Transmission & Distribution: Page 59
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Sen. Manchin ‘fighting’ for White House nomination of Democratic FERC candidate
The independent energy regulatory agency has two vacancies but President Donald Trump only nominated FERC general counsel James Danly for the open Republican seat.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • Nov. 6, 2019 -
Deep Dive
US power grid attack points surge with proliferating DERs: A hacker ‘will eventually get in’
Critical infrastructure protection standards are essential — but they’re also just a starting point, say experts focused on maintaining a reliable electric grid.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 4, 2019 -
Explore the Trendline➔
Mario Tama / Staff via Getty Images
TrendlineGrid 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 -
California governor floats PG&E takeover, moves to expedite bankruptcy proceeding
Governor Gavin Newsom called for a meeting this week between state officials, the utility, its creditors, its shareholders and wildfire victims, to “accelerate a consensual resolution.”
By Robert Walton • Nov. 4, 2019 -
CAISO takes expanded western reliability services live
The California Independent System Operator has launched expanded Reliability Coordinator services, called RC West, making it the coordinator of record for more than three dozen entities across 14 western states and northern Mexico.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 4, 2019 -
Solar, energy efficiency to drive drops in load, peak demand over next 10 years, ISO-NE says
The region remains energy constrained, but the grid operator expects to have sufficient resources to meet electricity demand through 2028.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 1, 2019 -
PG&E found more than 100 damaged assets, hazards following massive power shutoff
The utility found dozens of instances where de-energized lines could have ignited a blaze if they had not been shut off.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 1, 2019 -
PG&E shares jump 32% amid power shutoffs as judge appoints bankruptcy mediator
Meanwhile, half a million customers are still without power and the utility has said it will provide refunds to customers impacted by its first October shutoff.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 30, 2019 -
Puerto Rico grid modernization plan tops $20B
The plan, which the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority sketched out over the summer, includes installing almost 1.4 GW of solar generation and 920 MW of battery storage.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 29, 2019 -
PG&E deploys largest-ever power shutoff, but responsibility for Kincade Fire now in question
Up to 3 million people were impacted by PG&E’s massive power shutoff over the weekend. Meanwhile, shares hit a record low this morning as the utility reported a transmission line failure near the origin of last week’s wildfire.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 28, 2019 -
Opinion
Microgrids alone cannot eliminate wildfire risk
Fully self-contained microgrids are not economic today, given all the ways in which they can serve as grid assets, so Edison Electric Institute warns against relying on them as an alternative to de-energizing power lines.
By Scott Aaronson • Oct. 25, 2019 -
Deep Dive
Utilities’ failure to plan for DER surge promises missed opportunities, increased costs, analysts say
Utilities can use skyrocketing customer-owned DER to balance rising penetrations of variable renewables on their systems, if they take on the big work of distribution system planning.
By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 24, 2019 -
California urges energy providers procure additional 4 GW to avoid potential shortages starting in 2021
The procurement proceeding, part of an effort to overhaul utility integrated resource planning in the state, also recommends compliance extensions necessary to keep several once-through cooling units online.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 24, 2019 -
Unpaid debts and lost grants: Co-ops struggle with 2017 tax law as Congress moves to address impacts
The “unintended consequences” from the 2017 tax law have become the “biggest policy priority” for rural electric cooperatives trying to maintain their nonprofit status.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • Oct. 23, 2019 -
Arizona regulator floats new IRP process to reduce reliance on APS, other utility load forecasts
The head of the Arizona Corporation Commission has sketched out a new long-term planning process that he says will result in “more independence and greater stakeholder input.”
By Robert Walton • Oct. 22, 2019 -
San Jose proposes multibillion PG&E buyout. Utility says it’s ‘not for sale’
The mayor of San Jose, California, has proposed cities and counties buy Pacific Gas & Electric and turn it into the nation’s largest publicly-owned supplier of electricity.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 22, 2019 -
PG&E ‘failed on so many levels’ in executing mass power shutoff, CPUC tells utility execs
“More resiliency will not and should never translate to Californians being willing to put up with inadequate execution of measures that are supposed to keep them safe,” the head utility regulator said on Friday.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 21, 2019 -
Deep Dive
EV charging promises a demand response bonanza for utilities, if they can handle it
Aggregated flexible load of high EV penetrations will be lucrative in demand response markets, but for now smaller EV demand gives utilities management practice.
By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 18, 2019 -
New York adopts utility-ESCO cybersecurity standards, rejects insurance requirements
Regulators established minimum requirements for third parties to access customer data through utility IT systems, but rejected a proposal to require a $5 million insurance policy for damages that could arise from a cybersecurity breach.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 18, 2019 -
Michigan joins spate of state grid modernization initiatives
The MI Power Grid program will focus on three areas: customer engagement, integrating emerging technologies, and optimizing grid performance and investments.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 18, 2019 -
PG&E power shutoff ‘unacceptable’: California calls for refunds, investigation and corrective action
The utility is defending the shutoff that impacted 2 million people last week, saying it “made that decision to keep customers and communities safe.”
By Robert Walton • Oct. 15, 2019 -
Opinion
Clean Peaks & Polar Vortexes: Aligning climate and reliability goals in an extreme weather world
If states do not align digitization, decentralization and decarbonization policies with a fourth dimension of diversification, industry may need to take unprecedented action, the authors write.
By Brian Evans-Mongeon, Dan Kopin and Lon Huber • Oct. 14, 2019 -
FERC cybersecurity report identifies ‘potential compliance infractions’
The report includes recommendations to help the bulk power system enhance compliance with mandatory reliability standards for critical infrastructure and to improve the overall cybersecurity of an increasingly distributed electric grid.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 11, 2019 -
Mass shutoffs to remain a reality for PG&E as utility calls long-term DER solutions ‘speculation’
The utility says its Public Safety Power Shutoff program is already “granular,” and larger system improvements will take years.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 11, 2019 -
Opinion
Resilient RPS: New Orleans’ unique challenges require new solutions
Ongoing shut-offs in the Bay Area are an ominous warning that local, distributed resources are a necessary part of a climate resilient future, the authors write.
By Karl R. Rábago & Thad Culley • Oct. 11, 2019 -
Colorado authorizes transfer of Xcel assets to Boulder, boosting city’s municipalization efforts
It’s a major step forward, but officials say much work remains, and voters will still have the final say.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 11, 2019
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