Transmission & Distribution: Page 3


  • An aerial view of a burned-out neighborhood with mountains in the background.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Mario Tama via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    LA County sues Southern California Edison for Eaton Fire damages

    Court documents allege “clear evidence” that the fire was caused by SCE, which LA County says failed to de-energize all of its equipment despite warnings of extreme wind.

    By Emma Penrod • March 6, 2025
  • Will Trump tariffs delay utility transmission, power plant plans?

    FirstEnergy and other utilities warn they could be hurt by tariffs, but analysts see little immediate effect on utility capital expenditure plans.

    By March 5, 2025
  • Utility maintenance trucks drive past downed power lines on their way to make repairs August 15, 2004 in Punta Gorda, Florida. Explore the Trendline
    Image attribution tooltip
    Mario Tama / Staff via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    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
  • Transmission lines stretch across rolling green fields
    Image attribution tooltip
    SEYLUL06 via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Opinion

    For transmission planning, FERC Order 1920 is our dragon

    Instead of repealing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Order 100 to improve transmission planning, the focus should be on making Order 1920 as strong as possible.

    By Claire Wayner • March 4, 2025
  • FERC headquarters
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Esme Howland
    Image attribution tooltip
    Opinion

    Striking true or overreaching? How a new executive order clouds FERC’s decisional authority

    The agency's independence and credibility depend on careful adherence to the law, not alignment with shifting executive priorities, according to Lyle Larson, a partner at Balch & Bingham.

    By Lyle Larson • March 4, 2025
  • .
    Image attribution tooltip
    Chip Somodevilla / Staff via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    New England, New York grid operators prepare to collect millions in tariffs on Canadian electricity

    Whether the tariffs going into effect Tuesday apply to electricity imports — and what role the ISOs must play in collecting them — is unclear, they told the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, but they need to be prepared.

    By March 3, 2025
  • Construction of Microsoft Azure data center campus progresses in Leesburg, Virginia, on Aug. 16, 2024.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Gerville via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    FirstEnergy’s 5-year data center pipeline doubles to 3 GW

    FirstEnergy shares fell nearly 10.5% in trading on Thursday after the company effectively lowered its earnings outlook, according to Jefferies analysts.

    By Feb. 28, 2025
  • Power line towers crossing a scrubby field.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Cavan Images via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    New generation is a ‘better approach’ to energy security than interregional transmission: ERCOT

    Texas can add new resources “significantly faster” than interregional transmission can be brought online, Electric Reliability Council of Texas officials said Wednesday.

    By Feb. 27, 2025
  • PJM board approves $6.7B transmission expansion plan

    The plan includes a $4.6 billion regional transmission backbone to be built by American Electric Power, Dominion Energy and FirstEnergy.

    By Feb. 27, 2025
  • Rows of electric power lines run through a wooded area.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Alexander Farnsworth via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Opinion

    What if Bruce Lee had set federal transmission policy?

    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission could help unlock transmission development in three steps, including by repealing its Order 1000 on transmission planning. Enter the Dragon!

    By Vincent Duane and Caitlin Shields • Feb. 25, 2025
  • A data processing and storage center.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Andrey Semenov via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Fortress backs behind-the-meter gas turbines to support AI hyperscalers

    New APR Energy plans to deploy 100 MW of mobile gas turbines in support of an unnamed data center hyperscaler, and more similar deals are on the way, officials said.

    By Feb. 25, 2025
  • Electric power lines running across a hilly landscape.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Bilanol via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    NERC interregional transfer capability study lacks detail to drive transmission upgrades: EIPC

    The Eastern Interconnection Planning Collaborative urged the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to set metrics that could be used to determine whether more transmission is needed between regions.

    By Feb. 25, 2025
  • High-voltage electric power lines run across a snowy field.
    Image attribution tooltip
    The image by Patrick Finnegan is licensed under CC BY 2.0
    Image attribution tooltip

    US governors press for infrastructure permitting reform

    The governors also aim to ensure that the federal government meets its obligations for federally funded projects, the National Governors Association said.

    By Feb. 24, 2025
  • Image of Grid lines
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Energy Exemplar
    Image attribution tooltip
    Sponsored by Energy Exemplar

    Is your utility prepared for these 3 energy trends in 2025?

    The energy sector is undergoing significant transformations in 2025. Is your utility prepared?

