High electricity rates impede crucial but costly technology investments to manage rising DER levels: utilities

Utilities want distribution system technologies for more DER visibility and control. But advocates want a new national stakeholder dialogue about the timing of spending for DER integration.

By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 29, 2022

NYISO warns of high electricity prices as it forecasts sufficient supply to meet peak demand this winter

The grid operator’s extreme winter weather scenario shows that peak demand could increase to as much as 26,086 MW, higher than its previous all-time winter peak.

By Stephen Singer • Updated Nov. 28, 2022

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Top 5 Stories from Utility Dive

Power demand is rising amid dramatic shifts in federal energy policy, but technology and markets continue to push the grid toward cleaner, more distributed resources. 

By Utility Dive staff

EV charger deployments must overcome electrician shortage

The industry will have to find innovative ways to minimize the labor required by electricians and optimize the use of their time.

Nov. 28, 2022

MISO power prices could remain high, go higher for years: Chatterjee, other Voltus panelists

“This isn't a short-term thing that's just going to last into next year or the year after,” said Neil Chatterjee, former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission chairman and a senior advisor at Hogan Lovells.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 23, 2022

Western day-ahead market could save $1.2B a year, boost renewables output 1,800+ GWh: CAISO report

A Western day-ahead market would bring economic, reliability and environmental benefits, according to the California grid operator. CAISO plans to issue a final market proposal next month.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 23, 2022

Today’s rate designs are defective. How can utilities better recover their fixed costs, and from whom?

Volumetric rates, which place much of a utility’s fixed costs in the usage (KWh) charge of a tariff, have created a number of social problems as they relate to economic efficiency and equity.

By Kenneth W. Costello • Nov. 22, 2022

California moves to accelerate fossil-free energy and vehicles to further cut climate gases and other pollution

An updated greenhouse gas reduction plan from the state’s Air Resources Board incorporates new clean energy laws and directives and includes the potential use of carbon capture to curb emissions at fossil-fueled power plants.

By Elizabeth McCarthy • Nov. 21, 2022

DOE conditionally awards PG&E’s Diablo Canyon nuclear plant $1.1B to forestall shutdown

Meanwhile, Holtec said that its application to DOE’s Civil Nuclear Credit Program for funds to reopen the Palisades nuclear plant was rejected.

By Stephen Singer • Nov. 21, 2022

Republicans will soon control the House. Is a repeal of the Inflation Reduction Act likely?

The change of power in the House could spur a new wave of political attacks against the landmark law, legal and political experts say, but it’s not clear whether they’ll result in policy change.

By Emma Penrod • Nov. 18, 2022

FERC enforcement settlements jump to $57.5M in FY22 while Uri market manipulation investigation continues

“It's important to have the cop on the street,” FERC Chairman Richard Glick said. People will “think twice before they try to engage in market manipulation.”

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 18, 2022

Solar industry, utilities, ratepayer advocates clash over California net energy metering proposal

“Other states that have implemented a similar cliff in the export compensation rate have seen sharp declines in the pace of solar deployment,” a solar industry representative said. 

By Kavya Balaraman • Nov. 17, 2022

Cross-border power trade can help leaders at COP27 facilitate emissions reductions

Enhancing cross-border power trade can help achieve global greenhouse gas reduction goals by efficiently integrating low-cost renewable resources while improving electricity affordability and security.

By Jennifer Chen, Edmund Downie and Noah Kittner • Nov. 16, 2022

US can reach 100% clean power by 2035, DOE finds, but tough reliability and land use questions lie ahead

New aggressive planning is needed to identify the long-duration storage technologies and find the land to grow enough resources to reach the Biden administration’s net zero emissions goals, a DOE national lab reports.

By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 15, 2022

State regulators urge PJM to adopt ‘circuit breaker’ to prevent extreme prices in emergencies

Electricity could cost as much as $17 billion a day in the PJM Interconnection under extreme conditions, according to the Organization of PJM States.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 15, 2022

Utilities seeing benefits from new customer engagement strategies

Utilities are realizing that the new customer welcome experience is an untapped opportunity to gather meaningful data, boost program participation and reduce call center volumes.

Nov. 14, 2022

Manchin withholds confirmation hearing for FERC Chairman Glick, throwing second term in doubt

A 2-2 split at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission would make it harder to tackle challenging issues, according to Tony Clark, former FERC commissioner.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 11, 2022

The clock is ticking: Urgent steps New York must take to achieve its climate targets

New York needs to act now to improve climate resilience, electrify the transportation system, decarbonize the gas system, and identify equitable economy-wide solutions to cut carbon emissions.

By Mary Barber • Nov. 11, 2022

‘Needs more work’: Solar industry remains skeptical of California PUC’s new net energy metering proposal

One initial analysis suggests the proposal, if approved, would cut the average export rate in California from 30 cents per kilowatt to 8 cents per kilowatt effective April 2023. 

By Kavya Balaraman • Nov. 11, 2022

DOE touts nuclear-powered hydrogen production projects with Xcel, Constellation, 4 other partners

The clean hydrogen demonstration projects also involve Bloom Energy, Energy Harbor, Arizona Public Service and PNW Hydrogen and will take place at four nuclear plants around the country.

By Rod Kuckro • Nov. 10, 2022

Vistra’s coal-to-battery storage projects receive FERC waiver from MISO interconnection transfer rules

The agency should reconsider “nonsensical” limits on a generator’s ability to transfer interconnection rights, which are a roadblock for new generation at power plant sites, Commissioner Allison Clements said.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 10, 2022

Californians reject tax on millionaires intended to raise up to $4B a year for vehicle electrification

Gov. Gavin Newsom, D, criticized the ballot measure as an attempt by Lyft to get its drivers’ EVs subsidized.

By Elizabeth McCarthy • Nov. 9, 2022

With control of Congress unknown, clean energy advocates cheer state wins and press for climate action

So far, it appears Republicans failed to pull off an anticipated “red wave” and Democrats outperformed expectations, analysts say.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 9, 2022

Putin-focused and other hacks of charging stations drive new cybersecurity steps for an EV boom

A broad utility-to-charger attack surface will require smarter protection strategies and tools for cyber threats as transportation electrification and vehicle-to-grid integration expand, analysts said.

By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 8, 2022

Avangrid, Eversource call for more efficiency, DR to avoid New England outages amid potential fuel crunch

ISO New England’s upcoming capacity auctions should be delayed to better reflect the region’s wintertime needs, the grid operator’s market monitor said.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 8, 2022

Inflation Reduction Act adds fuel to RTO reform imperative, generator interconnection backlog

The new law also puts transmission planning and permitting on center stage while increasing the need for on-demand generation.

By Tony Clark • Nov. 8, 2022