Green Mountain Power aims to lift cap on popular residential energy storage programs with Tesla, others

A lengthy waitlist places an unnecessary barrier to participation in GMP’s two energy storage programs, and a 5 MW annual cap delays “robust storage deployment,” the company told Vermont utility regulators.

By Stephen Singer • May 16, 2023

NRC grants Holtec interim license for N.M. nuclear waste storage that faces governor’s opposition, lawsuit threat

The state approved a law in March banning nuclear fuel storage, and courts may need to decide if federal approval preempts state law.

By Patrick Cooley • May 11, 2023

Explore the Trendline➔

Sustainability

Companies are pursuing increasingly ambitous sustainability goals around clean energy, but integrating rising amounts of renewables, minimizing environmental impacts, and achieving carbon reduction targets can be challenging.

By Utility Dive staff

NextEra Energy Partners to sell its natural gas pipelines, focus solely on renewable energy

The move should boost the value of the company in the eyes of environmentally-conscious investors, NextEra CEO John Ketchum said.

By Emma Penrod • May 9, 2023

Eversource set to announce decision on sale of stake in offshore wind joint venture with Ørsted

Eversource, which is focusing on its regulated businesses, is “very far along in the process” of finding possible buyers for its 50% stake in the offshore wind partnership, CEO Joe Nolan recently told industry analysts.

By Stephen Singer • May 8, 2023

PNM proposes non-wires battery pilot to address overloaded feeders at solar facilities

The pair of 6 MW battery resources “matches the lowest cost option for solving the overloaded feeders,” PNM Resources President and Chief Operating Officer Don Tarry said.

By Robert Walton • May 8, 2023

AEP plans to sell competitive retail, distributed energy businesses in move to simplify, lower risks

It is also considering selling transmission joint ventures to focus on its service territory, Julie Sloat, AEP president and CEO, said May 4.

By Ethan Howland • May 5, 2023

As Shell and other oil and gas majors adopt clean energy strategies, how should electric utilities respond?

Oil and gas companies are experts in flexibly responding to market conditions and opportunities, and their entry into the generation market plays to these strengths.

By Alex Boyd • May 5, 2023

PG&E Corp mitigation measures prepare it for upcoming wildfire season regardless of weather: CEO

PG&E estimates that the “layers of protection” it has implemented have mitigated over 90% of wildfire risk in its service area.

By Kavya Balaraman • May 5, 2023

Westinghouse Electric announces new small modular reactor borrowing from its AP1000 nuclear technology

“It’s leveraging a proven technology, a very efficient and reliable techology that’s already in operation around the world,” said Patrick Fragman, Westinghouse president and CEO.

By Stephen Singer • May 4, 2023

Exelon expects $173M loss related to ComEd bribery lawsuit as SEC lobbying investigation continues

“We have made substantial changes to our contracting, lobbying and compliance operations to ensure that the conduct that was at issue in the trial does not happen again,” Exelon President and CEO Calvin Butler said.

By Ethan Howland • May 4, 2023

Edison International CEO Pizarro backs Western RTO, highlights SCE efforts to prep grid for heavy duty EVs

“We are seeing customers really start to embrace and adopt EVs today, including operators of medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleets,” Pedro Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International, said during an earnings call.

By Kavya Balaraman • May 3, 2023

Coming EPA power plant rules will put carbon capture to the test, but better oversight is needed, critics say

New CCUS has the policy, private sector and regulatory support to end claims it underperforms, but only if new EPA rules require verification through strong federal oversight, advocates and opponents agreed.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 2, 2023

FirstEnergy West Virginia coal plant purchase would lead company to retire another one, official says

“We don’t see it as a viable option for Mon Power to operate three coal-fired power plants in West Virginia,” Jon Taylor, FirstEnergy chief financial officer, said Friday.

By Ethan Howland • May 1, 2023

Invenergy Transmission enters deal for up to 12,500 miles of advanced cable for transmission projects

“It's a clear indicator of how we're thinking past the development stage and to actually getting these built,” Invenergy’s Shashank Sane said. “They aren't just ideas anymore.”

By Ethan Howland • April 27, 2023

Tesla posts strong Q1 increase in storage deployment as EV price cuts, uncertain economy hit profit

“As we've expected, the stationary storage growth actually will significantly exceed the vehicle growth,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk said.

By Stephen Singer • April 20, 2023

AEP, Liberty Utilities terminate $2.65B Kentucky Power deal, partly over ‘evolving macro environment’

AEP is developing a “refreshed” long-term strategy for its Kentucky operations and plans to file a rate case in June, the company said Monday.

By Ethan Howland • April 17, 2023

PNM, Avangrid extend merger deadline as state regulators signal readiness to reconsider 2021 denial

The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission has joined the two utilities in requesting that a state Supreme Court appeal of the case be remanded back to the commission.

By Robert Walton • April 14, 2023

Kentucky PSC, AG urge FERC to reject AEP’s $2.65B sale of Kentucky operations to Algonquin Power

The second attempt by American Electric Power and Liberty Utilities to get Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval of the deal falls short, Kentucky officials said Thursday.

By Ethan Howland • March 31, 2023

Morgan Stanley expects AES, DTE, Exelon and 2 other utility stocks to outperform after struggling in March

AES Corp. underperformed its peers this month, but analysts said concerns over banking industry challenges and a lower 2023 outlook than anticipated “are overdone.”

By Robert Walton • March 29, 2023

Xcel Energy powers down Minnesota nuclear plant after finding 2nd leak of radioactive water

The new leak will not materially increase the amount of tritium Xcel is working to recover, Xcel said.

By Stephen Singer • March 27, 2023

TVA, GE Hitachi, 2 others commit to $400M international small modular reactor project

“We’ve got to be on schedule, on budget and it’s got to be a competitive cost,” said Jay Wileman, CEO of GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. 

By Stephen Singer • March 24, 2023

NuScale Power, the canary in the small modular reactor market

SMRs are being marketed as a solution to the climate crisis, but they're already far more expensive and take much longer to build than renewable and storage resources — technologies we already have.

By David Schlissel • March 21, 2023

Construction begins on Idaho Power’s first energy storage projects as it faces growing capacity shortfall

State regulators said “public convenience and necessity” require Idaho Power to acquire 120 MW of dispatchable energy storage.

By Stephen Singer • March 14, 2023

Solar companies offer reassurance after renewables financier Silicon Valley Bank collapses

The federal government has ensured depositors won’t lose money as a result of the collapse, but many developers will have to find and establish new sources of financing. 

By Diana DiGangi • March 14, 2023

Energy Vault scales back 2023 revenue guidance on shift in 1-GWh customer contract

An analyst said the reduced guidance is due partly to supply chain problems and a “more thorough look” at the company’s initial two-year guidance, issued in November.

By Stephen Singer • March 9, 2023