Transmission & Distribution


  • Nuclear power plant on a shore of Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania, on a winter sunny day.
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    Opinion

    Achieving energy dominance without leaving small customers behind

    Addressing load growth must be done in a way that ensures rate stability for all and avoids an energy system that houses haves and have nots.

    By Ray Gifford and Matt Larson • Feb. 18, 2025
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    halbergman via Getty Images
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    AEP expects electric sales to jump 8.6% annually over 3 years

    American Electric Power is in the early permitting phase for small modular reactors in Indiana and Virginia as data centers and industrial facilities drive demand for power.

    By Feb. 18, 2025
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    Mario Tama / Staff via Getty Images
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    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 to meet the rising challenges.

    By Utility Dive staff
  • A man watches the flames from the Palisades Fire burning homes on the Pacific Coast Highway amid a powerful windstorm on Jan. 8, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
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    Apu Gomes/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    PG&E tries to reassure investors amid growing wildfire concerns

    Significant improvement in the company's credit rating may not be possible in the near term, company officials said Thursday. The utility wants California to expand its public wildfire insurance fund.

    By Emma Penrod • Feb. 18, 2025
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    Valerie Loiseleux via Getty Images
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    New Jersey residential customers face 20% bill hikes, driven by PJM capacity prices: BPU

    New Jersey regulators must carefully examine utility filings with an eye toward keeping electricity affordable, the state’s ratepayer advocate said.

    By Updated Feb. 13, 2025
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    Gerville via Getty Images
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    Exelon data center pipeline jumps to 17 GW as load forecast turns positive

    CEO Calvin Butler called for new approaches to ensuring the PJM Interconnection has adequate power supplies. “A variety of solutions across regulated and merchant participants is necessary,” he said.

    By Feb. 13, 2025
  • Transformers and power transmission lines at a power distribution yard August 18, 2003 in Des Plaines, Illinois.
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    (Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images) via Getty Images
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    Deep Dive

    Transformer supply bottleneck threatens power system stability as load grows

    Electric transformers are critical to managing power system reliability. Solutions to the bottleneck are emerging, but long wait times remain.

    By Feb. 12, 2025
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    Permission granted by Ethan Howland
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    Eaton invests $340M in US transformer production

    The company said it aims to help address the ongoing transformer shortage and meet record demand from utility, large commercial, industrial and data center customers.

    By Feb. 12, 2025
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    MadamLead/istockphoto.com

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    Sponsored by Allied Telesis, Inc.

    Digital transformation in utilities: From smart metering to integrated systems

    Exploring the journey of utilities embracing digitalization, from advanced metering to comprehensive system integration. 

    Feb. 10, 2025
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    The image by Analogue Kid is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    DOE to focus on expanding baseload generation: Secretary Wright

    “Net-zero policies raise energy costs for American families and businesses, threaten the reliability of our energy system, and undermine our energy and national security,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright said.

    By Feb. 6, 2025
  • A worker installs a solar panel on a flat, white rooftop with a palm tree in the background.
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    Courtesy of Sunrun
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    Puerto Rico utility LUMA plans to add 1 GW renewables, 700 MW storage

    LUMA’s agreement with engineering and construction firm Linxon US calls for the development of nine “energy interconnection points” as part of Puerto Rico’s Tranche 1 renewable procurement plan.

    By Feb. 6, 2025
  • An electric utility power line crew works to upgrade a transmission line tower.
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    Zview via Getty Images
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    Utilities await clarity on DOE loans as decisive court battle looms

    The Trump administration will likely scrutinize funding for renewables and climate change mitigation, potentially affecting outlays for critical grid investments, experts say.

    By Brian Martucci • Feb. 5, 2025
  • High-voltage power lines and pylons in California.
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    AscentXmedia via Getty Images
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    California PUC streamlines transmission permitting process

    The California Independent System Operator estimates the state will need up to $63 billion in new transmission over the next 20 years to meet its energy goals.

