Sempra reaches Oncor settlement with stakeholders, includes ring-fence protections

Other commitments in the settlement include eliminating all debt currently at Energy Future Holdings Corp. and Energy Future Intermediate Holding Company LLC.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 15, 2017

Virginia deals setback to Atlantic Coast Pipeline with conditional water permit approval

Construction of the major gas pipeline will be contingent on several additional studies to be reviewed by state environmental regulators, the Virginia Water Control Board decided on Tuesday. 

By Gavin Bade • Dec. 13, 2017

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

FERC needs to review capacity market performance, GAO recommends

A review by the U.S. Government Accountability Office found the agency did not adequately reviewed the performance of capacity markets, recommending improved data collection and regular assessments.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 11, 2017

The new demand response and the future of the power sector

New reports show system operators and utilities are turning distributed energy resources into demand response and leveraging two-way communications for new levels of price responsiveness.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 11, 2017

California feed-in tariff not compliant with PURPA, federal court rules

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California concluded two aspects of the state's “Renewable Market-Adjusting Tariff” conflicted with PURPA and federal regulation. 

By Robert Walton • Dec. 11, 2017

PJM subsidiary looks to Western markets, with new RTO a possibility

The reliability coordinator for most of the Western Interconnection and an unregulated subsidiary of PJM Interconnect are exploring offering reliability services and markets in the West.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 8, 2017

Puget Sound plan to shutter Colstrip coal units approved

Washington regulators approved the utility's rate increase and multi-party settlement to close Units 1 and 2 of the Colstrip power plant by 2022. 

By Robert Walton • Dec. 8, 2017

PG&E proposes clean energy alternative to new fossil fuel plant, transmission

Company President and CEO Geisha Williams says the steps to replace a jet-fueled peaker in Oakland could be "a model for other cities in California and beyond."

By Robert Walton • Dec. 8, 2017

West Virginia waives Clean Water Act certification of Atlantic Coast Pipeline

However, the state's Department of Environmental Protection has scheduled two hearings for a stormwater permit that the agency says gives it wide-ranging inspection and authority over the project.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 8, 2017

PJM greenlights $318M in transmission upgrades

The grid operator also approved the installed reserve margin for 2021-22, setting the cushion at 15.8%.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 7, 2017

Fluor lands $831M contract to rebuild Puerto Rico electric grid

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has tapped the South Carolina company for a major rebuild of Puerto Rico's grid. But a wave of microgrid, storage and solar projects are quickly being installed to return power to small parts of the grid.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 6, 2017

FirstEnergy files $450M plan to upgrade Ohio distribution grids

Customers of Ohio Edison, Cleveland Electric Illuminating and Toledo Edison could see faster restoration times in outages and a grid more capable of standing up to adverse weather conditions.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 5, 2017

NY ISO plan sees storage in state's wholesale markets by 2020

As the state moves to set recently enacted storage targets, the grid operator laid out a three-phase plan that focuses on integration, optimization and aggregation.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 5, 2017

Whitefish Energy challenges contractor in Montana court over Puerto Rico storm recovery payments

Arc American, a contractor, had asked the Puerto Rico utility for payment for work it completed to repair the island's devastated electrical grid rather than collecting through Whitefish.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 5, 2017

Massachusetts approves Eversource rate increase to help boost EV, storage investment

Regulators trimmed the utility's initial proposal, but it includes $45 million in electric vehicle infrastructure investments and $55 million for energy storage projects on Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 5, 2017

As grid modernization accelerates, which states are in the lead, and why?

California, Illinois and Texas are at the top, according to the latest GridWise survey, with Rhode Island, Colorado and Washington showing the biggest improvement over the prior rankings.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 5, 2017

SolarCity, Salt River Project antitrust lawsuit heads to Supreme Court

In 2015, SolarCity filed an anti-trust lawsuit against Salt River Project. The U.S. Supreme Court will determine if the public power utility can be sued under those laws.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 4, 2017

Chatterjee blames national environmental groups for delaying pipeline approvals

Concerns over climate change have given rise to a "national keep-it-in-the-ground movement resisting any natural gas project as a matter of principle," Chatterjee said in a speech before gas executives Thursday.

By Gavin Bade • Dec. 1, 2017

Middle-agers lead on using energy-saving devices, but overall adoption is low

About one quarter of customers have such items in their homes, with smart thermostats the most popular device.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 1, 2017

CPUC: SDG&E may not recover $379M from consumers for 2007 wildfires

The closely-watched decision could have implications for other utilities — including Pacific Gas & Electric which is under scrutiny for its role in wildfires that devastated Sonoma and Napa counties this fall. 

By Robert Walton • Dec. 1, 2017

Updated: California political commission requests emails related to San Bruno explosion

The California Fair Political Practices Commission wants information on political aide Susan Kennedy's communications with the state's Public Utilities Commission since 2012.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 28, 2017

Gas rush: FERC's pipeline approvals underline persisting controversy over permitting

The federal agency has approved 8 Bcf/d of pipeline capacity in recent months, resisting calls to expand its evaluation procedures.

By Gavin Bade • Nov. 28, 2017

DOE identifies possible microgrid opportunities in Puerto Rico

The island continues to struggle with rebuilding its electric grid after Hurricane Maria, but federal officials say there is progress in making the power supply more resilient.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 28, 2017

Whitefish Energy resumes work in Puerto Rico after 'good faith' payment

The Montana company had ceased work to repair the island's electric grid over an unpaid $83 million bill for work that was completed in October.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 27, 2017

California lawmakers want to block utilities from passing on wildfire costs

Following October wildfires that devastated Sonoma and Napa counties, California lawmakers are considering a measure to block utilities from recovering costs if their equipment is determined to be at fault.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 27, 2017