Microgrids keep the lights on for wildfire-prone California facilities

But federal tax changes under consideration in Congress could make microgrids more expensive for schools and localities that provide services during emergencies.

By Brian Martucci • June 16, 2025

States, ratepayer advocates urge FERC to reject MISO petition to limit market monitor oversight

The dispute grew out of Potomac Economics’ criticism of assumptions the Midcontinent Independent System Operator used to justify a roughly $22 billion transmission expansion plan.

By Ethan Howland • June 16, 2025

Explore the 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

Will ERCOT’s streamlined connect-and-manage approach work for other markets?

ERCOT’s single-state, energy-only interconnection process doesn’t include other markets’ deliverability requirements and generator cost certainty needs.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 16, 2025

Michigan regulators order reliability improvements for Consumers Energy, DTE

The Public Service Commission ordered the utilities to tackle 75 recommendations identified in an audit completed last year, focused on reliability and storm restoration times.

By Robert Walton • June 16, 2025

Meeting the challenge of FERC Order 881: Why open source matters for AAR implementation

With ambient-adjusted ratings compliance deadlines set for mid-July, TROLIE offers an open, vendor-neutral standard for the secure, efficient exchange of transmission line rating data.

By Tory McKeag • June 13, 2025

Batteries are making the grid more reliable: NERC

Last year in Texas, there were times when batteries provided all of the capacity for frequency regulation services, according to the watchdog’s 2025 State of Reliability report.

By Robert Walton • June 13, 2025

Prioritize ‘impactful’ power sources for interconnection: DOE’s Wright

“We need to look at that [interconnection queue] process and prioritize projects that are impactful and make it move faster and more efficiently,” DOE Secretary Chris Wright said.

By Ethan Howland • June 11, 2025

Electrical manufacturers back bill to assess energy supply chain

The Electric Supply Chain Act would direct the Department of Energy to assess the power generation and transmission supply chains and report to Congress within one year.

By Robert Walton • June 9, 2025

Data center growth and the imperative of economic discipline

Grid access must be treated as a scarce, priced product. That means building markets for interconnection capacity, avoiding socialized costs and ensuring that those who impose system costs bear them.

By Terry Harvill and August Ankum • June 5, 2025

Does PJM have a data center problem?

“Data centers could overwhelm the grids if they chose to,” Joseph Bowring, Market Analytics president, said. He called for requiring data centers to run their facilities on new power sources.

By Ethan Howland • June 5, 2025

Diverse market regions highlight resource adequacy challenge at FERC conference

FERC Chairman Mark Christie posed a hypothetical question: Should the commission require grid operators to establish mandatory reserve margins for all load-serving entities?

By Robert Walton • June 5, 2025

White House names energy attorney Swett to replace FERC’s Christie

The move comes as the White House appears to be exerting a growing influence over independent agencies like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the R Street Institute’s Devin Hartman said.

By Ethan Howland • June 3, 2025

Why better monitoring of US transformers is a national security imperative

Losing even a small number of transformers can trigger cascading blackouts and we no longer have the spare capacity or supply chains to quickly recover.

By Rahul Chaturvedi • June 2, 2025

The power of precision: GenAI is revolutionizing transmission network and asset models

How GenAI is redefining transmission networks with precision, efficiency and smarter decisions.

By Martin Shalhoub, Managing Director, Utilities, West Monroe • June 2, 2025

Transformer, breaker backlogs persist, despite reshoring progress

Manufacturers have been slow to invest in U.S. capacity amid uncertainty over long-term electricity demand. That’s changing, but there’s a long way to go, experts say.

By Brian Martucci • May 29, 2025

FERC ALJ order threatens competitive transmission cost caps: CAISO

The issue centers on cost recovery for a $553 million transmission line between Arizona and California built by a Lotus Infrastructure Partners affiliate.

By Ethan Howland • May 29, 2025

California could nearly double generation capacity using surplus interconnection: UC Berkeley report

The authors say about 16 GW of thermal capacity — dominated by gas — is operating below a 15% capacity factor, making it ripe for adding solar, wind or storage.

By Meris Lutz • May 29, 2025

NYC power bills going up this summer, ConEd warns

The increases come amid a national rise in electricity prices and rapidly growing demand. Consolidated Edison has spent about $2.35 billion on its distribution system since last summer.

By Robert Walton • May 22, 2025

Harnessing HVDC transmission as a transformative force in modern grid design

As grid modernization accelerates, high-voltage direct current transmission will be a cornerstone in the transition to a cleaner, smarter and more resilient power system.

By Anees Jeddy • May 21, 2025

A fraction of proposed data centers will get built. Utilities are wising up.

One expert estimated that speculative interconnection requests were five to 10 times more than the number of actual data centers, but the scale of the problem remains elusive.

By Brian Martucci • May 15, 2025

Thousands of energy experts are leaving federal government. Here’s where they should go.

State PUCs desperately need skilled energy professionals to advance economic development, energy affordability and national security goals.

By Charles Hua, Abe Silverman and Ted Thomas • May 14, 2025

The AI energy emergency that wasn’t

The  Army Corps of Engineers’  use of an emergency regulation to fast-track permitting for almost 700 projects may backfire because of legal delays and reversals.

By Dan Farber • May 13, 2025

Why surging demand and grid transformation will define the utility sector in 2025

The utilities that succeed will be the ones that can manage today’s operational stress while preparing for tomorrow’s energy ecosystem.

By Kyle Jones • May 9, 2025

Alternative technologies key to FERC transmission orders’ success: ACORE

FERC Orders 1920 and 1920-A offer an opportunity for state entities and transmission providers to collaborate on faster, more efficient and more cost-effective transmission solutions, the report said.

By Brian Martucci • May 8, 2025

Southeastern utilities have fallen behind in transmission planning: reports

The region's utilities have missed out on billions in potential savings, including during Winter Storm Elliott, according to two reports.

By Emma Penrod • May 8, 2025