    Feb. 24, 2025
  • Steam rises from one of two large cement towers, with buildings and a parking lot in the foreground.
    Image attribution tooltip
    The image by Jakec is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
    Image attribution tooltip

    FERC launches colocation review, plus 6 other open meeting takeaways

    Final colocation rules aren’t likely until 2026, creating uncertainty for Vistra, Talen Energy and other independent power producers, Capstone analysts said.

    By Updated Feb. 21, 2025
  • Aerial view of an Amazon data center in Oregon
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Amazon
    Image attribution tooltip

    Indiana regulators approve ‘large load’ interconnection rules

    The decision affirms a pact offered by Indiana Michigan Power, Amazon Data Services, Google, Microsoft, the Indiana ratepayer advocate and Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana.

    By Feb. 20, 2025
  • Aerial picture of Microsoft Azure data center campus under construction in Leesburg, Virginia on Aug. 16, 2024.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Gerville via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Opinion

    How to reduce large load speculation? Standardize the interconnection process.

    We can haphazardly continue down the path of a fragmented and increasingly untenable approach to large load-side interconnection, or we can introduce rational standardization to the process.

    By Peter Freed and Allison Clements • Feb. 19, 2025
  • Nuclear power plant on a shore of Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania, on a winter sunny day.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Alex Potemkin via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Opinion

    Achieving energy dominance without leaving small customers behind

    Addressing load growth must be done in a way that ensures rate stability for all and avoids an energy system that houses haves and have nots.

    By Ray Gifford and Matt Larson • Feb. 18, 2025
  • Two technicians wearing yellow vests walking past racks of electronic equipment in a data center for cryptocurrency mining.
    Image attribution tooltip
    halbergman via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    AEP expects electric sales to jump 8.6% annually over 3 years

    American Electric Power is in the early permitting phase for small modular reactors in Indiana and Virginia as data centers and industrial facilities drive demand for power.

    By Feb. 18, 2025
  • A man watches the flames from the Palisades Fire burning homes on the Pacific Coast Highway amid a powerful windstorm on Jan. 8, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Apu Gomes/Getty Images via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    PG&E tries to reassure investors amid growing wildfire concerns

    Significant improvement in the company's credit rating may not be possible in the near term, company officials said Thursday. The utility wants California to expand its public wildfire insurance fund.

    By Emma Penrod • Feb. 18, 2025
  • Construction worker wearing hard hat with background of digital wires.
    Image attribution tooltip

    Photo illustration by ScottMadden; photographs by Viks_jin and amiak via Adobe Stock

    Image attribution tooltip
    Sponsored by ScottMadden

    Practical AI for utilities: How to prioritize and scale real-world use cases

    Many utilities are still piloting basic use cases for AI technologies, but building momentum for broader adoption requires a structured approach.

    By Luke Martin • Feb. 18, 2025
  • An electricity meter covered in snow.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Valerie Loiseleux via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    New Jersey residential customers face 20% bill hikes, driven by PJM capacity prices: BPU

    New Jersey regulators must carefully examine utility filings with an eye toward keeping electricity affordable, the state’s ratepayer advocate said.

    By Updated Feb. 13, 2025
  • A construction site with two cranes.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Gerville via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Exelon data center pipeline jumps to 17 GW as load forecast turns positive

    CEO Calvin Butler called for new approaches to ensuring the PJM Interconnection has adequate power supplies. “A variety of solutions across regulated and merchant participants is necessary,” he said.

    By Feb. 13, 2025
  • Transformers and power transmission lines at a power distribution yard August 18, 2003 in Des Plaines, Illinois.
    Image attribution tooltip
    (Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images) via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Deep Dive

    Transformer supply bottleneck threatens power system stability as load grows

    Electric transformers are critical to managing power system reliability. Solutions to the bottleneck are emerging, but long wait times remain.

    By Feb. 12, 2025
  • Three electrical transformers sitting on an elevated platform with electric wires crossing in a blue sky overhead.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Ethan Howland
    Image attribution tooltip

    Eaton invests $340M in US transformer production

    The company said it aims to help address the ongoing transformer shortage and meet record demand from utility, large commercial, industrial and data center customers.

    By Feb. 12, 2025
  • Graph and information with city light and electricity and energy facility industry.
    Image attribution tooltip

    MadamLead/istockphoto.com

    Image attribution tooltip
    Sponsored by Allied Telesis, Inc.

    Digital transformation in utilities: From smart metering to integrated systems

    Exploring the journey of utilities embracing digitalization, from advanced metering to comprehensive system integration. 

    Feb. 10, 2025