AES Indiana says converting 1,052 MW of coal to gas will be $381M cheaper than renewables and storage

The utility’s resource plan includes little near-term solar and fails to take advantage of Inflation Reduction Act tax credits for “energy communities,” said Ben Inskeep, Citizens Action Coalition program director.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 2, 2022

Xcel to retire Texas coal-fired power plant early, speeding up companywide exit from coal to 2030

The Minneapolis-based utility plans to add 11,700 MW of wind and solar across its eight-state system.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 1, 2022

PG&E formally asks NRC to extend Diablo Canyon power plant license to 2030 to boost grid reliability

Diablo Canyon provides more than 8% of California’s in-state generation. The state will fund a $1.4 billion loan to PG&E to relicense the plant.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 1, 2022

PJM capacity market flaws reduced latest auction revenue by $706M, or nearly 25%: market monitor

In a change from previous reports, the PJM Interconnection’s market monitor found the last auction was competitive, driven by a revised offer seller cap rule that is being challenged in court.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 1, 2022

Dominion settles with Walmart, others on potential cost overruns for $9.8B offshore wind project

“Today’s settlement strikes a much better balance between shareholders and ratepayers that enables the project to move forward,” said Will Cleveland, a Southern Environmental Law Center senior attorney.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 31, 2022

Bringing equity to electricity service through home, power sector and regulatory innovation

Individual homes can be upgraded, community solar can help to lower bills and regulators can broaden the public engagement process to be more inclusive, consumer advocates say.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 27, 2022

LS Power, Longroad Energy win contracts for Maine transmission line, 1,000-MW King Pine wind farm

The Maine Public Utilities Commission is seeking participation in the projects from Massachusetts and other states.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 27, 2022

National Grid, VEIR collaborating on superconductivity in transmission

Technology that can increase capacity on transmission rights-of-way is highly sought after as electrification increases.

By Stephen Singer • Oct. 26, 2022

FERC approves MISO reliability contract to keep Ameren Missouri’s Rush Island coal plant operating

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rejected the St. Louis-based utility’s request to include an extra 0.5% return on equity in its cost recovery for the plant.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 26, 2022

Tucson Electric, PNM seek FERC’s OK to end their San Juan plant ownership pact ahead of decommissioning

Farmington, New Mexico, which wants to install carbon capture equipment at the plant and keep it running, has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reject the request, however.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 24, 2022

PJM capacity proposal: fuel for the ongoing market ‘crisis,’ or a needed step to limit overprocurement?

Power plant owners pressed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reject the largest U.S. grid operator’s proposed capacity market rule changes while environmental and ratepayer advocates supported them.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 24, 2022

Puerto Rico’s grid threatened by FERC cap on LNG storage facility: PREPA

The liquefied natural gas limit affects operations at two power plants that supply 40% of Puerto Rico’s electricity, according to the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 24, 2022

ISO-NE, ERCOT, MISO face possible capacity shortfalls in extreme winter weather: FERC

Reviving retired coal plants to address reliability and gas concerns is “fantasyland,” Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Richard Glick said. “It's not going to happen.”

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 21, 2022

PPL’s Rhode Island utility issues solicitation for up to 1,000 MW of offshore wind

A Nov. 1 bidders conference is the first step in Rhode Island Energy’s procurement, which could supply up to 30% of the Ocean State’s electricity in 2030.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 20, 2022

Xcel, First Solar, other clean energy companies warn building standard change threatens wind, solar projects

“The stated goal of FEMA’s proposal is increased grid reliability, but when you needlessly make it harder to build resilient clean energy, the obvious effect is a reduction in reliability,” the Solar Energy Industries Association CEO said.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 19, 2022

NextEra, Invenergy, other developers, clean energy groups take issue with FERC’s interconnection reform plan

NextEra Energy sees the plan as "a mixed bag of proposals of differing value that collectively fall short of remedying the significant issues currently facing renewable generation developers seeking grid interconnections."

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 17, 2022

NGOs sue EPA to force it to act on Texas’s plan exempting 8 coal-fired plants from particulate matter limits

The Lone Star State’s long-time interpretation of national health-based air quality standards has resulted in significant increases in particulate matter pollution, environmental groups say.

By Elizabeth McCarthy • Oct. 15, 2022

CAISO calls for near-term power procurement, even with possible Diablo Canyon extension

The California Public Utilities Commission is considering requiring utilities and others to line up near-term power supplies to make up for project delays in earlier procurements.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 11, 2022

Generators navigating MISO interconnection queue have seen costs triple in 4 years: Berkeley Lab

The increase is being driven by the need for broader network upgrades outside of the interconnection substation, researchers concluded.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 10, 2022

California offshore wind lease auction for up to 3 GW advances with BOEM assessment

Algonquin Power Fund, Avangrid Renewables, Equinor Wind US, Ørsted North America and Shell New Energies US are among the companies qualified to bid in any upcoming lease auction, according to the federal agency.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 7, 2022

FERC rejects complaint from generators seeking strict MOPR in New York

The agency’s decision “should be the final nail in the MOPR’s coffin,” Sarah Ladin, senior attorney at the Institute for Policy Integrity at NYU School of Law, said Friday.

By Ethan Howland • Sept. 23, 2022

DOE opens $7B hydrogen hub funding opportunity, issues draft production standard

Six to 10 hubs are to be developed by the agency’s hydrogen hub program with funding through the bipartisan infrastructure law.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 23, 2022

NYPA burns up to 44% green hydrogen in GE turbine in first such retrofit of a US natural gas plant

Fuel blends from 5% to 44% hydrogen were tried in the demonstration project.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 23, 2022

FERC commissioners pursue market, non-market answers to ISO-NE’s ‘dire’ winter reliability risks

“The region is still heavily reliant on [liquefied natural gas] imports, and that's just not sustainable,” Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Richard Glick said.

By Ethan Howland • Sept. 23, 2022

New York launches 2 GW renewable energy solicitation as natural gas prices drive up electricity bills

The solicitation encourages renewables paired with energy storage technologies, sets minimum U.S. iron and steel purchase requirements, and gives special consideration to projects benefiting disadvantaged communities.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 22, 2022