parts of the state and they have a very attractive opportunity to participate in this space as well,” Commissioner Jimmy Glotfelty said.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 2, 2023

FERC must review local transmission planned by AEP, Duke, other Ohio utilities: complaint

Ohio utilities have added nearly $6.5 billion in PJM-approved “supplemental projects” since 2017 without oversight of their need, prudence and cost-effectiveness, the Ohio ratepayer advocate said Thursday.

By Ethan Howland • Updated Sept. 29, 2023

PJM board calls for capacity market changes to bolster grid reliability, resource adequacy

The PJM Interconnection plans in mid-October to ask the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to approve revisions to its capacity market in time for its next auction.

By Ethan Howland • Sept. 28, 2023

FERC, DOE face major furloughs under government shutdown

A bare-bones staff would monitor dams, liquefied natural gas projects and power markets under the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s shutdown plan.

By Ethan Howland • Updated Sept. 28, 2023

FERC to hike scrutiny of JPMorgan power sector actions after finding link to private equity firm IIF

J.P. Morgan Investment can make “virtually every major decision” for IIF, which owns El Paso Electric, nearly 5 GW of gas-fired capacity and other energy assets, FERC said last week.

By Ethan Howland • Sept. 26, 2023

PJM plan for distributed energy aggregations would block virtual power plants: Tesla

Tesla on Friday urged federal regulators to approve measures so residential aggregations in VPPs in PJM can be “achieved at scale and provide transformative reliability value and reduce consumer energy costs.”

By Ethan Howland • Sept. 25, 2023

Retail ‘choice’: A bad deal for consumers and the planet

Data from Massachusetts, Connecticut, Illinois and several other states confirm that families pay far too much when they sign up for alternative electric supply instead of sticking with their utility companies.

By Jenifer Bosco • Sept. 22, 2023

Record 13% of Eastern Interconnect capacity failed in Winter Storm Elliott: FERC, NERC

FERC commissioners called on Congress Thursday to name an agency for gas reliability oversight as commission and NERC staff issued cold-weather recommendations.

By Ethan Howland • Sept. 22, 2023

$4.6B for climate action plan implementation available from EPA

Measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions the most will get priority in Environmental Protection Agency funding decisions.

By Ysabelle Kempe • Sept. 21, 2023

NERC wants smaller renewables, batteries to register as bulk-power assets over reliability concerns

About 14% of inverter-based resources that are connected to the bulk-power system are not currently required to register with the North American Electric Reliability Corp. or adhere to its reliability standards.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 21, 2023

Maryland officials press FERC to reject PJM directive to Exelon for $785M in transmission upgrades

The PJM Interconnection failed to consider energy storage and other options to handle Talen Energy’s plan to retire its Brandon Shores power plant, according to Maryland officials.

By Ethan Howland • Updated Sept. 21, 2023

Rising electrification requires a dramatic shift to integrated planning of DER, bulk resources: Xcel VP

Effective distribution system planning and merging analytic insights into comprehensive electricity planning both face barriers, analysts and stakeholders said.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 20, 2023

Vistra plans to sell nearly 400 MW in PJM to ease market power fears from Energy Harbor deal

The plan to sell generating units in Ohio will accelerate the merger review process, the companies told federal regulators Monday. They plan to close the $6.3 billion deal by the end of the year.

By Ethan Howland • Sept. 19, 2023

When it comes to government funding for clean energy, money isn’t everything

The rush to secure billions in clean energy and infrastructure funding has the potential to be disastrous if it goes wrong.

By Anne Clawson • Sept. 18, 2023

SOO Green underground transmission line between MISO, PJM clears key hurdle with Iowa approval

The proposed 350-mile SOO Green project advances as two Democrats introduce a bill in Congress to spur interregional transmission capacity, partly to bolster grid reliability.

By Ethan Howland • Sept. 18, 2023

Competitive power markets are cleaner, cheaper and safer

Competitive market systems have proven more effective at driving cost-effective decarbonization than single-utility markets, all while fostering reliability and long-term planning.

By Jon Wellinghoff and Pat Wood • Sept. 15, 2023

SEC Chair Gensler says Scope 3 emissions flap delays final climate risk rule

Republicans on the House Financial Services Committee, during a series of hearings in July, stepped up their opposition to the climate risk disclosure proposal.

By Jim Tyson • Sept. 14, 2023

The grid needs to get together

To transform the grid to meet the reliability and resilience needs of consumers, we must have meaningful interregional transmission policy in this country.

By Kelly Speakes-Backman • Sept. 14, 2023

IRA could cut economy-wide carbon emissions by up to 43% by 2030: EPA

In the electric power sector, EPA said that emissions could be reduced by up to 83% below 2005 levels.

By Diana DiGangi • Sept. 13, 2023

FERC’s Christie raises issues that need raising about the RTO state of mind

Recent remarks by Commissioner Mark Christie raise a valid question: What is the state of mind of RTO/ISO constructs, and can they drive an affordable, reliable and decarbonized future?

By Raymond L. Gifford and Matthew S. Larson • Sept. 13, 2023