Many mayors condemn Supreme Court ruling limiting EPA's ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions

Cities have doubled down on reducing emissions in recent years. Local leaders say Thursday’s 6-3 decision weakens a key federal partner that they believed would help them achieve their goals.

By Danielle McLean • July 1, 2022

California passes legislation to avoid blackouts, create ‘insurance policy’ for the grid

“Yeah, it’s a lousy bill, but it’s the best hope we have for keeping the lights on,” one lawmaker said Wednesday. 

By Kavya Balaraman • July 1, 2022

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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

EPA retains tools to cut power sector GHG emissions despite Supreme Court curbing its authority: attorneys

However, the court’s use of the “major questions doctrine” indicates challenges to future regulations are likely, according to lawyers.

By Ethan Howland • July 1, 2022

Massachusetts releases clean energy plan, roadmap to cut GHG emissions 50% by 2030

The plan focuses on improving efficiency and reducing emissions from buildings, the transportation sector, power generation and other sources, with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

By Robert Walton • July 1, 2022

Supreme Court rejects EPA ability to set fleet-wide GHG emissions standards for power plants

The ruling issued Thursday means Congress, states and markets will drive the shift towards cleaner energy, according to Advanced Energy Economy, a trade group.

By Ethan Howland • June 30, 2022

Appeals court upholds FERC approval of Southgate pipeline project but legal hurdles remain

The Southgate pipeline developers are considering changing the project, which continues to lack needed state permits, according to lead developer Equitrans Midstream.

By Ethan Howland • June 30, 2022

Power supply groups urge FERC to reform Western offer cap to avoid market uncertainty

Recent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission offer cap decisions threaten power suppliers’ willingness to sell electricity in tight conditions, industry groups said.

By Ethan Howland • June 30, 2022

California regulators contemplate standardized rules for gas projects exceeding $100M

The state’s Public Utilities Commission is considering a general order, which is “the highest level document that the commission can adopt,” and represents a higher threshold than a normal regulatory decision, one expert said.

By Kavya Balaraman • June 29, 2022

EPA regional ozone proposal threatens electric reliability: RTOs, state utility regulators

Grid operators are asking for a “reliability safety valve,” while a cooperative utility trade group warns the proposal could force up to 42 GW of coal generation to retire in 2026.

By Ethan Howland • June 28, 2022

California moves to simplify interconnection rules for distributed energy resources

The new approach will potentially allow more projects to pass through the fast-track process, which means they could get interconnected in a matter of months versus many months to a year or more.

By Kavya Balaraman • June 27, 2022

CAISO's proposed 'emergency' interconnection process could hurt pending projects: Vistra

The state’s grid operator proposed a fast-track interconnection review process as the California governor calls for 5 GW of emergency supplies.

By Ethan Howland • June 27, 2022

White House unveils 11-state partnership to boost offshore wind development, domestic supply chain

The offshore wind industry sees an opportunity for regional collaboration with the partnership, which includes East Coast states and the Biden administration, and could expand to include the West Coast and Gulf of Mexico.

By Emma Penrod • June 27, 2022

Appeals court partly strikes down FERC approval of ISO New England winter reliability program

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Friday rejected ISO New England payments to coal, hydroelectric, biomass and nuclear generators under the program.

By Ethan Howland • June 21, 2022

Energy utilities create roadmap for improving customer experience

Changing customer expectations, new technology and more competition are prompting energy utilities to make the customer experience a priority. 

June 21, 2022

California needs to triple historical decarbonization rates to meet 2030 carbon target, report finds

“The key takeaway is that California is leaving beneficial, earlier action on the table,” said Chris Busch, research director with Energy Innovation and primary author of the report. 

By Kavya Balaraman • June 17, 2022

FERC proposes ‘first-ready, first-served’ interconnection rules to help spur new generation, storage

The federal agency at its monthly meeting also proposed extreme weather grid reliability requirements and one-time reports from transmission providers on how they assess extreme weather.

By Ethan Howland • June 17, 2022

A third of Texas energy efficiency budgets could go to pay utility performance bonuses: Sierra Club

Efficiency goals mandated by the Texas legislature have not been updated in more than a decade and are too easy to meet, say conservation advocates.

By Robert Walton • June 17, 2022

West Virginia may boycott 6 finance firms over fossil-fuel lending stance

The state’s treasury is set to place BlackRock, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and U.S. Bank on a list blocking them from state contracts within 45 days, according to letters seen by Politico.

By Robin Bradley • June 16, 2022

President Biden's commitment to energy security needs certainty on natural gas

The Biden administration can keep its pledge to fund renewable energy development while also addressing the need for more natural gas today, the author writes.

By Richard D. Kauzlarich • June 16, 2022

Gensler sees limit to SEC rule on carbon emissions disclosure

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission would only require disclosure on carbon emissions across a supply chain from companies that have publicly committed to revealing such information, Chair Gary Gensler said.

By Jim Tyson • June 15, 2022

PJM proposes 'first-ready, first-served' interconnection review process, steps to clear backlog

PJM wouldn’t begin reviewing interconnection requests filed after Oct. 1, 2021, until 2026 under the proposal it filed Tuesday at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

By Ethan Howland • June 15, 2022

Arizona utility regulator proposes confidential infrastructure meetings with state's businesses community

Consumer advocates, however, say work done by the Arizona Corporation Commission should be open to the public “with very few exceptions.”

By Robert Walton • June 15, 2022

'Not backsliding on clean energy': Officials say California's proposed 5 GW reserve could be heavy on gas

The electricity reserve is a $5.2 billion proposal from state officials to ensure electric reliability at times when the grid is especially stressed.

By Kavya Balaraman • June 13, 2022

Washington regulatory staff pushes to fine PacifiCorp for omitting social cost of carbon in energy planning

“This shows that commission staff is taking utility implementation of this policy seriously,” said Lauren McCloy, policy director of the NW Energy Coalition.

By Kavya Balaraman • June 9, 2022

New York lawmakers abandon bill to grow renewables as state's grid operator warns margins tightening

Reliability margins on New York’s grid are shrinking, the Independent System Operator said, just days after state lawmakers halted work on a bill designed to grow renewables.

By Robert Walton • June 9, 2022