    By Feb. 4, 2025
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    Kayla Bartkowski via Getty Images
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    Senate confirms Liberty Energy CEO Chris Wright as DOE secretary

    Wright aims to expand U.S. power supplies — including renewable energy — to help lower electricity prices, he said during his Senate confirmation hearing.

    By Feb. 4, 2025
  • Mutual assistance crews working with CenterPoint Energy work to restore power around Houston, Texas, following Hurricane Beryl.
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    Danielle Villasana/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    CenterPoint proposes $5.75B system resiliency plan

    The utility expects the number of customers it serves to grow 2% annually "for the foreseeable future.”

    By Feb. 4, 2025
  • Rust-colored, V-shaped transmission towers carry power lines across a barren desert landscape with rugged, treeless mountains in the background.
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    Retrieved from US Department of Energy.
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    Opinion

    Doing the most with the transmission we have now

    Western day-ahead markets will improve the status quo but should be seen as a “way station” to even more efficient RTO-like dispatch.

    By Scott Miller • Feb. 3, 2025
  • The U.S. and Texas flags fly in front of high voltage transmission towers.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Texas eyes 765-kV transmission lines in regional ‘transmission race’

    Utility regulators are concerned about the potential for costs to spiral and supply chain constraints to slow development. 

    By Feb. 3, 2025
  • Power lines in the Florida Everglades.
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    TexPhoto via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Transmission is the key to American energy dominance

    To remain competitive and win the AI race with China, we will need all the energy we can generate while expanding our ability to transmit those electrons wherever they need to go.

    By Christina Hayes • Jan. 31, 2025
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    Andrei Ksenzhuk via Getty Images
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    2025 US power sector outlook

    The second Trump administration has ramped up energy transition uncertainty. Meanwhile, electricity demand from data centers and electrification continues to grow, and the resource mix is changing.

    By Utility Dive staff • Jan. 31, 2025
  • DeepSeek logo in front of China's flag.
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    Anthony Kwan/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Generator, advanced nuclear stocks reel as low-cost DeepSeek chills AI load growth outlook

    Among the hardest hit were companies with large existing gas and nuclear fleets, along with advanced nuclear technology providers expected to benefit from rising demand for firm power.

    By Brian Martucci • Jan. 28, 2025
  • Column

    FERC in Focus: Consumers, reliability and states are FERC’s top priorities, Chairman Christie says

    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will tackle the “huge” issue of colocation, newly named Chairman Mark Christie said in an interview.

    By Jan. 28, 2025
  • High voltage power lines from a solar thermal plant in Sanlúcar la Mayor, Sevilla, Andalucía, España.
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    Felipe Rodriguez via Getty Images
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    US wholesale power prices to rise about 7% in most regions in 2025: EIA

    The agency expects that the average cost of natural gas will rise 24% from last year’s average, returning to prices last seen in 2023.

    By Jan. 28, 2025
  • A large hallway with supercomputers inside a cloud server room data center.
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    luza studios via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Achieving AI dominance through competitive power markets

    The solution lies in allowing data centers directly into the competitive markets — a lightly regulated market superstructure that gives the U.S. a strategic advantage over our international competitors.

    By Todd Glass • Jan. 27, 2025
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    David McNew / Stringer via Getty Images
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    PG&E, other electric utilities call for Senate to pass forest management bill

    The Fix Our Forests Act would make it easier for utilities to perform vegetation management on federal lands to reduce wildfire risks. The bill passed the House on Thursday.

    By Jan. 27, 2025
  • Electrical engineer while working laptop near a power line.
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    aydinmutlu via Getty Images
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    ‘Interconnection processes must evolve’ to handle DER influx: DOE

    The DER interconnection roadmap issued in the last days of the Biden administration envisions interconnection wait times under one day for <50-kW systems and 25% shorter power outage durations by 2030.

    By Brian Martucci • Jan. 24, 2025
  • Trump holds up an executive order after signing it on at a post-inauguration parade in Capital One Arena
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    Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
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    Trump freezes IRA funding

    The White House issued a memo to clarify the funding pause, specifying that it pertains only to aspects of the law mentioned in Section 2 of the executive order.

    By Kate Magill • Updated Jan. 23, 2025