Midcontinent ISO proposes 2-season capacity auctions

Current resource adequacy requirements are focused on the summer months, and officials fear that the most extreme cases could leave the Midcontinent grid short of power in the winter.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 16, 2015

ComEd lobbies Illinois lawmakers to develop 6 microgrids

Commonwealth Edison wants to develop a half dozen microgrids in the state, but will need lawmakers to approve its Future Energy Plan, legislation that would fund the northern Illinois projects.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 16, 2015

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

Missouri utility Empire Electric District mulls sale, sending shares higher

The Missouri utility has confirmed it hired an advisor to consider "strategic alternatves," but said it will have no additional comment.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 15, 2015

FERC: Atlantic Coast Pipeline must consider alternate routes

Federal regulators want backers of the 564-mile pipeline project to consider routes that would have less of a impact on national forests.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 14, 2015

Duke Energy files revised $1.8B grid modernization plan in Indiana after initial rejection

Duke Energy spent seven months honing its seven-year proposal to boost system reliability after state regulators rejected it in May, but opponents say the plan hasn't changed and are pushing for a full review. 

By Robert Walton • Dec. 10, 2015

President Obama signs transportation bill with grid emergency provisions

The U.S. will begin developing a strategic reserve of transformers and mobile substations to respond to critical outages.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 9, 2015

PG&E is the only one of the 20 largest US electric utilities to back Obama's corporate climate pledge

More than 150 companies have signed the American Business Act on Climate Pledge, but only one of them is a major U.S. electric utility.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 7, 2015

House passes major energy bill as Murkowski tees up Senate version for early 2016

New bipartisanship on energy policy in the senate might increase the chances of an ITC extension, the head of a critical committee said on Thursday.

By Gavin Bade • Dec. 4, 2015

Smart city, smart utility: A formidable union for urban sustainability

In this guest post, officials from Black & Veatch highlight new opportunities for power sector players in building sustainable cities. 

By Jennifer James and Mike Bossom • Dec. 2, 2015

5 drivers making 100% renewables possible

A new paper offers companies and governments a toolkit to implement five transformative opportunities and reach big renewables targets.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 2, 2015

ITC mulling sale with Iberdrola, National Grid touted as possible bidders

The biggest transmission provider in the United States is likely on the auction block, and National Grid PLC and Iberdrola are potential bidders.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 2, 2015

Consumers advocates protest Indiana utilities pushing fixed charge increases

The Northern Indiana Public Service Company wants a nearly 100% increase in monthly fixed charges for residential customers.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 1, 2015

City of Las Vegas strikes deal for 100% renewables as casinos look to defect

While the city has struck a deal that puts in on a path towards all carbon-free energy, a handful of casinos are opting out of NV Energy's service in search of cheaper options.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 1, 2015

Tesla competitor Sonnenbatterie unveils community solar-storage system

The German company says its new solar-storage-control system will make conventional utilities obsolete.

By Peter Maloney • Nov. 30, 2015

CA regulators cut anti-terror funding for utilities in dispute with legislature over legal fees

"Democracy is pretty messy," is how the executive director of the California Public Utilities Commission explains it.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 25, 2015

Portland General Electric joins CAISO energy imbalance market

The regional balancing authority headed by California’s grid operator will now span eight states.

By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 24, 2015

Kinder Morgan files $5B Northeast pipeline plan despite critical Mass. AG study

The Northeast Energy Direct project is a "transformative" plan to exand the Tennessee Gas Pipeline system in  Pennsylvania, New York and New England.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 24, 2015

Montana utility withdraws bid for residential demand charge for DER customers

Montana Dakota Utilities withdrew its residential demand charge request, but still wants higher fixed charges and a boost in volumetric rates. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 23, 2015

Illinois to probe whether Wisconsin Energy, Integrys hid pipeline costs in merger proceeding

The Illinois Commerce Commission launched an investigation to see if executives knew costs associated with a Peoples Gas pipeline replacement project had almost doubled.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 23, 2015

War games: 350 utilities join feds in simulation of large-scale grid attack

Last week the North American Electric Reliability Corporation led a simulated attack on the United States' utility grid. Had it been real, some cities would have been left uninhabitable.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 23, 2015

Ohio regulators to probe submetering companies reselling energy in apartments, condos

Allowing a third-party to resell energy in apartments and condominiums would likely be illegal in most states, and advocates are calling for greater scrutiny into the practice in Ohio. 

By Robert Walton • Nov. 20, 2015

Wisconsin utility rolls out plan for 30% renewables by 2030

The Wisconsin-based Madison Gas and Electric Co. plans to supply 30% of its retail power sales with renewable energy by 2030. 

By Robert Walton • Nov. 20, 2015

NextEra makes new bid for Oncor, complicating EFH bankruptcy saga

NextEra says its plan to buy Oncor has a better chance of passing muster with regulators than the one proposed by Hunt Consolidated.

By Gavin Bade • Nov. 19, 2015

Maps: 5 US regions where the grid is under threat from climate change

Climate change — if left unchecked — could put the electricity system at risk, especially in coastal areas.

By Gavin Bade • Nov. 17, 2015

In a bid to reimagine power delivery, TFC Utilities buys GridPoint

Formed earlier this year, Twenty First Century Utilities LLC wants to transform regulated utilities through the mass adoption of clean, low cost energy technologies. 

By Robert Walton • Nov. 17, 2015