Fixing California’s resource adequacy woes

The real questions are what level of bulk reliability we want and whether we are willing to invest in the institutional change needed to support it, the author writes.

By Fredrich Kahrl • Sept. 14, 2022

Energy providers hit by North Korea-linked Lazarus exploiting Log4j VMware vulnerabilities

Cisco Talos researchers observed the advanced persistent threat actor infiltrating networks during a six-month campaign.

By Matt Kapko • Sept. 13, 2022

Explore the Trendline➔

Grid 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

California planned to close down its last nuclear plant by 2025 and replace it with clean energy. What went wrong?

Efforts to replace the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant faced multiple challenges, including disruptions to global supply chains.

By Kavya Balaraman • Sept. 9, 2022

California ISO narrowly avoids rolling outages as peak demand hits record 52 GW

The grid operator issued an emergency energy alert around 5:15 pm Pacific time last night but ended it about three hours later with no load shed, it said.

By Kavya Balaraman • Sept. 7, 2022

California legislature aims for 90% clean electricity by 2035 as part of sweeping climate package

The legislature also approved SB 846, a bill to extend the life of the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant’s two units through the end of the decade, based on a Newsom administration proposal.

By Kavya Balaraman • Sept. 2, 2022

California lawmakers vote to extend Diablo Canyon as heat wave forces governor to declare grid emergency

Extending the life of the Diablo Canyon nuclear facility “will provide us with the capacity to de-risk” the power grid, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday.

By Kavya Balaraman • Sept. 1, 2022

California nears vote on proposal to keep Diablo Canyon nuclear plant online as deadlines loom

The final version of the Newsom administration’s proposal would provide the state with the option to extend the plant’s two units – originally scheduled to shut down in 2024 and 2025 – for another five years.

By Kavya Balaraman • Aug. 31, 2022

ISO New England floats ‘energy reserve’ to ensure grid reliability, access to LNG at Everett terminal

Long-term regional plans call for reducing the need for imported LNG, but for now, the Everett terminal outside Boston remains key to New England energy adequacy.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 31, 2022

Clashes brew over Diablo Canyon extension plan as 40% of expected renewables fail to come online

The debate around the future of Diablo Canyon comes as California faces a combination of threats to grid reliability, including the planned retirement of a suite of natural gas plants and projected increases in electricity demand. 

By Kavya Balaraman • Aug. 29, 2022

Sustainability requires new thinking

GIS is not just about making maps, but uncovering secrets buried in data that improve sustainability.

Aug. 29, 2022

Florida Power & Light unveils plane-sized drone for post-storm inspections

The drone can travel into storm-force winds and should be operational this year, according to the utility.

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 19, 2022

DOE to support development of ‘next-generation cyber tools’ to protect grid

The agency announced $45 million will be available for up to 15 “next-generation” cybersecurity research, development and demonstration projects.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 18, 2022

California unveils proposal to keep Diablo Canyon nuclear plant open with $1.4B loan to PG&E

The draft legislative language would direct regulators to keep the plant’s two units online through 2029 and 2030 while also exploring the option to operate Diablo Canyon until 2035. 

By Kavya Balaraman • Aug. 16, 2022

A different look at GIS substation technology

GIS is proving to be an attractive solution outside of urban environments for its reliability, reduced maintenance, and smaller environmental impact.

Aug. 15, 2022

Hawaiian Electric braces for bill increases amid high oil prices, coal plant retirement

At the same time, the company sees a lot of potential upside from the Inflation Reduction Act, executives said during an earnings call Monday. 

By Kavya Balaraman • Aug. 8, 2022

How “grid hardening” will be redefined

Increasingly extreme weather events are forcing utilities to find new ways to ensure resiliency.

Aug. 8, 2022

Luxembourg energy supplier Encevo hit by ransomware attack

The group behind the attack threatened to leak more than 150 gigabytes of sensitive data on Monday.

By Matt Kapko • Aug. 2, 2022

Energy storage is changing the grid. Here’s how to navigate the new dynamics.

To continue providing reliable, affordable electric service, utilities and other power providers need robust electricity market data to understand many aspects of storage systems.

Aug. 1, 2022

‘The clock is ticking’: PG&E exploring possibility of keeping Diablo Canyo open to boost reliability: CEO

State regulators in 2018 approved a settlement to close the plant, but some experts are now questioning whether it should be shut down.

By Kavya Balaraman • July 29, 2022

Biden executive order on power system cybersecurity leaves critical operations vulnerable, experts say

From mysterious electronics in Chinese transformers to sensors without password protections, analysts see growing vulnerabilities in U.S. power system operations.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 25, 2022

Is 2-second control of your assets fast enough?

The power industry relies on SCADA systems, which are typically slower than inverter-based assets.

July 25, 2022

TSA revises cybersecurity requirements for oil and gas pipelines

The agency released performance-based requirements after extensive industry debate following the May 2021 Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack.

By David Jones • July 22, 2022

Texas Uri disaster weighs on FERC, state regulators as they debate boosting interregional transmission

Some members of a FERC-NARUC transmission task force argued for requiring regions to be able to transfer minimum amounts of electricity between themselves to bolster reliability.

By Ethan Howland • July 21, 2022

Hawaiian Electric proposes $190M of resiliency spending in first phase of climate adaption push

The utility plans to strengthen transmission lines, help with flood monitoring at substations, and move certain overhead distribution lines on Oahu underground, among other measures. 

By Kavya Balaraman • July 20, 2022

Lack of investment and innovation adds to worries of grid failure and outages

If we want to get off this endless loop of seasonal failure warnings, outages, and crises, a major effort needs to be made to invest in this grid of the future, the author writes.

By Landon Stevens • July 18, 2022