FERC proposes incentives for voluntary cybersecurity investments, in race to secure nation's electric grid

Experts say offering incentives for utilities to invest in cybersecurity could help shore up the grid much faster than developing new mandatory standards.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 22, 2020

Rising renewables penetration is a threat to grid reliability in some regions, NERC concludes

Areas of Texas, California and the Midwest are most at risk as conventional generation continues to retire, according to the annual reliability assessment.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 18, 2020

Explore the Trendline➔

Electricity Supply and Demand

After nearly two decades of flat demand, U.S. electricity consumption reached an all-time high in 2024 and is expected to continue rising. This trendline brings together the best of Utility Dive’s coverage of emerging trends in supply and demand and the decisions being made today that will impact the power system for years to come. 

By Utility Dive staff

APS's plan for closing coal plants could be a gamechanger, analysts say, but who will pay?

The company's current rate case includes $144.45 million for communities impacted by its proposed coal closures, the biggest-ever such U.S. utility commitment, but customers would pay over 80% of the plan.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 18, 2020

Trio of New England decisions could help or hurt renewables as ISO-NE, NEPOOL face off at FERC

 Some clean energy advocates say one of the decisions could make it more difficult to develop energy storage pojects in the region.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 16, 2020

Transmission, local resources, market improvements key to decarbonization: CAISO and NYISO chiefs

Adding new transmission in a timely manner will require a suite of policy improvements, says Jonathan Weisgall, vice president for legislative and regulatory affairs at Berkshire Hathaway Energy.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 10, 2020

In this Congress or the next, experts see opportunity to boost electric investment and secure the grid

The tight balance of power in both the House and Senate means any action must be bipartisan. Questions about spending will need to be addressed.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 9, 2020

Regulator of the Year: Neil Chatterjee, FERC

It's hard to imagine an agency that has had more effect on the power sector this year than the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and it's impossible to divorce that impact from its now-former chairman: Neil Chatterjee.

By Utility Dive Team • Dec. 9, 2020

The Utility Dive Awards for 2020

The winners exemplified leadership in a time of crisis by working toward economic means of transitioning the power sector.

By Utility Dive Team • Dec. 9, 2020

'Very small silver lining' of COVID-19? An extra 2.5 years to reduce power sector emissions: report

BloombergNEF's New Energy Outlook shows the gas sector will never fully recover from the economic downturn in 2020.  

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Dec. 8, 2020

Are utilities legally required to plan for climate change? 'The devil is in the details.'

Utilities could be on the hook for damages related to climate change, according to a new report from the Environmental Defense Fund. 

By Robert Walton • Dec. 8, 2020

Enbridge clears final regulatory hurdle for $2.6B Minnesota pipeline project

The 340-mile-long Line 3 project cleared its final regulatory hurdle Monday when Minnesota regulators approved its construction stormwater permit.

By Jennifer Goodman • Dec. 2, 2020

NERC expands IT-focused cybersecurity program as hackers actively target grid operations tech

Previously focused on the IT-side of utility operations, the Cybersecurity Risk Information Sharing Program will now include two pilots scanning for threats to operational technologies.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 2, 2020

​From Maryland to California and beyond, rate design innovations are boosting the energy transition

Success with time-of-use rates can allow utilities to start integrating more variable and distributed generation, leading to more sophisticated time-varying rates that allow for the further expansion of such generation.

By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 25, 2020

ConEd faces $102M penalty, possible license revocation for Hurricane Isaias response

Some customers were without power for about a week following the storm, and an expedited investigation concluded utilities failed to follow regulator-ordered emergency response plans.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 24, 2020

NERC: Pandemic, regional fuel shortages threaten winter grid operations in California, New England

Grid operators must prepare to mitigate potential fuel shortages in the colder months while prioritizing worker safety due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the North American Electric Reliability Corp.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 23, 2020

Why capital markets are continuing to finance utilities facing rising flood and other climate change impacts

In a sample of 18 utility disclosures on climate risks analyzed by Utility Dive, 13 stated flooding and heavy storms were a short-to-mid term threat.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Nov. 20, 2020

FERC proposes transmission rating reform, upholds PURPA, ISO-NE orders

Line ratings are considered a "tool stuck in limbo" by transmission experts that could help renewables waiting in long interconnection queues connect to the grid, while improving the overall efficiency of transmission lines.

By Catherine Morehouse • Nov. 20, 2020

Calculating the costs of climate change in the energy, waste sectors

Waste Dive, Utility Dive and Smart Cities Dive teamed up for a series presenting the way their sectors are evaluating the impacts and costs of mitigating climate change.

By Nami Sumida • Nov. 18, 2020

Climate risks are accelerating. Here's what Duke, PG&E and 16 other utilities expect to pay.

Utility Dive took a closer look at how climate risks are threatening utilities — and how much it's going to cost to mitigate them.

By Utility Dive Editors • Nov. 18, 2020

Glick vows to prioritize transmission, reassess capacity markets if named FERC Chair

Commissioner Richard Glick, a frontrunner for FERC chair under Biden, has opposed many of the commission's actions in recent years, particularly those he believes directly impeding state resource decisions.

By Catherine Morehouse • Nov. 18, 2020

Tri-State accelerates Colorado decarbonization, weighs joining Southwest Power Pool expansion

The transmission and generation cooperative will file a plan Dec. 1 to reduce emissions associated with its wholesale electricity sales in Colorado 80% by 2030, surpassing its previous 70% goal.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 16, 2020

Transmission troubles? A solution could be lying along rail lines and next generation highways

Multiple studies show the need for interregional transmission is growing and proposals to streamline siting will help, but cost allocation remains a barrier.

By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 12, 2020

Did Evergy reject a $15B bid from NextEra? Maybe — but not recently.

Reuters, citing anonymous sources, reported on Monday that NextEra made a bid to acquire Kansas-based Evergy and the offer was recently rejected. The two utilities had been in talks, but that process was terminated months ago.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 11, 2020

As EV infrastructure expands, researchers show charging stations vulnerable to low-cost hacking

The Southwest Research Institute was able to perform three manipulations to the most common EV charging equipment: limiting charge rates, blocking a vehicle from charging, and overcharging its battery.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 11, 2020

Could COVID-19 provide a windfall to utilities from shifting demand? Report says yes, but it's complicated

The global pandemic's impact on energy consumption is still being investigated, but a Tufts University researcher expects utilities could benefit financially. Edison Electric Institute disputes the report's conclusions.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 10, 2020