Technology
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Former NRC chair questions economic feasibility of new nuclear in US
Former NRC Chairman Allison Macfarlane acknowledges the progress of small modular reactor designs from NuScale Power to achieve permitting while flagging supply chain issues for the broader industry.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • April 12, 2021 -
Getty Images
OpinionPutting the 'E' back in ESG: Lessons from the field
To make environmental, social and governance investments more of a mandate than a moment, there needs to be a way to track and verify their impact, particularly for climate-related investments, the author writes.
By Bob Hinkle • April 12, 2021 -
Trendline
Grid Resiliency
Utilities and grid operators are facing increasing threats from climate change as well as cyber and physical attacks, and are deploying a variety of responses, with some adjustments in the age of COVID-19.
By Utility Dive staff -
Getty
Utility distribution systems 'increasingly at risk' for cyberattacks, GAO report concludes
Federal security requirements have focused on transmission and generation facilities, but a report from the Government Accountability Office warns of the vulnerability of utility distribution systems.
By Robert Walton • April 08, 2021 -
Yujin Kim/Utility Dive
State of the Electric Utility 2021
The 8th annual State of the Electric Utility Survey Report provides a pulse on industry trends from nearly 500 utility professionals, many at the VP level and above, along with insight from a broad range of industry experts.
By Nami Sumida • April 01, 2021 -
Deposit Photor
State of the Electric Utility 2021: Utilities' cybersecurity approach shows cause for concern, experts say
Almost all utilities are training employees on safe email use. That's the bare minimum they can do, say security experts.
By Robert Walton • April 01, 2021 -
Nuclear industry calls for state policy focus as resource outstrips coal generation in US
If existing nuclear plants shut down, "carbon emitting sources will likely fill the gap," Maria Korsnick, CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute, said.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 25, 2021 -
Republic Services
As early renewables near end-of-life, attention turns to recycling and disposal
The coming need to address renewable energy assets that reach the end of their useful lives is spurring conversations about creating an economy that's circular as well as green.
By Emma Penrod • March 24, 2021 -
Bipartisan House lawmakers to reintroduce grid security bill after Texas outages, SolarWinds attack
The Grid Security Research and Development Act was passed last year by the House but was later withdrawn due to procedural issues.
By Robert Walton • March 19, 2021 -
Getty Images
How do companies assess risk? It's a system-by-system question
Every piece of technology is vulnerable to threat actors, but each organization and cybersecurity team decides which software and technology adds risk to its business operations.
By Sue Poremba • March 12, 2021 -
Iulia Gheorghiu / Utility Dive
OpinionHow to unlock the potential of virtual power plants? Virtualize the grid.
We know from other sectors that tools exist to operate highly complex, distributed systems in an efficient and reliable manner. It's time we applied those lessons to the grid, the authors write.
By Astrid Atkinson, Varun Sivaram, and Richard L. Kauffman • March 11, 2021 -
What's in your software? Federal initiative targets frequently overlooked electric utility vulnerabilities
Software supply chain issues are the subject of a new collaboration between the electric power sector and federal government.
By Robert Walton • March 10, 2021 -
Retrieved from Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
DOE will spend billions on electric vehicle R&D in jobs fight with China, Granholm says
The U.S. Department of Energy's loan program is "open for business," said Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. China has largely cornered the global battery market and she said the United States must catch up.
By Robert Walton • March 10, 2021 -
Florida water utility hack reveals thousands of organizations vulnerable to Window 7 exposure
Critical infrastructure providers and small and medium businesses continue to operate the outdated Microsoft OS without security updates and patches.
By David Jones • Feb. 22, 2021 -
Elizabeth Regan, Industry Dive
FERC reliance on ratepayers to fund utility cybersecurity insufficient to meet rising threat, analysts say
A proposal to provide incentives for security investments is a good start, but is limited by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's own ratemaking authority, analysts said.
By Robert Walton • Feb. 16, 2021 -
Electric sector can learn from the Florida water utility hack, say experts
"Attackers are getting better than most defenders," according to an advisor to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
By Robert Walton • Feb. 11, 2021 -
Photo illustration by Danielle Ternes/Utility Dive; photograph by ismagilov via Getty Images
SolarWinds security to-do list post hack
One of the first changes security teams need to make is how they understand adversarial capabilities — always assume the perimeter has already been breached.
By Samantha Schwartz • Feb. 09, 2021 -
SolarWinds fallout could last for years, as power industry secures vulnerable equipment: Dragos CEO
The energy sector is experiencing a "digital transformation with a threat convergence," the CEO of security company Dragos told the U.S. Department of Energy.
By Robert Walton • Feb. 05, 2021 -
EVs, turbines, solar panels pose circular economy dilemma: NIST workshop
Representatives from throughout the supply chain reflected on how batteries and electronics can find their place as greener solutions in the circular economy at a recent National Institute of Standards and Technology workshop.
By Megan Quinn • Feb. 04, 2021 -
Photo illustration by Brian Tucker/Utility Dive; photograph by Petmal via Getty Images
Top Utility Trends of 2020
Amid significant disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the power sector's transition to a cleaner, more distributed future continues.
By Larry Pearl • Jan. 05, 2021 -
Elizabeth Regan, Industry Dive
FERC proposes incentives for voluntary cybersecurity investments, in race to secure nation's electric grid
Experts say offering incentives for utilities to invest in cybersecurity could help shore up the grid much faster than developing new mandatory standards.
By Robert Walton • Dec. 22, 2020 -
Adeline Kon/Utility Dive
Energy executives call for dramatic increase in federal funds for hydrogen, carbon capture research
To achieve decarbonization, the American Energy Innovation Council said the energy sector requires financial and government support of emerging technologies.
By Emma Penrod • Dec. 21, 2020 -
DOE confirms its systems were compromised by SolarWinds hack
The electric sector is scrambling to assess its vulnerabilities. Experts say the sophisticated intrusion means hackers could have access to U.S. power plants and other grid systems.
By Robert Walton • Dec. 18, 2020 -
Boonchai Wedmakawand via Getty Images
Sponsored by OracleThe time is now for decarbonization
APS, CPS Energy and National Grid are taking energy-saving steps today to afford more "climate value" tomorrow.
By Brad Langley, Director of Marketing, Oracle Utilities Opower • Dec. 14, 2020 -
Courtesy of Veolia
GE announces first US wind turbine blade recycling program with Veolia
The blades were the only part of the turbines not getting recycled, and will now be shredded to replace raw materials currently used for cement manufacturing, resulting in lower CO2 emissions.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • Dec. 09, 2020 -
Elizabeth Regan, Industry Dive
Dive Awards
Regulator of the Year: Neil Chatterjee, FERC
It's hard to imagine an agency that has had more effect on the power sector this year than the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and it's impossible to divorce that impact from its now-former chairman: Neil Chatterjee.
By Utility Dive Team • Dec. 09, 2020
