ISO-NE's market rules biased toward gas plants, clean energy groups say in FERC complaint

The alleged bias lowers capacity prices and crowds out renewable energy and storage resources from New England’s markets, according to a complaint filed March 15 at FERC.

By Ethan Howland • March 16, 2022

Florida solidifies its status as the nation's waste-to-energy capital with supportive new law

A bill signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis will establish a unique program to subsidize power purchase agreements and expansion expenses for municipally-owned combustion facilities.

By Cole Rosengren • Updated June 22, 2022

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Cybersecurity of the Grid

In addition to presenting opportunities for growth, AI is exacerbating cyber threats with more sophisticated malware that is easier than ever to build and deploy. The rise of distributed energy resources also creates more opportunities for attack. 

By Utility Dive staff

Consumers Energy to exit coal-fired generation in 2025 under agreement with Michigan AG, others

The agreement filed Wednesday with the Michigan PSC sets the utility on a path to being carbon neutral by 2040.

By Ethan Howland • Updated April 21, 2022

FERC failed to adequately review a gas pipeline project's effect on carbon emissions: appeals court

The ruling on Friday came a day after FERC Chairman Richard Glick said he wants to clarify the agency's new policy for reviewing natural gas projects.

By Ethan Howland • March 14, 2022

EPA plans sweeping regulatory strategy for power plants covering air, water and land pollution

The agency aims to give guidance to utilities and investors so they can make informed financial decisions about the future of their power plants, EPA Administrator Regan said Thursday.

By Ethan Howland • March 11, 2022

SEC pushes for tougher cybersecurity disclosure rules

SEC Chair Gary Gensler said investors demand more detailed information about how companies seek to curb the risk and costs of cyberattacks.

By Jim Tyson • March 10, 2022

New York energy policies will raise electricity costs and air pollution, slamming low-income communities

Sometimes well-intentioned state policies can backfire and hurt the very people the state wants to protect, the author writes.

By Arnold R. Wallenstein • March 9, 2022

State regulators, utilities back MISO plan to allocate multi-value transmission costs to subregions

Illinois Industrial Energy Consumers and other industrial groups oppose the grid operator's proposal, however.

By Ethan Howland • March 9, 2022

Accounting for clean-energy capacity value in PJM would lower costs, emissions, RMI study finds

The report released Tuesday comes as the PJM Interconnection is considering options for including clean-energy procurement in its markets.

By Ethan Howland • March 8, 2022

Pruning the thorns in transmission and generator interconnection reform

The clean transition no longer lacks capital, but it suffers from regulation that discourages its efficient use, the authors write.

By Jennifer Chen and Devin Hartman • March 8, 2022

NRC seeks public comment on nuclear plant decommissioning rule

A rule several years in the making is moving ahead as more nuclear plants close. 

By Jason Plautz • March 7, 2022

2021 deals position US to be a global hydrogen leader: BloombergNEF

While records were broken for U.S. clean energy investment last year, the Energy Information Administration says more policy action will be needed for renewable sources to surpass natural gas and petroleum in the U.S. by 2050.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 4, 2022

How to reform net energy metering the right way

Economist Ahmad Faruqui proposes a path for California's NEM reform that he says would realize the goals of utilities without sacrificing the state's rooftop solar market.

By Ahmad Faruqui • March 4, 2022

Sens. Manchin, Barrasso slam FERC's 'political agenda' on natural gas, say it will stifle development

However, natural gas capacity approvals have surged during Richard Glick's tenure as head of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

By Ethan Howland • March 4, 2022

Ohio ratepayer advocate asks FERC to end RTO return on equity 'adder' for AEP, Duke, FirstEnergy

The request last week comes amid a more pro-consumer orientation at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, an equity analyst says.

By Ethan Howland • March 3, 2022

California sets biomethane targets for utilities in bid to reduce short-lived climate pollutants

Representatives for Earthjustice, however, raised concerns that the utility commission did not conduct a thorough assessment of the cost effectiveness of biomethane before adopting the targets. 

By Kavya Balaraman • March 2, 2022

Utilities urge Supreme Court to dismiss challenge to EPA's fleetwide carbon emissions approach

The court's decision in the case could affect the EPA's options for regulating power plant carbon emissions, according to experts.

By Ethan Howland • March 1, 2022

Texas just dodged a repeat of 2021 outages, but its power sector has a long way to go, analysts say

Texas has weatherized its generators and protected critical infrastructure, but additional market reforms, new technologies, regional support and energy efficiency are still required, policymakers and analysts agreed

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 25, 2022

DOE announces supply chain strategy for clean energy

The administration will back critical materials mining and domestic manufacturing in a bid to capture the clean energy economy. 

By Jason Plautz • Feb. 24, 2022

How PJM's 'fat market' for capacity fuels environmental injustice and consumer expense

As FERC Chair Richard Glick did recently, it’s imperative to continue to draw attention to ways in which unnecessary and uneconomic fossil fuel generation is prolonged by market flaws, the authors write.

By Liz Stanton and Joshua Castigliego • Feb. 24, 2022

Transmission, reliability and gas system decarbonization top of mind for state utility regulators in 2022

Energy Innovation analysts share their top takeaways from last week's NARUC policy summit, along with insights for unlocking access to low-cost renewables, bolstering system reliability, and cutting natural gas emissions.

By Michelle Solomon and Hadley Tallackson • Feb. 23, 2022

14 states urge FERC to tighten accounting rules to prevent utilities from recouping lobbying expenses

The Edison Electric Institute told the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Tuesday that existing accounting rules are adequate.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 23, 2022

Utility regulators eye new tools to ensure equity efforts don’t impinge on other policy goals

Utilities can advance equity with innovative performance-based or arrears management programs that keep rate spikes from slowing beneficial electrification and emissions reductions, stakeholders said.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 21, 2022

FERC expands criteria for reviewing gas infrastructure proposals, outlines GHG framework

The commission said the change provides more legal certainty, but critics called the decision "reckless" and "legally dubious," arguing it will hurt pipeline development.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 18, 2022

Revisiting California's natural gas hookup subsidies

California is one of the biggest consumers of natural gas in the U.S., and has been adding new gas customers faster than any other state. These trends are in direct conflict with its ambitious climate goals, the authors write.

By Clifford Rechtschaffen and Simi Rose George • Feb. 18, 2022