PJM: Reliability strong during January cold snap, but pricing reforms needed

The nation's largest electricity market performed well during January's "bomb cyclone," its grid operator said, but a spike in uplift charges reveals the need for pricing reforms. 

By Robert Walton • Feb. 27, 2018

SEU 2018 survey: Utilities shaken, not moved, by Trump policies

Utility Dive's fifth annual State of the Electric Utility survey shows a sector committed to the clean energy transition, but wary of policies coming out of Washington.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 27, 2018

Explore the Trendline➔

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

Sonnen integrates EVs into virtual power plant in Germany

The new sonnenCharger will integrate with the company's sonnenCommunity battery network, which aims to utilize as much clean energy as possible.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 23, 2018

Solving our energy grid problems requires a data sharing economy

Solving energy grid problems in New York, Puerto Rico and beyond will depend on innovative leaders who are willing to foster standards and knowledge sharing, according to Lisa Salley, vice president of Global Industry Services at the American Petroleum Institute.  

By Lisa Salley • Feb. 23, 2018

California energy agency predicts rising power demand

The California Energy Commission on Feb. 21 released its updated demand forecast, which sees higher consumption driven by electric vehicles and climate change. 

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 23, 2018

Customer empowerment upheaval forces California into hold on renewables

Customer choice aggregation is sweeping through California, putting almost everything about the state’s already groundbreaking power delivery into doubt.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 22, 2018

Maine regulators shorten delay of net metering rules, catching installers by surprise

New rules had been set to take effect on April 30, but the Maine Public Utilities Commission says the date will now be March 16.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 22, 2018

Florida PSC staff pushes approval of FPL gas plant over opposition

The commission will vote March 1 on whether to approve a 1,163 MW gas plant — far larger than opponents say is necessary to cover demand.

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 22, 2018

PacifiCorp launches wind expansion plans with four Wyoming projects

The projects total 1.3 GW and would expand the energy company's existing wind fleet by 60%.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 21, 2018

LaFleur warns against PJM plan altering 'fundamental' energy market mechanics

The federal regulator said her agency should "think very hard" before it alters which resources can set market prices during an address that also touched on grid resilience and the growth of Western energy markets.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 21, 2018

Bloomberg: Solar panel imports soared ahead of tariff decision

China represented the most imports with a nearly 1,200% quarter-over-quarter increase, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 20, 2018

Why utilities and environmentalists can find common (green) ground

Ex-FERC Chair Norman Bay argues clean energy can gain more ground if utilities and enviros team up. 

By Norman C. Bay • Feb. 20, 2018

Are recent disasters enough to spur utilities to take climate change seriously?

Sector expert Allison Silverstein argues utilities need a new paradigm in long-term grid planning.

By Krysti Shallenberger • Feb. 20, 2018

PJM board sends competing capacity market reforms to FERC

The grid operator's decision sets up a rare policy face-off at FERC that could raise legal stakes for the agency.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 16, 2018

New Mexico lawmakers send solar tax credit to governor's desk

But Gov. Susana Martinez (R) is reportedly unlikely to sign stand-alone tax measures.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 15, 2018

New Arizona renewable ballot initiative could spark utility opposition

The measure would boost the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard to 50% by 2030, following a proposal from a state official to raise it to 80% by 2050. But the state's largest utility might not be on board.

By Krysti Shallenberger • Feb. 15, 2018

FERC issues storage, reliability orders, calls conference on aggregated DERs

The commission directed grid operators to design rules that allow storage to provide energy, capacity and ancillary services, as well as set wholesale prices as buyers and sellers. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 15, 2018

How solar owners' post-hurricane demand for batteries could impact utilities

Extreme weather is driving customers to solar-plus-storage as backup power, but they can use it to cut back on electricity use, too

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 15, 2018

ISO-NE presses FERC to approve capacity market reform

The grid operator argues its two-part capacity market proposal will better integrate subsidized resources than existing rules. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 14, 2018

Resilience, pipelines & PURPA: FERC regulators preview major issues at NARUC

State utility regulators heard from all five federal energy regulators at a conference in Washington this week.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 14, 2018

California regulators first to allow multiple revenue streams for energy storage

The state has approved rules that increase the ways for energy storage systems to make money, for example, through frequency regulation, capacity or spinning reserve services.        

Feb. 13, 2018

New Massachusetts bill seeks 1.77 GW storage target, quicker renewables transition

The legislation would also direct state regulators to develop rules that exceed those adopted by the United Nations Paris Climate Agreement.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 13, 2018

Batteries will boost yearly solar plant output by 500 MWh, FPL says

The utility's Citrus Solar Energy Center was completed in 2016, but now has a 4 MW/16 MWh storage system that will allow the plant to continue sending out electricity after the sun goes down.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 12, 2018

Trump budget would gut EPA, DOE renewables office

The budget would cut the DOE renewables office by 65% and eliminate ARPA-E and the agency's loan programs. EPA would be cut by nearly a quarter. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 12, 2018

At NARUC, three actions to support the grid of the future

A group of solar companies and advocates lay out out what utility commissioners should consider during NARUC's annual winter meeting

By Anne Hoskins; Abigail Hopper; Tom Starrs; Thomas Plagemann; Sachu Constantine • Feb. 12, 2018