Massachusetts AG, Public Citizen warn JERA plan to buy New England power plants raises market concerns

JERA is seeking fast-track approval to buy three natural gas and oil-fired power plants totaling 1,617 MW in the Northeast.

By Ethan Howland • June 23, 2022

PJM capacity prices fall 32% with more nuclear, solar capacity clearing in the latest auction

Cleared coal-fired capacity fell by about 5.8 GW to 21.6 GW, with possible retirements ahead, according to an ESAI Power analyst.

By Ethan Howland • June 22, 2022

Appeals court partly strikes down FERC approval of ISO New England winter reliability program

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Friday rejected ISO New England payments to coal, hydroelectric, biomass and nuclear generators under the program.

By Ethan Howland • June 21, 2022

FERC proposes ‘first-ready, first-served’ interconnection rules to help spur new generation, storage

The federal agency at its monthly meeting also proposed extreme weather grid reliability requirements and one-time reports from transmission providers on how they assess extreme weather.

By Ethan Howland • June 17, 2022

Rhode Island governor signs 'most aggressive renewable energy standard' in US, targets 100% offsets by 2033

The law does not prohibit utilities from using fossil fuels, but it ensures the development of a “corresponding amount” of renewables throughout the region.

By Robert Walton • Updated June 30, 2022

MISO faces growing capacity shortfalls in northern, central regions, annual survey finds

The Midcontinent Independent System Operator will be increasingly reliant on emergency or non-firm resources, MISO and the Organization of MISO States said in a report released Friday.

By Ethan Howland • June 13, 2022

Defense Department picks BWXT to build 1st US advanced nuclear microreactor, with 2024 delivery

The 1-MW to 5-MW reactor will be tested at the Idaho National Laboratory and has been dubbed “Project Pele” by the U.S. Department of Defense.

By Robert Walton • June 9, 2022

New York lawmakers abandon bill to grow renewables as state's grid operator warns margins tightening

Reliability margins on New York’s grid are shrinking, the Independent System Operator said, just days after state lawmakers halted work on a bill designed to grow renewables.

By Robert Walton • June 9, 2022

One cooperative should not be allowed to derail our collective clean energy efforts

If that is allowed to happen, the clean energy transition will be much like it is today — primarily enjoyed by customers of large investor-owned and municipal utilities that serve urban areas, the CEOs of three Colorado co-ops write.

By Jessica Matlock, Jeff Wadsworth, and Brad Zaporski • June 8, 2022

Pacific Northwest plan calls for 3.5 GW of renewables, more energy efficiency by 2027

The plan recommends that the region add between 750 and 1,000 average MW of energy efficiency to its portfolio by the end of 2027, and expand that to at least 2,400 average MW by the end of 2041.

By Kavya Balaraman • June 1, 2022

NuScale makes public debut but requires 'a lot of financing' to launch small nuclear reactor in 2029

Will being the first publicly traded small modular reactor company allow it to beat out its competitors?

By Elizabeth McCarthy • June 1, 2022

'Dramatic shift' in utility regulations, better pilot designs needed to propel energy transition, DOE report finds

Electric industry players call for innovations in the way regulators handle pilots of new utility and private sector technologies and system operations in a new Department of Energy paper.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 31, 2022

California drought could halve summer hydropower generation, leading to more natural gas, EIA finds

The increase in natural gas generation, in turn, could contribute to higher wholesale electricity prices and carbon emissions, the analysis from the U.S. Energy Information Administration found. 

By Kavya Balaraman • May 27, 2022

FERC to monitor gas, power markets for manipulation as forward summer electricity prices jump up to 233%

Summertime forward power prices are up between 77% and 223% from a year ago, driven by higher gas prices, FERC staff said Thursday.

By Ethan Howland • May 20, 2022

NERC sounds alarm on solar tripping in 'sobering' summer reliability report

Electric grid operators may struggle with resource shortages, droughts and extreme temperatures this summer, according to North America's grid watchdog.

By Robert Walton • May 19, 2022

ERCOT says grid is ready for summer, but extreme weather and generator outages could challenge reliability

Southwest Power Pool and PJM Interconnection have also indicated they expect sufficient energy resources to meet peak electricity demand, while the Midcontinent ISO anticipates a generation shortfall.

By Robert Walton • May 18, 2022

Arizona regulators again reject SRP's proposed 820-MW gas plant expansion

The Arizona Corporation Commission on Monday declined to reconsider its previous denial of Salt River Project's Coolidge gas plant expansion. SRP says it is considering asking the state's superior court to review the decision.

By Robert Walton • Updated June 7, 2022

After calls for conservation and generator failures, Texas' grid survived the weekend. It's still May.

Additional demand response resources should be put in place now, say experts who anticipate a difficult summer for Texas grid operations.

By Robert Walton • May 16, 2022

Power prices jumped 51% in PJM, 85% in New England in Q1 due to rising gas prices

The surge in gas prices is partly driven by growing liquefied natural gas exports, according to consumer advocates.

By Ethan Howland • May 13, 2022

Duke Energy, TotalEnergies win North Carolina offshore wind leasing auction with $315M in total bids

The state aims to deploy 2.8 GW of offshore wind power by 2030, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management says the two lease areas could support at least 1.3 GW.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 12, 2022

Consumers, utilities and sustainability — a meeting of the minds but maybe not the pocketbooks?

Sustainability is increasingly important for energy customers. How can providers respond?

By Greg Guthridge, EY Global Energy & Resources Customer Experience Transformation Leader • May 9, 2022

Department of Commerce investigation will not be a major cost driver for large-scale solar: Dominion CEO Blue

Dominion estimates a hypothetical 50% tariff from the Commerce department's anti-circumvention investigation would require an incremental investment of $120 million.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 6, 2022

NiSource cites Commerce Department solar investigation in plans to delay coal plant retirements

The company's plans to retire its coal units by 2023 could be postponed, according to its quarterly earnings filing on Wednesday, as it foresees up to 18 months of delays in new solar deployments.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 5, 2022

The fight for a national clean energy transmission system emerges on three fronts

DOE’s multi-part transmission study, FERC’s refocus on transmission planning, and macrogrid advocacy efforts could produce an interconnected nation ready for net zero electricity by 2035, industry, government and other experts say.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 3, 2022

MISO prepares for 'worst-case scenarios,' heads into summer with insufficient firm generation

The Midcontinent Independent System Operator is projecting summer peak loads of 124 GW, but it has roughly 119 GW of generation projected to be "regularly available."

By Robert Walton • April 29, 2022