US electrical steel shortage threatens energy transition, recovery from power outages, groups warn Biden

Electric utilities and other stakeholders have asked President Joe Biden to convene an “Electrical Steel Summit” with manufacturers to address the “supply chain crisis.”

By Robert Walton • May 24, 2023

California’s ‘zonal’ approach could revamp clean energy planning, shrink interconnection queue: experts

The strategy is part of the California Independent System Operator’s latest transmission plan, which calls for 45 projects estimated to cost $7.3 billion.

By Kavya Balaraman • May 23, 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

The grid orchestration opportunity for America’s G&T cooperatives

Post-IRA, G&T co-ops have a historic opportunity to transform their relationship with member co-ops and lead the rural energy transition.

May 22, 2023

As Sen. Carper releases permitting reform proposal, White House vows to update NEPA rules

Carper’s proposal joins a crowded field of legislative approaches to streamlining energy permitting reform.

By Robert Walton • May 18, 2023

Most of US faces elevated risk of blackouts in extreme heat this summer, NERC warns

All areas are expected to have adequate resources for normal summer peak load, but extreme weather could create widespread challenges, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. said May 17.

By Robert Walton • May 17, 2023

The TransWest Express transmission line is a win for rural communities. Why did approval take 15 years?

The massive delay in approving the TransWest Express project was the result of an overly complex and too easily derailed federal permitting process for major infrastructure projects.

By Greg Brophy • May 16, 2023

NERC recommends including cyberattack scenarios now absent in most transmission planning assessments

The potential for a coordinated cyberattack to impact the bulk power system “is not currently or generally studied as part of standard industry practices,” according to a white paper NERC published this month.

By Robert Walton • May 15, 2023

Biden ‘doesn’t love everything in the bill,’ but calls for Congress to pass Manchin’s energy permitting reforms

The White House on Wednesday laid out its priorities for permitting reform, including faster deployment of critical electric transmission, and acknowledged the need for compromise.

By Robert Walton • May 11, 2023

DOE proposes framework for national transmission corridors to spur new lines, ease grid congestion

The proposal would allow transmission developers to apply for project-specific corridors, unlocking potential federal funding, the department said Tuesday.

By Ethan Howland • May 10, 2023

Hawai’i leads the way on advanced rate design with default time-of-use rates, fixed charge innovations

Hawai’i’s planned granular cost study still must prove to other states that the new TOU rates, fixed charge framework and new way of defining costs will allocate costs accurately, analysts said.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 9, 2023

PNM proposes non-wires battery pilot to address overloaded feeders at solar facilities

The pair of 6 MW battery resources “matches the lowest cost option for solving the overloaded feeders,” PNM Resources President and Chief Operating Officer Don Tarry said.

By Robert Walton • May 8, 2023

10 reasons why investing in a battery monitoring pilot program is essential

Discover why investing in a pilot BMS program is not only a good idea; it is imperative.

By Eagle Eye Power Solutions • May 8, 2023

Why contracts among cooperative G&T owners ensure equity and fairness

Central to the success of the cooperative G&T model are the promises each member makes to work together with their fellow members to secure a reliable, affordable and responsible power supply for the communities they together serve.

By Dave Frick, General Manager, Morgan County Rural Electric Association • May 8, 2023

Minnesota highway initiative goes national to advance co-located energy, communications buildout

The NextGen Highways initiative in January secured funding from the Bill Gates-founded Breakthrough Energy to expand its advocacy for building transmission along public rights-of-way.

By Robert Walton • May 5, 2023

PG&E Corp mitigation measures prepare it for upcoming wildfire season regardless of weather: CEO

PG&E estimates that the “layers of protection” it has implemented have mitigated over 90% of wildfire risk in its service area.

By Kavya Balaraman • May 5, 2023

FERC commissioners tell senators of major grid reliability challenges, with some blaming markets

Power plants are retiring faster than they’re being replaced, according to FERC Commissioner Mark Christie. “The arithmetic doesn’t work,” he said at a Senate hearing Thursday.

By Ethan Howland • May 5, 2023

Edison International CEO Pizarro backs Western RTO, highlights SCE efforts to prep grid for heavy duty EVs

“We are seeing customers really start to embrace and adopt EVs today, including operators of medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleets,” Pedro Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International, said during an earnings call.

By Kavya Balaraman • May 3, 2023

Indiana utilities gain ‘right of first refusal’ to build transmission lines amid MISO buildout

AES Indiana, CenterPoint Energy, Duke Energy Indiana and Northern Indiana Public Service Co. stand to benefit from the legislation signed into law Monday.

By Ethan Howland • May 2, 2023

Southwest Power Pool study could inform Texas efforts to shore up reliability: PUCT commissioner

A Southwest Power Pool working group is studying development of a reliability standard based on expected unserved energy, with varied requirements for at least two different seasons.

By Robert Walton • May 1, 2023

California regulators approve PG&E, Energy Vault green hydrogen and battery microgrid

The microgrid’s planned use of green hydrogen fuel cells and batteries marks a departure from PG&E’s earlier practice of using diesel generators for backup power during outages.

By Kavya Balaraman • May 1, 2023

Why the energy transition demands an accounting and reporting transformation

The energy transition is about meeting customers' demands, especially for decarbonization and environmental sustainability.

May 1, 2023

Pending Senate bill would require 30% transfer capacity between regions: Hickenlooper aide

Building those lines could produce a “stunning payoff,” Daniel Palken, an aide to Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., said Thursday. “The technical term for this would be ‘a gold mine.’”

By Ethan Howland • April 28, 2023

Extreme weather risks should be considered in transmission planning, SPP concludes, after Elliott review

A review of the Southwest Power Pool’s response to Winter Storm Elliott in 2022 found room for improvement in areas of operations, transmission planning, communications and compliance.

By Robert Walton • April 28, 2023

Rep. Casten, ex-FERC chairs eye DERs, more power sector competition to achieve net zero goals

"We're not going to get to where we need to go with a zero-carbon electric grid unless we have distributed demand-side resources supporting what we need to do on the supply side,” said former FERC Chair Jon Wellinghoff.

By Diana DiGangi • April 27, 2023

Connecticut adopts performance-based regulation as Eversource raps investor environment

“You just don't get paid an automatic 9% whether you do good work or bad work,” Gov. Ned Lamont said. “You get paid for doing good work.”

By Stephen Singer • April 27, 2023