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

Explore the Trendline➔

Grid Resiliency

The risk from natural disasters like hurricanes, wildfires and heat waves is compounded by rising demand for power that threatens to put additional strain on the grid, as well as cyber and physical attacks on critical infrastructure.

By Utility Dive staff

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

Iowa House passes bill to toughen eminent domain rules for transmission developers

The bill would prevent utility regulators from granting eminent domain rights for a project unless 75% of landowners in its path approved.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 7, 2016

HECO is testing Varentec devices to regulate voltage fluctuations from rooftop solar

Hawaii's main utility is conducting a pilot program aimed at testing Varentec devices to regulate voltage fluctuations from rooftop solar installations.

By Peter Maloney • April 7, 2016

DOE's partnership with CLEP to advance a transmission project could spread to others

The Department of Energy's decision to exercise its eminent domain authority to help advance one tranmission project could have implications for the similarly embattled Grain Belt Express line. 

By Herman K. Trabish • April 5, 2016

How DOE is leveraging federal authority to ease transmission development

The Dept. of Energy is exercising powers that allow it to speed siting and construction of interstate transmission, but not everyone is pleased.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 4, 2016

Report: 2015 simulated grid attack revealed communication sharing problems

Among the report's findings, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation is calling for enhanced information sharing and communication capabilities.

By Robert Walton • April 3, 2016

'Eternal vigilance': DC regulators on the Exelon-Pepco merger and what's next for the PSC

After a 2-1 vote to create the nation's largest utility company, Utility Dive obtained exclusive interviews with regulators on opposing sides of the decision. Here's what they had to say. 

By Gavin Bade • March 29, 2016

How utilities can turn DERs from threat into opportunity

Locational planning is just the beginning. Utilities need to plan from top to bottom for the coming proliferation of distributed energy resources, according to a new white paper.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 16, 2016

ERCOT: Wind, solar nearly two-thirds new capacity in 2016

The ERCOT system capacity is expected to grow almost 12,500 MW while coal declines and nuclear stagnates. 

By Herman K. Trabish • March 16, 2016

ComEd forges ahead with ambitious microgrid plans amid legislative debate

A $4 million DOE grant could help ComEd build up to six microgrids in Chicago, depending on the outcome of pending legislation.

By Peter Maloney • March 15, 2016

HECO, E-Gear try storage to resolve solar installation bottleneck in Hawaii

Hawaiian Electric and E-Gear to deploy storage pilot program to address solar installation bottleneck on Molokai.

By Peter Maloney • March 9, 2016

Texas regulators delay Oncor vote, push Hunt to draft proposal on deal

Many had expected the Public Utility Commission of Texas to vote on Hunt Consolidated's plan to transform Oncor into a Real Estate Investment trust, but regulators instead have opened another proceeding for Hunt to submit a proposal on how it plans to transform the utility. 

By Robert Walton • March 7, 2016

AEP taps GE software for new distribution management system

As utilities shift to a future with more distributed assets on the grid, finding systems to manage them as one is paramount.

By Peter Maloney • March 4, 2016

New York REV shows utilities and regulators how to manage change

In this guest post, Eleanor Stein, a former PSC judge and REV project manager, offers insight on how coordination between utilities, regulators, and the public can boost trust in the regulatory process.

By Eleanor Stein • March 3, 2016

As Xcel pushes non-wire alternatives, solar+storage pilot sparks utility ownership debate

Everyone loves that Xcel Minnesota is considering DERs instead of traditional infrastructure, but not that the utility wants to own them itself.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 3, 2016

Long live the duck — and may he fly flat

In this guest post, Jim Lazar, senior advisor at the Regulatory Assistance Project, offers new techniques to combat the dreaded Duck Curve

By Jim Lazar • March 2, 2016

The sector favorite: Storage tops utility tech picks for second year running

Utility Dive's third annual survey of electric utility professionals shows even greater interest in energy storage.

By Peter Maloney • March 1, 2016

Minnesota Power line approved to link Canadian hydro and storage to Midwest wind

The Great Northern transmission line line will help the Minnesota utility access hydropower and pumped storage facilities in Manitoba. 

By Herman K. Trabish • March 1, 2016