FERC reverses 40 years of PURPA precedent in ruling on small solar definition, punts on storage question

The commission upended precedent that found a facility's net solar capacity must be no larger than the 80 MW threshold.

By Catherine Morehouse • Sept. 14, 2020

House to probe US lag on leveraging clean energy for COVID-19 recovery, consider bipartisan energy bill

As the U.S. diverges from other countries in its efforts to marry economic recovery with climate policy, a House subcommittee is planning to hold a hearing on efforts in the EU and elsewhere.

By Catherine Morehouse • Sept. 11, 2020

For nuclear plants operating on thin margins, growing climate risks prompt tough choices

Climate change creates a number of problems for nuclear power plants that some academics say the industry needs to address soon.

By Matthew Bandyk • Sept. 10, 2020

FERC rejection of NYISO renewables plan could prompt state-managed capacity market, advocates say

The commission's lone Democrat dissented, saying FERC has "perverted" the New York ISO's buyer-side market power mitigation rules to slow the state's clean energy transition.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 10, 2020

California scrambles to prevent rolling blackouts amid heat wave, with DOE assist on gas plant dispatch

The DOE's order allowing additional dispatch from three natural gas plants if needed served as a "wake-up call" to pursue alternatives to maintain reliability, according to one expert.

By Kavya Balaraman • Sept. 9, 2020

FERC details carbon pricing conference as groups blast renewables, consumer and women exclusions

Of the 30 panelists scheduled to participate at the upcoming conference, the majority are energy companies, academics and grid operator representatives. Only three women are on the agenda.

By Catherine Morehouse • Sept. 9, 2020

Dominion files to keep Virginia's North Anna nuclear plant operating 80 years

The request to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission follows a trend of utilities seeking to keep nuclear plants online for decades longer than originally licensed.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 8, 2020

Taking Charge: Decisionmakers shaping the future of the power sector

Utility Dive turns to the CEO of Fluence to discuss the role of storage in high renewable energy integration, and more.

By Utility Dive Editors • Sept. 4, 2020

Following rolling blackouts, California utilities highlight reliability concerns in integrated resource plans

Pacific Gas & Electric wants regulators to conduct a “robust reliability analysis” during this IRP cycle.

By Kavya Balaraman • Sept. 3, 2020

FERC summit highlights reliability concerns for renewables + storage, but has California found a solution?

In a day-long FERC conference on renewables+storage hybrids earlier this summer, system operators focused on reliability while advocates described new opportunities.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 3, 2020

Duke IRP includes scenarios to reduce carbon emissions 70% by 2030

One 70% reduction scenario would not add any more natural gas, and another would add 2,650 MW of offshore wind by 2030. But its base case scenarios continue gas buildout into the 2030s.

By Catherine Morehouse • Sept. 2, 2020

EPA finalizes changes to coal ash, wastewater limits expected to save industry $140M annually

A group representing 163 utilities and three major U.S. utility trade groups had pressed EPA to update requirements issued during the Obama Administration, saying compliance costs for a number of rules were "staggering."

By Catherine Morehouse • Sept. 2, 2020

NuScale small modular reactor design becomes first to get NRC safety approval

With the safety review complete, the company plans to move forward with a 12-module plant at Idaho National Laboratory.

By Guy Burdick • Sept. 1, 2020

Illinois officials call Exelon plan to close 4 GW of nuclear a 'threat' to secure more subsidies

The utility blamed federal regulators' 2019 rule that raised the price for state-subsidized resources bidding into the PJM Interconnection, but a spokesperson for Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Exelon's "primary purpose is to dramatically increase those subsidies on behalf of their shareholders."

By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 28, 2020

Senate Democrats reveal climate plan that could 'almost entirely' define clean energy policy under Biden admin

The report calls on Congress to spend at least 2% of annual U.S. gross domestic product on climate actions and require federal regulators to ensure publicly-traded companies disclose climate risks, among other measures.

By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 27, 2020

What caused California's recent blackouts?

The causes of the rolling blackouts on August 14 and 15 may be numerous and complex, but few of those reasons have anything to do with California's shift to more renewable generation, writes attorney Seth Hilton.

By Seth Hilton • Aug. 25, 2020

Ensuring DER inclusion in capacity markets may require a rethink of resource adequacy

The growth of customer-owned resources is forcing system operators and aggregators to see their value as reliability tools and rethink the concept of resource adequacy.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 24, 2020

Groups challenge FERC's PURPA rule, accuse commission of 'actively discouraging' small power facilities

The solar industry on Friday filed a petition for review with the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, following federal regulators' rejection of the requests for rehearing.

By Catherine Morehouse • Updated Sept. 21, 2020

5 technologies propelling the energy transition

Utility Dive's latest series focused on electric sector innovations that could strengthen the grid, increase reliability and expand clean energy.

By Utility Dive Editors • Aug. 24, 2020

Final payments delayed in FES bankruptcy case as Justice Department racketeering investigation continues

The ruling — which means the bankruptcy case is technically not over — came after Ohio's Attorney General asked for an indefinite delay of all final payments while the federal probe continues.

By John Funk • Aug. 19, 2020

California power outages underscore challenge of maintaining reliability during climate change, the energy transition

An in-depth review of the proximate and structural causes of California's issues is needed to chart a new path forward, the authors write.

By Alex Gilbert and Morgan Bazilian • Aug. 19, 2020

Propelling the transition: The battle for control of virtual power plants is just beginning

As virtual power plants develop, there is a growing debate about the degree to which the future of distributed energy management will be controlled by large utilities or third-party aggregators.

By Matthew Bandyk • Aug. 18, 2020

Propelling the transition: Green hydrogen could be the final piece in a zero-emissions future

Green hydrogen beats renewables plus batteries at fueling heavy transport, serving industry and long duration storage — if it can be delivered affordably.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 17, 2020

Duke shifts toward renewables, storage investments in wake of $1.6B Atlantic Coast Pipeline loss

Grid upgrades and other "low-cost, smaller-scale" investments will incrementally replace the $2 billion originally set aside for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, said Duke CEO Lynn Good.

By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 11, 2020

Uncertainty over earnings return for $8B North Carolina coal ash cleanup weighs on Duke

Not allowing Duke to make a return on its coal ash cleanup could strain the utility's balance sheet, CEO Lynn Good said. But analysts say the regulatory environment in North Carolina does not bode well for the utility thus far.

By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 11, 2020