Berkshire Hathaway, Duke Energy among 6 companies launching transmission equipment company

Marketing and accepting subscribers begins immediately. Finding a company headquarters is still in the works.

By Robert Walton • May 10, 2016

ComEd jumps on the demand charge train with new Illinois proposal

Residential demand charges have been most popular in the Southwest, but the Chicago-based utility features them prominently in a new legislative push.

By Peter Maloney • May 9, 2016

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

Updated: Exelon says 2 nuke plants on the line in sweeping new Illinois energy bill

The Next Generation Energy Plan, announced yesterday, would touch virtually every aspect of the state's power industry. Without it, Exelon plans to retire two challenged nuclear plants.

By Peter Maloney • May 6, 2016

$1.5B underwater transmission project proposed to ship renewables to NYC

Empire State Connector wants to build an underwater, 1,000 MW transmission line to bring renewable power into New York City.

By Robert Walton • May 4, 2016

DOE's new $25M solar fund seeks development of distributed energy grid solutions

The ENERGISE program, part of the Department of Energy's SunShot initiative, seeks to fund grid technologies to manage high penetrations of distributed energy on utility systems.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 4, 2016

Oklahoma utility proposes demand charges to cover distributed energy costs

Oklahoma Gas & Electric is seeking approval to change its rate structure in order to adapt to accommodate distributed resources.

By Peter Maloney • May 3, 2016

EEI: How investor-owned electric companies are delivering America's energy future

Utilities are progressing toward a clean energy future that is customer-focused and delivered by a smarter, stronger power grid, writes EEI President Tom Kuhn. 

By Tom Kuhn • May 2, 2016

PPL completes work on $350 million transmission expansion in Pennsylvania

The Northeast-Pocono Reliability Project is the utility's second major transmission project in as many years.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 28, 2016

How rate reform can help turn energy efficiency into a 'profit center' for utilities

Traditional ratemaking makes energy efficiency a burden to utilities, but smart regulation can create opportunities for both revenue growth and power conservation.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 27, 2016

For grid flexibility, utilities pushed to think beyond gas plants and storage

There are more cost-effective methods to enhance the power system's responsiveness, a new paper reports.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 27, 2016

Renewables in China & India: How two Asian giants struggle with inflexible power system operations

The "merit order" that ranks available generation resources according to marginal cost is largely absent in both countries, RAP analysts write, leading to higher emissions and lower renewable energy utilization.

By Max Dupuy and Ranjit Bharvirkar • April 26, 2016

ComEd touts new solar incentives in Illinois legislative push

The utility has a slate of proposals in front of state lawmakers and on Friday, announced new rebates for solar customers to accompany proposed rate changes.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 25, 2016

FERC seeks input from ISOs on possible market barriers to energy storage

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has given wholesale market operators until May 2 to docment barriers that may exist to adding energy storage resources to their grids.

By Peter Maloney • April 19, 2016

House lawmakers press feds on emergency plans for grid cyber attacks

"If the goal of the bad guys is to collapse the U.S. economic system, they are going to cut off the power," said  Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA), who also chairs the House Transportation Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.

By Robert Walton • April 18, 2016

Exelon maintains microgrid push with Hartford, CT fuel cell project

Exelon subsidiary Constellation is building fuel cell microgrid in Hartford in a partnership with the city and Bloom Energy.

By Peter Maloney • April 18, 2016

Will LA's historic gas leak knock Hollywood's lights out this summer?

California's energy agencies are pushing a slew of measures to compensate for the Aliso Canyon gas leak, but the larger issue of the state's natural gas reliance remains.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 18, 2016

Maine lawmakers near approval of solar incentive bill, but still lack votes for veto override

Gov. Paul LePage, a frequent critic of renewable energy policies, is expected to veto the bill. 

By Gavin Bade, Herman Trabish • April 15, 2016

New York towns wades into community choice aggregation, taps supplier

Sustainable Westchester, which includes most communities in the county, selected ConEdison Solutions to supply energy under a $150 million contract.

By Robert Walton • April 15, 2016

Maryland Pepco customers get 1st bill credits following Exelon merger

Beginning this week, Maryland customers of Pepco received the first of two $50 bill credits as part of a package of benefits to ease potential higher rates resulting from the Exelon-Pepco merger. 

By Robert Walton • April 14, 2016

Idaho Power will be sixth utility to join CAISO's western Energy Imbalance Market

The market allows for real-time balancing of supply and demand across utility systems in the West, helping control costs and integrate more renewable energy.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 13, 2016

How Minnesota is approaching grid modernization as a vertically-integrated state

A new PUC report outlines the state's vision for grid modernization and previews coming regulatory debates.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 13, 2016

Utilities move ahead with plan to stash spare equipment in case of disasters, attacks

Eight companies have formed Grid Assurance, an energy security endeavor which will own and maintain critical equipment at strategically located warehouses.

By Robert Walton • April 13, 2016

Stakeholders debate expanding storage's role in MISO markets

Discussions under way at MISO could expand storage into the medium-term market.

By Peter Maloney • April 12, 2016

'Straight uphill': Power sector reforms face tough path in gridlocked Illinois legislature

Three utility-backed bills to support, nuclear generation, renewables and efficiency did not pass in the last session of the General Assembly. Stakeholders are now trying to role them into a single law.

By Peter Maloney • April 12, 2016

Maine PUC staff recommends management audit of Emera Maine

Staff from the Maine Public Utilities Commission cited a high outage rate and cost overruns related to a new computer system as reasons the Commission should open an audit.

By Robert Walton • April 8, 2016