DOE issues draft plan for speeding up, improving grid interconnections

The draft road map goes beyond the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s recent interconnection reform rule, in part by calling for fast-track interconnection options.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 26, 2023

Texas ban on non-incumbent transmission is unconstitutional: US solicitor general

The solicitor general urged the U.S. Supreme Court to dismiss a petition to review an appeals court finding that a Texas law likely violates the Commerce Clause.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 25, 2023

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

White House points to nationwide clean energy jobs growth as IRA success story

The Biden administration has issued three recent reports showing growth in clean energy jobs as well as record investment in the sector.

By Diana DiGangi • Oct. 24, 2023

Mountain Valley Pipeline delayed; cost rises to $7.2B

Equitrans has pushed the opening of the controversial project to 2024 due to “unforeseen factors” that include difficulty finding contractors.

By Julie Strupp • Oct. 24, 2023

Xcel seeks 1.2 GW of new Minnesota wind resources to replace retiring coal plant

The new wind projects would utilize Xcel’s proposed 345-kV transmission line to deliver energy to the retiring Sherco coal plant in Becker, Minnesota.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 24, 2023

Invenergy’s 5-GW Grain Belt transmission project faces continued opposition at FERC

The Missouri Landowners Association wants Invenergy to re-apply for Grain Belt’s negotiated rate authority, a move that could delay the financing and construction plans for the $7 billion project.

By Ethan Howland • Updated Oct. 24, 2023

AI is enhancing electric grids, but surging energy use and security risks are key concerns

The power demands of artificial intelligence could grow almost fivefold by 2028, said Sreedhar Sistu, vice president of artificial intelligence offers for Schneider Electric.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 23, 2023

Proactive asset health management in the age of renewables, EVs and unprecedented demand

Utilities Can Save Millions in O&M, Maximize Reliability and Increase the Lifetime Value of Grid Assets Through Monitoring, Analytics and Proactive Maintenance.

By Brian Berry, Chief Product Officer, Ampacimon • Oct. 23, 2023

The digital transformation of utility ratemaking

Electric utilities are acting to keep up with the impact of increased electrification and complex rates are playing a critical role.

Oct. 23, 2023

Failing to expand the grid may be biggest threat to US energy transition: National Academies

A panel of experts urged FERC to “expeditiously” issue its pending transmission planning and cost allocation reforms and to make sure wholesale power markets can support a shift to 100% clean energy.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 19, 2023

DOE announces ‘largest-ever investment in America’s grid,’ giving $3.5B across 44 states

The first round of funding under the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships program will boost U.S. renewable capacity by more than 10% within this decade, said DOE officials.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 19, 2023

Entergy New Orleans announces $1B grid-hardening effort

Entergy contends its 10-year plan would slash outage times and storm restoration costs.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 18, 2023

Electric grids could be the ‘weak link’ of clean energy transition, IEA warns

A new report from the International Energy Agency urges grid developers and operators to look to digital solutions to enable grid flexibility through energy storage and demand response.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 18, 2023

New York PSC approves big rate increases, $5.2B investments for Avangrid utilities

Customers of New York State Electric & Gas will see monthly bills increase more than $30 over three years. Average RG&E residential electric bills will rise more than $19 over three years.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 13, 2023

Reworking the grid to accommodate offshore wind is a matter of ‘extreme urgency’: Ørsted exec

The limited points of interconnection on the Atlantic coast make collaborative and creative planning a necessity, said Ørsted’s Head of Electricity Policy Lopa Parikh.

By Diana DiGangi • Oct. 12, 2023

Don’t be fooled: Transmission benefits are clearer than they appear

Federal regulators can advance transmission planning by developing a rule that “clarifies and requires evaluation of commonly accepted benefits,” writes Christina Hayes, executive director of Americans for a Clean Energy Grid.

By Christina Hayes • Oct. 12, 2023

Uneven pace of FERC Order 2222 implementation continues as grid operators face challenges

In 2020, FERC directed RTOs and ISOs to remove barriers that prevent aggregations of distributed energy resources, such as energy storage and rooftop solar, from participating in wholesale power markets.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 12, 2023

2024 US power sector conferences to watch

Start planning for this year’s events, which will cover the clean energy transition, state and federal energy policy and more.

By Larry Pearl • Updated Feb. 16, 2024

Maine debate heats up as vote nears on public takeover of CMP, Versant Power

A potential $13.5 billion takeover has utilities, electrical workers and Maine Gov. Janet Mills squaring off against conservation groups and consumer activists heading into the November election.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 11, 2023

Meeting electric transmission needs for the 21st century grid

Proactive engagement with host communities by utilities, project developers and policymakers becomes a pivotal factor in ensuring the success of transmission projects.

By Paul A. DeCotis • Oct. 9, 2023

PNNL projects up to $6B annual benefit from West Coast offshore wind transmission planning

A new study from DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory aims to guide state policy in Oregon and California and "stand as a rubric for future grid integration studies."

By Diana DiGangi • Oct. 5, 2023

Western Power Pool outlines concept for West-wide transmission planning group

Current transmission planning processes in the West have not identified new transmission solutions that lead to building out new projects, a paper released Monday said. 

By Kavya Balaraman • Oct. 5, 2023

FERC must review local transmission planned by AEP, Duke, other Ohio utilities: complaint

Ohio utilities have added nearly $6.5 billion in PJM-approved “supplemental projects” since 2017 without oversight of their need, prudence and cost-effectiveness, the Ohio ratepayer advocate said Thursday.

By Ethan Howland • Updated Sept. 29, 2023

Con Edison: NYC is warming faster than expected and grid investment must follow

“Climate change will affect the lives of New Yorkers sooner and more severely than [we] had previously thought,” said Tim Cawley, the chairman and CEO of Consolidated Edison.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 27, 2023

Sen. Hickenlooper touts interregional transmission as new report tackles US grid risks

The U.S. electrical grid faces significant risk, but an expansion of interregional transfer capacity could improve reliability, according to a new report from SAFE, a nonpartisan policy organization focused on energy issues.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 27, 2023