Grid Security & Reliability: Page 10
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2024 US power sector outlook
The U.S. clean energy transition is expected to accelerate in 2024 but faces question around transmission, financing, federal elections and other issues.
By Utility Dive staff • Jan. 31, 2024 -
"Schneider Electric Torgauer Straße auf dem EUREF-Campus Berlin-Schöneberg" by Igor Calzone1 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Schneider Electric hit by ransomware attack against its sustainability business division
The company said the attack directly impacted its EcoStruxure Resource Advisor platform, which is used by more than 2,000 companies worldwide to monitor energy and resource data.
By David Jones • Jan. 31, 2024 -
Explore the Trendline➔
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TrendlineReliability
Rising peak demand, extreme weather and other factors are raising power outage risks in the U.S., but FERC and other stakeholders are pursuing multiple actions to address reliability concerns.
By Utility Dive staff -
Permission granted by Esme Howland
FERC Outlook: Danly exit could boost transmission reform, but smaller commission poses risks
Other top priorities for FERC this year include continued efforts to improve the interconnection process, consideration of expanded transmission ties between regions and possible power market reforms, according to agency experts.
By Ethan Howland • Jan. 29, 2024 -
Courtesy of Georgia Power
25 SMR license applications expected by 2029, plus six other takeaways from FERC, NRC joint meeting
The planned SMR units will likely be up to about 200 MW in size, an NRC official said. In addition, the agency is reviewing 19 applications to extend the operating licenses of existing nuclear plants, with more requests expected.
By Ethan Howland • Jan. 26, 2024 -
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Deep DiveNew solutions emerge to better integrate renewables into the grid, Xcel, Eversource and others say
Requiring the 400+ GW of battery capacity in U.S. interconnection queues to have grid-forming capabilities could enable variable renewables growth “cheaper and faster than adding new transmission,” one expert said.
By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 25, 2024 -
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OpinionAmerica’s aging grid threatens national security. Here are some steps to fix it.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission should finalize a strong regional transmission planning and cost allocation rule, which has been under consideration since 2021.
By Michelle J. Howard • Jan. 24, 2024 -
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NERC issues 3-year plan for setting reliability standards for wind, solar, storage
The plan responds to a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission order driven by concerns about inverter-based resources tripping offline. The new reliability standards are scheduled to take effect by the end of the decade.
By Ethan Howland • Jan. 23, 2024 -
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Sponsored by American Wire GroupHow distribution circuit coverings protect against wildfires
Necessary investments to prevent grid-ignited wildfires are not keeping pace with the rising risk.
Jan. 22, 2024 -
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Sponsored by Electrical Grid MonitoringGreater visibility for accurate load management: How real-time monitoring improves grid resiliency
With wildfires and heatwaves sweeping across the globe over the last year, the need for decarbonization is starker than ever.
Jan. 22, 2024 -
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Sponsored by RS TechnologiesComposite poles vs. alternatives in the face of natural disasters
Composite utility poles have been shown to be highly resilient in ice storms, freezing rain, hurricanes and wildfires.
Jan. 22, 2024 -
Permission granted by Octopus Energy Renewables
DOE offers $30M to improve cybersecurity for virtual power plants, distributed resources, cloud solutions
The funds will help ensure “the next-generation clean energy infrastructure is built with cybersecurity in mind,” said Puesh Kumar, head of DOE’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response.
By Robert Walton • Jan. 18, 2024 -
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Robot worms, lasers, drones and AI: How ARPA-E wants to move the US power grid underground
The U.S. Department of Energy on Tuesday announced $34 million in funding to explore novel approaches to undergrounding to increase resiliency.
By Robert Walton • Jan. 17, 2024 -
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Texas grid holds firm through frigid temperatures, 3 demand records, 2 conservation calls
The Texas power grid is more resilient than it was in 2021, when Winter Storm Uri caused widespread blackouts and almost 250 deaths.
By Robert Walton • Jan. 17, 2024 -
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Pioneering 565-MWh battery storage facility now online in Hawai’i, Plus Power says
"This is the first time a standalone battery site has provided grid-forming services at this scale," Mike Snyder, senior director, Tesla Megapack, said.
By Kavya Balaraman • Jan. 16, 2024 -
Permission granted by JST Power Equipment
Sponsored by JST Power EquipmentImprove your SAIDI and SAIFI scores by as much as 60%
In a time where utilities are facing increasing risks due to major weather events, utilities now have a tool to greatly improve their overall reliability numbers.
By Jonathan Wear, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, JST Power Equipment • Jan. 16, 2024 -
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9 US power sector trends to watch in 2024
The U.S. march toward a decarbonized electric system will continue in 2024 as policymakers and others work to balance, climate, reliability, affordability and other goals.
By Robert Walton, Ethan Howland, Diana DiGangi, Larry Pearl, Kavya Balaraman and Emma Penrod • Jan. 10, 2024 -
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500K East Coast outages persist after day of storms; grid braces for coming Arctic weather
“Next week we will see the coldest air of the season push in from Canada over much of the central and eastern U.S.,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert said.
By Robert Walton • Jan. 10, 2024 -
Permission granted by Octopus Energy Renewables
Sponsored by Kraken
It’s time to get our mojo back
The energy industry used to symbolize innovation — how to tap into our ingenuity and look forward to 2024.
By Tyler Rogers, Head of Business Development – North America, Kraken • Jan. 8, 2024 -
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DOE $70M grid security and resilience funding targets cybersecurity, wildfires, other risks
The funding in the All-Hazards Energy Resilience program will focus on innovative and unique solutions that are not “one size fits all,” the Department of Energy said.
By Robert Walton • Jan. 5, 2024 -
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Deep DiveAs reliability concerns with renewables rise, upgrading inverters is urgent, analysts say
The variable output of renewable energy resources requires “grid-forming” inverters to protect power system current flows, engineers and others agree.
By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 2, 2024 -
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OpinionGood policy by grid operators can address reliability concerns with EPA’s power plant rule
There is an opportunity through the proposed rule to create more certainty around the timeline for the clean energy transition.
By Michelle Solomon • Dec. 21, 2023 -
Electric-gas coordination, planning vital to grid recovery after blackouts: FERC-NERC report
The electric and gas sectors should collaborate on a “blackstart system restoration plan” to bring the grid back online in the event of a system collapse, a new report concludes.
By Robert Walton • Dec. 21, 2023 -
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Rising peak demand, 83 GW of planned retirements create blackout risks for most of US: NERC
"Overly rigid" environmental regulations and energy policies can jeopardize “the orderly transition of the resource mix,” the North American Electric Reliability Corp.’s 10-year reliability assessment warns.
By Robert Walton • Dec. 14, 2023 -
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Sponsored by AmpacimonAchieving grid reliability with communicating fault circuit indicators
Research shows that overhead line sensors can reduce outage minutes by 20%-37%, saving utilities between $200k and $1m per minute and dramatically improving customer satisfaction.
By Brian Berry, Chief Product Officer, Ampacimon • Dec. 11, 2023 -
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Investor-owned utilities facing physical climate risks should expand cost recovery options: S&P
Increased insurance levels, securitization and the development of disaster funds are all ways IOUs can mitigate the risks, according to S&P Global Ratings.
By Robert Walton • Dec. 8, 2023
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