Grid Security & Reliability
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Retrieved from Public Utilities Commission of Texas.
Texas scraps $1B performance credit mechanism proposal as reliability benefits questioned
"We’ve spent countless hours evaluating the PCM — up until, literally, my last open meeting,” Commissioner Lori Cobos said Thursday. She announced her retirement in December.
By Robert Walton • Dec. 20, 2024 -
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FERC floats ‘ride-through’ reliability standards for wind, solar, batteries, plus 5 other open meeting takeaways
The standards are the first in what is expected to be a suite of NERC rules for inverter-based resources, which can trip offline during grid disturbances.
By Ethan Howland • Dec. 20, 2024 -
Explore the Trendline➔
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TrendlineGrid 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 -
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‘Explosive’ demand growth puts more than half of North America at risk of blackouts: NERC
“Simply put, our infrastructure is not being built fast enough to keep up with the rising demand,” said John Moura, NERC’s director of reliability assessments and planning analysis.
By Robert Walton • Dec. 18, 2024 -
Chimperil59 via Getty Images
NERC adopts 2 new standards to boost extreme weather reliability
The board also adopted three standards modifications to bolster critical infrastructure protection and energy assurance.
By Robert Walton • Dec. 16, 2024 -
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Deep DiveTexas task force aims to ‘tear down barriers’ to virtual power plant pilot as participation lags
The aggregated DER pilot, which includes Tesla and Bandera Electric as participants, aims to harness 80 MW of flexible resources on the Texas grid, but it has not reached that goal due to various limitations.
By Robert Walton • Dec. 11, 2024 -
YinYang via Getty Images
Five-year US load growth forecast surges 456%, to 128 GW: Grid Strategies
U.S. electricity demand is forecast to increase 15.8% by 2029, according to a new report from Grid Strategies, which called the findings “shocking.” Six regions of the country are driving the growth.
By Robert Walton • Dec. 6, 2024 -
adamkaz via Getty Images
OpinionClean firm generation is an important piece of the energy transition, but it’s no silver bullet
Due to the high cost of clean firm energy, it may be best considered as part of a broader generation portfolio that relies on much lower cost wind and solar most of the time.
By Michelle Solomon • Dec. 5, 2024 -
Courtesy of General Motors
Deep DiveWhen TOU rates aren’t enough: BGE, other utilities expand active managed charging for rising EV load
With over 3 million electric vehicles on U.S. roads, managed charging pilots need to be scaled before infrastructure upgrade costs start rising, analysts and utility executives agree.
By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 4, 2024 -
Ron and Patty Thomas via Getty Images
OpinionA costly lesson in supply and demand: How to address PJM’s capacity shortages
The first law of holes says that you should stop digging when you’re in one. It’s time to stop retiring dispatchable resources if we don’t want the hole we’re in to get any deeper.
By Michelle Bloodworth • Dec. 3, 2024 -
iStock / gorodenkoff
Sponsored by TorusCritical infrastructure at a crossroads: Securing our distributed energy future
A resilient, secure energy grid requires a strong foundation and unified collaboration.
By Nate Walkingshaw, CEO & Co-Founder of Torus • Dec. 2, 2024 -
Sakorn Sukkasemsakorn via Getty Images
Deep DiveEPRI, Kraken advance DER interoperability standards to boost virtual power plant deployment
“Without interoperability standards, VPPs cannot reach scalability, affordability, and reliability as soon or as efficiently as they will be needed,” said Arshad Mansoor, CEO of the Electric Power Research Institute.
By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 27, 2024 -
Getty Images via Getty Images
OpinionAI power demands are rising, and so are attacks on utilities. Here’s what they can do about it.
While the spike in electricity demand from artificial intelligence creates exciting new opportunities for utilities, it also makes them a prime target for both physical and cyberattacks.
By Carmelo McCutcheon • Nov. 27, 2024 -
Andrei Ksenzhuk via Getty Images
2024 Elections2024 election: US electric power sector impacts
The U.S. energy transition continues, but the shape and pace of change will be significantly impacted by the results of the federal election — for some issues more than others.
By Larry Pearl , Diana DiGangi , Robert Walton , Ethan Howland • Nov. 27, 2024 -
TomasSereda via Getty Images
New York City faces potential electricity resource shortfalls in 2033, 2034: ISO
Transportation and building electrification, along with commercial projects like data centers and chip fabrication, are driving peak demand higher, according to the New York Independent System Operator.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 26, 2024 -
Permission granted by Ethan Howland
Affordability, data center growth and more: 9 state utility regulators reveal their top challenges
Utility commissioners from across the U.S. say their most pressing issue is balancing affordability with the utility spending required to meet demand growth and maintain reliability.
By Ethan Howland • Nov. 26, 2024 -
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As bitcoin’s price and energy demand surge, Texas requires some miners to register with utility commission
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz wants his state to be “an oasis" for bitcoin. But utility regulators say they need greater visibility into the stress that mining operators put on the electric grid.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 25, 2024 -
Sakorn Sukkasemsakorn via Getty Images
Opinion
A model tariff can speed distributed power plant deployment and lower grid modernization costs
Distributed power plants can improve system resilience now, complementing longer-term grid upgrades that will take years or decades to build.
By America Garcia and Shannon Anderson • Nov. 22, 2024 -
Shutterstock / Ole.CNX
Sponsored by OpenTextDigital twins reimagined at scale for utilities
Digital twins of assets will play an increasing role in helping improve operational efficiency.
By Phil Schwarz • Nov. 18, 2024 -
Chimperil59 via Getty Images
Natural gas supply is a bulk power reliability risk this winter: NERC
Gas producers have taken “a multitude of proactive measures to prepare for winter weather," Natural Gas Supply Association CEO Dena Wiggins said.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 15, 2024 -
onurdongel via Getty Images
TSA proposes cyber risk management programs for pipeline operators, surface transportation
The proposed rule would also require the disclosure of cyber incidents to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and physical security concerns to the Transportation Security Administration.
By David Jones • Nov. 8, 2024 -
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images via Getty Images
2024 ElectionsTrump win is ‘setback’ for climate protection, but clean energy advocates say progress will continue
Trump’s victory means a Republican will be selected to lead FERC, which will likely work to rein in transmission incentives, said Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen's Energy Program.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 6, 2024 -
Permission granted by Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric investigating cyber intrusion after threat actor gains access to platform
The French multinational company has been a previous target of ransomware groups.
By David Jones • Nov. 5, 2024 -
Andrei Ksenzhuk via Getty Images
US should add 35 GW of interregional power transfer capacity to boost energy adequacy: NERC
NERC said its new study “demonstrates a significant opportunity to optimize reserve use during extreme weather events and shows how transmission can maximize the use of local resources, including storage and demand response.”
By Robert Walton • Nov. 5, 2024 -
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OpinionTo minimize AI’s cyber risks to energy infrastructure, start with the design phase
Artificial intelligence will escalate cyber threats, and — if left unprotected — it could create new vulnerabilities at the heart of energy infrastructure.
By Leo Simonovich • Oct. 31, 2024 -
milehightraveler via Getty Images
Grid-interactive efficient building systems need robust cybersecurity measures, DOE says
Federal facilities managers must assess the potential risks of GEB systems and understand how they can affect the physical and data security of overarching systems where they are deployed, the Department of Energy says.
By Brian Martucci • Oct. 30, 2024
