Regulation & Policy: Page 11


  • FERC headquarters
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    Permission granted by Esme Howland
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    FERC bars payments for ‘deadband’ reactive power, plus 4 other open meeting takeaways

    Renewable energy trade groups, Public Service Enterprise Group and other generators opposed the agency’s decision on reactive power.

    By Oct. 18, 2024
  • An aerial view of a power plant with steam rising from one of four smokestacks.
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    The image by RM VM is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
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    Supreme Court rejects calls to put a hold on EPA power plant carbon rule

    Utilities asking the court to stay the rule included American Electric Power, Duke Energy, MidAmerican Energy, PacifiCorp and Southern Co.

    By Oct. 17, 2024
  • A picture of wind turbines in front of solar panels in Palm Springs, California. Explore the Trendline
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    Kevork Djansezian via Getty Images
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    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
  • A transmission line tower and wind turbines in Illinois.
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    Allkindza via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Creating a clean and reliable grid for Illinois

    The recent price spike in PJM’s capacity market is drawing attention to the growing need for policy that moves Illinois towards an affordable clean energy future.

    By John Delurey • Oct. 17, 2024
  • Chunks of lithium resting on a table with its a tab containing its periodic table number leaning against it.
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    Just_Super via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Mining for talent: Education’s crucial role in America’s clean energy, mineral-driven future

    Amid a clean energy revolution and a precarious geopolitical landscape, effectively bridging the educational gap in mining and engineering is pivotal for securing America's technological and environmental future.

    By Misael Cabrera and Bill Zisch • Oct. 15, 2024
  • A wind farm on rolling hills in Pennsylvania, which is part of the PJM Interconnection.
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    drnadig via Getty Images
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    Possible PJM market changes could lower near-term capacity prices: Morgan Stanley

    A planned delay in the grid operator’s upcoming capacity auction could spark greater demand for behind-the-meter deals between data centers and nuclear power plants, Morgan Stanley analysts said.

    By Oct. 15, 2024
  • Machine for the production of hydrogen by electrolysis. Concept.
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    Scharfsinn86 via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Turning the US hydrogen field of dreams into reality

    Perhaps a line from the classic American film “Field of Dreams” best summarizes the approach to hydrogen production and infrastructure: “If you build it, they will come.”

    By Jeremy Harrell • Oct. 14, 2024
  • Rendering of the QTS data center in New Albany, Ohio
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    Courtesy of QTS Data Centers
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    AEP Ohio urges PUC to reject ‘Hail Mary’ data center tariff proposal from Amazon, others

    Google, Microsoft and Meta joined Constellation Energy and other organizations last week in proposing terms for connecting “electricity-intensive” customers to the grid.

    By Oct. 14, 2024
  • FirstEnergy's 1,100-MW coal-fired Fort Martin power plant in Maidsville, West Virginia, along the Monongahela River.
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    BackyardProduction via Getty Images
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    PJM plans to delay upcoming capacity auction by six months

    The delay will give the PJM Interconnection time to craft potential market reforms sought by state utility regulators and others, the grid operator said.

    By Oct. 11, 2024
  • Rare earth ore held in partially closed hand
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    BJP7images via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    How clean energy legislation can incentivize US mineral production

    Both presidential candidates generally agree on the importance of supporting U.S. critical mineral projects given their role in securely supplying key industries, from defense manufacturers to automotive companies.

    By Gregory Wischer and Morgan Bazilian • Oct. 11, 2024
  • Transport trucks and cars drive down a highway with windmills in the background
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    David McNew via Getty Images
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    US energy transition path currently in line with 2.6 degrees Celsius temperature rise: BNEF

    The nation is currently on track to cut just 22% of its carbon emissions by 2030, compared with the 50% needed to reach its Paris Agreement goals.

    By Lamar Johnson • Oct. 10, 2024
  • Rooftop solar panels at the Soleil Lofts apartment complex in Herriman, Utah
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    Permission granted by sonnen, Inc.
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    Opinion

    Unfinished business: The bipartisan appeal of distributed power plants

    Policymakers can best address the grid’s problems by leveraging existing regulatory authorizations to make better use of our assets and infrastructure, former FERC chairs Jon Wellinghoff and Neil Chatterjee write.

    By Jon Wellinghoff and Neil Chatterjee • Oct. 10, 2024
  • Nuclear power plant and transmission lines
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    zhongguo via Getty Images
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    NRC updates streamlined environmental review proposal for new nuclear reactors

    The new generic environmental impact statement could reduce applicant and NRC staff costs by up to $2 million per license application, the commission said Friday.

