Xcel, 3 other Colorado utilities choose California's imbalance market over Southwest Power Pool

A comparison of California's Western Energy Imbalance Market with a similar offering from SPP found the larger market offered greater savings, according to four utilities.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 18, 2019

Happy birthday and thank you, O2K (Order 2000)!

As FERC's Order 2000 turns 20, it’s remarkable a rulemaking that "encouraged" (but did not compel) formation of RTOs would prove so transformative for most large power markets across the country, writes former commissioner James Hoecker.

By James J. Hoecker • Dec. 17, 2019

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

Squirrels, cyberattacks, age and climate: Obama DOE official reviews top risks to US grid

While there is much attention on cyber threats and other high profile vulnerabilities, the more mundane, day-to-day risks are also very important, John MacWilliams, a former chief risk officer at DOE, said Wednesday.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Dec. 12, 2019

Northern California's wildfire season is effectively over. What's next for PG&E?

While PG&E did not cause another catastrophic wildfire in Northern California this year, it still has to deal with risky infrastructure, the likelihood of prolonged power shut-offs and the specter of municipalization.

By Kavya Balaraman • Dec. 11, 2019

PG&E reaches $13.5B settlement with wildfire victims, including Tubbs, Butte and Camp blazes

The settlement resolves claims related to several fires including the 2017 and 2018 wildfires that ravaged northern California and gives the utility a path to exit bankruptcy in summer 2020. 

By Robert Walton • Dec. 9, 2019

Xcel's proposed TOU rates could mean big peak demand savings for DER owning customers

The utility filed an advice letter with Colorado regulators earlier this month to make permanent a residential energy time-of-use rate, following a successful pilot program that concluded in July.  

By Robert Walton • Dec. 9, 2019

Executive of the Year: Mary Powell, Green Mountain Power

Powell is leaving her post at the end of the year, but created a new playbook for the investor-owned utility to continue to prioritize customer choice.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Dec. 9, 2019

The Utility Dive Awards for 2019

The annual awards highlight the biggest trends in innovation in the electric utility sector: from penciling out electrification efforts to pioneering new revenue streams for distributed resources.

Dec. 9, 2019

PG&E failed to properly inspect tower that caused Camp Fire: CPUC safety investigators

Gaps in the utility's infrastructure maintenance were "indicative of an overall pattern of inadequate inspection and maintenance of PG&E's transmission facilities," according to a new report.

By Kavya Balaraman • Dec. 4, 2019

Southwest Power Pool launches reliability coordinator services in Western interconnection

The operator says it is the first regional transmission organization to provide reliability coordinator services in the Eastern and Western interconnections.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 4, 2019

California proposal rejects wildfire premium in PG&E, other utilities' ROE

Regulators said recent state legislation removed the need for a premium by eliminating wildfire risk exposure for investor-owned utilities.

By Kavya Balaraman • Dec. 4, 2019

Can new transmission tech boost capacity and save billions? Two proposals aim to find out

Advocates are pushing a "shared savings" approach to incentivize deployment, but system operators have doubts.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 3, 2019

Third time's a charm? New Hampshire legislators work to break impasse on net metering

Senate Bill 159 would grow the state's net metering program and could see a vote in early January. But supporters expect a veto should the legislation reach the governor's desk without further changes.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 3, 2019

Boulder makes $94M 'final offer' for Xcel Energy assets, in bid to avoid condemnation

Boulder has been ramping up a series of offers for the assets needed to create a municipal utility, and is ready to go back to court if Xcel rejects the latest one.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 27, 2019

Despite changes, commissioners see traditional utility system dominating over next decade: NARUC

U.S. utility commissioners agree that traditional fossil fuel generation will be an important aspect of grid reliability over the next decade, according to a NARUC survey.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Nov. 26, 2019

Small, regional utilities located near critical infrastructure targeted in cyberattack: WSJ

Smaller electric utilities may be at higher risk of an attack because they lack the robust security infrastructure of larger power providers, according to experts.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 26, 2019

ISO New England chief presses for carbon price in response to Sanders, Warren and others

A carbon price would be a "simple and easily-implemented mechanism" to speed renewables onto the grid, Gordon van Welie wrote, while noting that the region's states oppose its use within wholesale electricity markets.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 25, 2019

PG&E says power shutoffs averted hundreds of fire risks, but cities blast lack of coordination

The utility did not tell San Jose officials which geographical areas would lose power and did not allow Sonoma County representatives into its emergency operations center, among other concerns for local officials.

By Kavya Balaraman • Nov. 25, 2019

California groups challenge Sempra rate decisions allowing recovery of 'charitable contributions'

The decisions, involving San Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Gas, break with decades of precedent, according to The Utility Reform Network and other advocates.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 20, 2019

Hawaii regulators call out HELCO cost controls in initial rate hike denial

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission's interim order denied a modest revenue increase for Hawaii Electric Light Co. An evidentiary hearing is slated for next month, and the decision could be changed.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 19, 2019

Time to move away from old precedents in FERC pipeline reviews

Maintaining the status quo does not engender confidence that FERC is only approving pipeline projects that are truly needed, consistent with the “public convenience and necessity,” writes Analysis Group's Sue Tierney.

By Sue Tierney • Nov. 19, 2019

NERC's simulated grid attack leaves thousands of New York customers in hypothetical darkness

The biennial security event, GridEx, highlighted the electric sector's continued dependency on natural gas pipelines.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 15, 2019

CPUC demands PG&E defend power shut-off actions, launches investigation into all IOUs

Regulators want PG&E to show why it should not be fined for violating communication protocols during planned outages in October and November. It could be fined up to $100,000 for each offense.

By Kavya Balaraman • Nov. 14, 2019

How does AI improve grid performance? No one fully understands and that's limiting its use

Machine learning's greatest impact will be helping algorithms understand "how the voltage here affects the voltage there," which will enable "optimizing grid operations like dispatching battery storage," one industry executive said.

By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 14, 2019

Entergy Texas, Georgia Power lead on business customer satisfaction amid growing divide: JD Power

While satisfaction is rising, the marketing research company found the gap between the highest- and lowest-performing utilities is now at a 13-year high.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 13, 2019