California's dream of a regional power market faces the risks of a Trump FERC

California's proposed regional electricity market could could generate up to $1.5 billion in annual benefits and reduce GHG emissions up to 10%, but it could be subverted.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 20, 2018

Maryland approves permit for Columbia Gas pipeline extension

The Eastern Panhandle Expansion Project is a short new pipeline designed to ship natural gas to West Virginia. 

By Robert Walton • March 19, 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

NERC names WECC head Robb as new CEO

Robb's appointment comes after the high-profile resignation of NERC's last CEO following an office sex scandal and family violence arrest. 

By Gavin Bade • March 19, 2018

Munis to charge cryptocurrency miners higher power prices in New York

Cryptocurrency mining operations are using thousands of times more electricity than an average residential customer, potentially driving up rates for everyone.

By Robert Walton • March 16, 2018

Massachusetts governor seeks Clean Peak Standard with $1.4B bond bill

Under the proposal, electricity suppliers would need to increase the usage of clean energy during peak demand periods. Another bill sets a new storage target of 1,766 MW by 2025 and 5 GW of offshore wind by 2035.  

By Robert Walton • March 15, 2018

FERC splits on climate review as it reissues Southeast Market Pipelines approval

A D.C. Circuit Court ruling had threatened to shut down the projects due to FERC's greenhouse gas accounting, but the Wednesday order ensures operations will continue.

By Gavin Bade • March 15, 2018

Arizona regulators move to place gas plant moratorium on utilities

The Arizona Corporation Commission approved a 9-month moratorium on new gas plants 150 MW or larger, directing utilities to examine renewable energy and storage instead.

By Robert Walton • March 15, 2018

Mountain West Transmission Group moves closer to SPP membership

The Mountain West Transmission Group's entry into the regional transmission organization could mean higher costs for customers of Peak Reliability, a reliability coordinator. 

By Robert Walton • March 14, 2018

US House committee probes possible corruption at Puerto Rico's utility

The Natural Resources Committee is demanding answers from Puerto Rico's utility regarding a range of allegations, including mismanagement of power restoration efforts following Hurricane Maria.

By Robert Walton • March 13, 2018

Northern Pass dealt fresh setback as siting board delays rehearing decision

The New Hampshire Site Evaluation Committee is unlikely to decide whether to restart its review of Northern Pass before May, meaning Massachusetts could choose a different project to meet clean energy goals.

By Robert Walton • March 12, 2018

New TVA rate plan includes lower energy prices, grid access charge

The federally-owned utility says its proposed rate structure will "better align wholesale rates with the underlying costs" to serve its 154 local power companies. 

By Robert Walton • March 12, 2018

From smart grid to neural grid: Well, how do I get there?

The interplay of smart infrastructure, end-user devices, and applications and services, is what takes the smart grid of today into the Neural Grid future, Navigant's Richelle Elberg writes.

By Richelle Elberg • March 9, 2018

Energy sector condemns Trump steel, aluminum tariffs

The duties on imported metal commodities will raise prices for power sector infrastructure projects, trade groups said, and could derail Trump's "energy dominance" agenda.

By Peter Maloney • March 9, 2018

Sempra nabs Texas regulatory approval to buy Oncor

After numerous rejections, Oncor finally has a suitor that satisfies the state Public Utility Commission. Sempra hopes to close the sale this year. 

By Robert Walton • March 8, 2018

Are utilities missing out on the opportunity to use old coal sites for solar?

Two coal-to-solar projects show there can be benefits from taking on the costs of coal site remediation and repurposing – but it is a site-by-site question.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 8, 2018

GE aims to enhance solar, wind power performance with new storage platform

The company wants to make inroads into the utility-scale storage market with Reservoir, a modular, four-hour duration battery system.

By Peter Maloney • March 7, 2018

Canada approves disputed Northern Pass transmission line

But if the project is to go forward, Eversource Energy must convince regulators in New Hampshire to reconsider their denial of the 192-mile transmission project.

By Robert Walton • March 7, 2018

Maryland is 290K shy of its EV goal; Can a broad stakeholder process get it there?

State regulators brought utilities, customer advocates and charging companies to the table. The result could be the second largest charging network in the nation.

By Robert Walton • March 7, 2018

Puerto Rico regulators, federal oversight board wrestle for control of PREPA

Puerto Rico's utility regulators say the Financial Oversight and Management Board is trying to wrest control of the island's utility and its energy future.

By Robert Walton • March 6, 2018

Time-travel, utility-style: Outlines of the utility of the future appear

Rocky Mountain Institute experts identify price, data and interconnection as the keys to success for the utility of the future, whether it's an expanded monopoly or a distribution system platform.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 5, 2018

California ISO proposes more granularity in day-ahead market

The grid operator is proposing to transition the day-ahead market from hourly to 15-minute granularity to ensure there is sufficient capability to meet increasingly steeper ramps.

By Robert Walton • March 2, 2018

Updated: Nor'easter slams East Coast, cutting power to 2M

The powerful winter storm resulted in more than 2,000 flight cancellations, school closings and a massive recovery operation for utilities. In the Washington, D.C., area, outages peaked at more than half a million.

By Robert Walton • March 2, 2018

Transmission fault cuts power to Puerto Rico capital

800,000 residents lost power in the North and East of the country five months after Hurricane Maria destroyed the island's grid.

By Gavin Bade • March 1, 2018

FERC approves Westar, Great Plains Energy merger

The $14 billion deal still needs approval from Kansas regulators, though staff of the Kansas Corporation Commission has recommended the deal be allowed.

By Robert Walton • March 1, 2018

Northern Pass developers ask New Hampshire to reconsider permit denial

Eversource Energy said it would develop a $200 million Forward NH Fund to further economic development and clean energy as one way to court approval. 

By Robert Walton • Feb. 28, 2018