    By Brian Martucci • Oct. 9, 2024
  • A power plant next to the coast.
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    Joesboy via Getty Images
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    Omitting Talen Energy RMR units from PJM’s next capacity auction could cost $14.5B: OPSI

    The Organization of PJM States Inc., which represents state utility regulators in the grid operator’s region, is backing a complaint at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission over reliability must-run power plants.

    By Oct. 9, 2024
  • An industrial complex with three smokestacks in a rural setting.
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    Courtesy of GE Vernova
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    PJM aims to fast-track reliability projects in interconnection queue

    The PJM Interconnection’s plan to allow a limited number of reliability-oriented generating projects to enter an interconnection study process early next year sparked concerns from some stakeholders, including Invenergy.

    By Oct. 9, 2024
  • Proposed design for TerraPower's Natrium reactor
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    Permission granted by TerraPower
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    DOE proposes serial development approach for nuclear reactors as load growth, IRA boost valuations

    Emulating the demand-aggregation approach Boeing used for the 787 Dreamliner could create a “committed orderbook” of 5-10 new reactors of the same design and cut near-term deployment costs, DOE says.

    By Brian Martucci • Oct. 8, 2024
  • Aerial view of wind farm and solar farms on the island of Oahu in Hawaii Islands.
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    simonkr via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Hawai‘i’s electricity problems expose a failed energy transition strategy

    Hawai‘i, like several other states, is taking fossil fuel generation out of the system faster than it is bringing on alternative generation.

    By Jonathan Chanis • Oct. 8, 2024
  • Power lines crossing a green field.
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    KGB207 via Getty Images
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    DC Circuit upholds FERC order on NextEra Seabrook circuit breaker

    The court decision on Friday likely resolves the last major hurdle for Avangrid’s $1.5 billion New England Clean Energy Connect transmission project, ClearView Energy Partners said.

    By Oct. 7, 2024
  • An electric transmission tower stands against a blue sky.
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    Bilanol via Getty Images
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    DOE selects 3-GW Pattern Energy transmission project linking ERCOT, Southeast for capacity buy

    Avangrid, Invenergy and Grid United were other winning developers in the department’s $1.5 billion solicitation to buy transmission capacity.

    By Oct. 4, 2024
  • Energy Harbor's Perry nuclear plant in North Perry, Ohio.
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    The image by Cards84664 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
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    US nuclear industry needs further policy, regulatory advances: NCEW panel

    The ADVANCE Act was necessary but not sufficient to speed nuclear deployments to meet growing electricity demand and “win the AI race,” conference panelists said on Sept. 26.

    By Brian Martucci • Oct. 3, 2024
  • A river runs in front of forests, fields and steam billowing from two cement cooling towers from a power plant.
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    The image by Jakec is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
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    Constellation, Calpine, others urge FERC to reject Exelon co-location tariff proposals

    However, PJM’s market monitor supports the proposal, saying it would ensure co-located load pays for its share of grid and distribution services.

    By Oct. 3, 2024
  • Transmission lines stretch across rolling green fields
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    SEYLUL06 via Getty Images
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    Pathways Initiative proposes regional organization to oversee Western power markets

    “This organization can evolve to offer the full range of [regional transmission organization] services,” Brian Turner, an Advanced Energy United director, said.

    By Oct. 2, 2024
  • Turbines in Altamont Pass Wind Farm near Livermore, California.
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    yhelfman via Getty Images
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    FERC approves CAISO interconnection reform plan

    The federal agency dismissed concerns from renewable energy trade groups and others that a provision in the new rules will allow utilities to discriminate against project developers.

    By Oct. 2, 2024
  • Electricity from solar panels, dams, and wind turbines. Environmentally-friendly renewable energy concept.
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    bombermoon via Getty Images
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    Utility conferences to watch in 2025

    We’ve updated our conferences to watch list, with events on virtual power plants, nuclear energy, load management and more.

    By Larry Pearl, Ethan Howland, Robert Walton, Diana DiGangi • Updated Jan. 6, 2025
  • Talen Energy coal-fired Brandon Shores power plant near Baltimore.
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    Stuby, James. Retrieved from Wikimedia.
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    PJM artificially inflates capacity prices by billions, complaint alleges

    The PJM Interconnection is artificially boosting its capacity prices by not accounting for reliability must-run power plants in its capacity market, the Sierra Club and other groups told FERC.

    By Sept. 30, 2024
  • High-voltage tower with electric power lines between green agricultural fields.
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    Bilanol via Getty Images
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    MISO advances $21.8B regional transmission portfolio, including 765-kV backbone

    The Midcontinent Independent System Operator expects the draft Tranche 2 proposal would produce $23.1 billion in net benefits over 20 years, partly by reducing the need for new generation.

    By Sept. 26, 2024