Vermont regulators advance first of 3 Green Mountain Power solar-plus-storage projects

The utility seeks to use these projects to lower regional system costs and forward capacity market costs in the ISO-New England region.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Jan. 29, 2019

CPUC Commissioner: 'Creating a new risk evaluation paradigm' in the face of California's wildfires

"Utilities will now be required to evaluate risks in a much more transparent, uniform and quantitatively rigorous way," writes Clifford Rechtschaffen, a commissioner at the California Public Utilities Commission.

By Clifford Rechtschaffen • Jan. 29, 2019

Explore the 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

Cal Fire concludes PG&E did not cause 2017 Tubbs Fire, sending shares soaring

Officials said a private electrical system caused the deadly fire, but the utility remains in financial jeopardy for its involvement in other blazes and is preparing to file for bankruptcy protection.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 24, 2019

PG&E balks at judge's potential $150B probation terms as it faces bankruptcy

The judge overseeing PG&E's probation related to the 2010 San Bruno pipeline explosion is considering new conditions the utility says are infeasible, and a U.S. attorney says could interfere with other state and federal efforts.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 24, 2019

Tendril grows its load monitoring operations to help shift peak demand

With its latest acquisition of nonintrusive load monitoring technology to process data from advanced metering infrastructure, the company wants to help utilities flatten their loads without help from their customers.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Jan. 24, 2019

PG&E, NextEra face off in bankruptcy-related FERC filings

Pacific Gas & Electric expects the bankruptcy process to stretch two years, or possibly longer, leaving developers worried about getting paid for their existing power purchase agreements.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 23, 2019

Gas outages hit 10K in Rhode Island after issue on Algonquin pipeline

Pipeline operator Enbridge reported an explosion on a pipeline that serves Algonquin earlier in the day, but later said the incidents were not connected. 

By Gavin Bade • Updated Jan. 22, 2019

Navigating utility business model reform: A practical guide

Rocky Mountain Institute, America's Power Plan and Advanced Energy Economy Institute provide a guide to modernizing the electric utility business model. 

By Dan Cross-Call, Cara Goldenberg and Mike O’Boyle • Jan. 22, 2019

Bailout doubt – PG&E faces bankruptcy amid California's 'first climate change-caused emergency'

Stakeholders say few will benefit from bankruptcy, but alternatives have been dubbed "politically too hot to touch."

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 22, 2019

Texas regulators defer to legislature on utility ownership of energy storage

The state's market for energy storage is in limbo since regulators dismissed a request by AEP Texas last year to install two battery storage projects.

By Peter Maloney • Jan. 18, 2019

Southern CEO: Georgia Power to consider resilience in IRP for first time

"Maybe you take coal plants out of service but you keep them alive in the event that you have a resiliency emergency," Tom Fanning told a Washington audience Thursday.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Jan. 18, 2019

Virginia rejects majority of Dominion's $6B grid modernization plan, smart meter rollout

The State Corporation Commission deemed the proposal as too expensive, approving only $154.5 million of the first phase — originally projected to cost $1.5 billion.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 18, 2019

Federal judge links PG&E's uninsulated power lines to California wildfires

Judge William Alsup gave Pacific Gas & Electric and the U.S. Department of Justice until Jan. 23 to respond to the accuracy of his tentative conclusions.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 18, 2019

FERC opens 3 pipeline rate probes as Chatterjee tables PJM political spending complaint

For the second month running, FERC declined to act on the highest-profile item on its meeting agenda, likely indicating disagreement among regulators.

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 17, 2019

EPA won't freeze fuel economy standards as Wheeler faces confirmation vote

News of EPA's policy shift came during a testy nomination hearing where the acting administrator faced pressure from activists and Democrat senators on climate change. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 16, 2019

Tri-State members increasingly unsatisfied as the rise of distributed resources upends the G&T model

Given the increasing affordability of renewable energy, "the very reason G&Ts were created is less valid every day," Chris Riley, president of Guzman Energy, told Utility Dive.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 15, 2019

San Francisco considering municipal utility as PG&E prepares bankruptcy filing

The city government's retail water and power provider is planning for when PG&E files for Chapter 11 protections, "including possibility of acquiring or building electrical infrastructure assets."

By Gavin Bade • Updated Jan. 15, 2019

2019 Power Sector Outlook: Top trends to watch

We talked to utilities, analysts and technology providers on what to expect in the year ahead for storage, solar, demand-side management and more.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Jan. 15, 2019

PG&E to file for bankruptcy protection as California wildfire costs mount

The company that emerges from the Chapter 11 proceeding could look quite different from the large, investor-owned utility holding company that is the biggest player in California.

By Gavin Bade • Updated Jan. 14, 2019

Regulators order investigation of Vermont Gas pipeline, amid scrutiny after Massachusetts explosions

A 41-mile pipeline in Vermont has been operating for two years, but that could change following safety complaints from project opponents.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 14, 2019

Networking and communications for smart grids and utility applications: A $100B opportunity

The connectivity needs of — and options available to — power utilities are rapidly expanding, writes Navigant's Richelle Elberg.

By Richelle Elberg • Jan. 14, 2019

JD Power: Customer satisfaction will hinge on how utilities manage TOU rates

In a look ahead for the industry, JD Power said 2019 will be a year when utilities focus on time-of-use rate structures, electric vehicles, new revenues and digital disruption.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 14, 2019

PUC order keeps Minnesota ahead of the curve on performance-based rates

The order, the culmination of a process that began in September 2017, establishes procedures and goals for developing metrics for performance-based rates by the fall.

By Peter Maloney • Jan. 11, 2019

California regulators move to outline wildfire cost recovery as PG&E teeters

The CPUC opened a docket to determine how much PG&E can pay for wildfire damages on the same day that Moody's downgraded its credit rating four notches. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 11, 2019

2019 Storage Outlook: Utility procurement will drive deployments, analysts say

Rules for energy storage in wholesale markets are being finalized, but deployments are more likely to be driven by utility resource plans.

By Peter Maloney • Jan. 8, 2019