Democratic lawmakers call for urgent action on climate finance and fossil fuel phase-out

The letter, signed by 34 Democrats, said the U.S. has failed to adhere to its climate action commitments and must halt all public financing of international fossil fuel projects.

By Zoya Mirza • Dec. 5, 2023

Eversource wary about attracting investor capital as Connecticut moves to forefront of PBR trend

Connecticut utilities’ credit and financials will remain stable or improve when performance-based regulation is fully implemented, just as they did for Hawaiian Electric, said the state’s chief utility regulator.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 5, 2023

Explore the Trendline➔

The Energy Transition to Renewables

New policy and business actions are giving a significant boost to renewable energy in the U.S., but opposition is growing and grid interconnection, permitting, labor and other challenges remain.

By Utility Dive staff

Alliant, DTE, NextEra, others urge FERC to reject MISO’s proposed interconnection queue cap

The grid operator’s proposed interconnection study cap would create “an unworkable queue that undermines competition, raises rates, and threatens reliability,” renewable energy groups said Monday.

By Ethan Howland • Dec. 5, 2023

Federal appeals court upholds FERC action on PJM capacity market rule, sets precedent

The decision by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals offers a “yardstick” for court reviews when FERC is deadlocked and can’t make a decision — a situation that could become more common, ClearView Energy Partners said.

By Ethan Howland • Dec. 4, 2023

5.2 GW of solar resources at higher risk of tripping offline during grid disturbance: NERC

“Potential reliability gaps exist" when recommended practices are not implemented, said Ryan Quint, director of engineering and security integration at the North American Electric Reliability Corp.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 4, 2023

Texas PUC delays vote on ERCOT battery rules amid concerns that standards are ‘discriminatory’

“ERCOT is trying to make batteries look like and act like coal plants,” PUCT Commissioner Jimmy Glotfelty said in a Wednesday memo.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 1, 2023

Customer experience and other barriers are delaying utilities’ ability to distribute clean energy

The grid infrastructure is severely outdated in most regions, companies are facing a huge upskilling and reskilling challenge in their workforce, and customers are demanding more reliable and affordable clean electricity options.

By Natasha Dowling • Nov. 30, 2023

FERC in Focus: Is FERC making progress on environmental justice?

“We continue to work, but there's more work to be done,” Willie Phillips, FERC acting chairman, said. Environmental justice advocates agree.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 30, 2023

Michigan Gov. Whitmer signs clean energy package that supports waste to energy, landfill gas

Michigan’s suite of clean energy bills allows the partial use of incineration, landfill gas, natural gas systems with carbon capture and other infrastructure that groups said harms vulnerable communities.

By Jacob Wallace • Nov. 29, 2023

Can ERCOT show the way to faster and cheaper grid interconnection?

With the "connect and manage" process, which doesn’t require network upgrades, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas brought 14.2 GW online in the last two years, more than any other grid operator.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 27, 2023

Integrated system planning — starting the journey

Decarbonization and clean energy commitments are driving ever-increasing complexity in utility infrastructure planning.

By Cristin Lyons and Stephen Haubrich • Nov. 27, 2023

Green hydrogen: understanding the innovation and policy landscape

You can create hydrogen via renewable-powered electrolysis, making it clean from the start. So what’s the problem?

Nov. 27, 2023

Navigating the currents of compliance: How to prepare for NERC PRC-005-6 and TPL-001-5

Prepared for critical NERC compliance standards that will affect your utility business? Make sure you are to avoid costly outages and fines.

Nov. 27, 2023

The Southeast Energy Exchange Market launched a year ago. It still isn’t delivering on its promises.

Over the past year, SEEM’s poor performance has proven its critics right and demonstrated that the energy trading platform is in dire need of a substantial overhaul if it is to be either lawful or beneficial.

By Nick Guidi and Chris Carmody • Nov. 22, 2023

Proposed transmission planning rule is a ‘chief’ priority for FERC’s Phillips

In a letter to state lawmakers, Willie Phillips, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission acting chairman, outlined elements that should be in a final transmission planning rule.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 21, 2023

Wake up, America: 8 actions to boost advanced nuclear and enhance US energy security

Advanced nuclear reactors are no longer our grandparents’ nuclear technology, but the American nuclear permitting apparatus hasn’t caught up, Rep. Byron Donalds writes.

By Byron Donalds • Nov. 21, 2023

DOE grants aim to expand clean energy workforce, enhance building efficiency

The $40 million-plus funding will add new building training and assessment centers and industrial assessment centers, which provide technical assistance to commercial and institutional buildings and some manufacturers. 

By Joe Burns • Nov. 20, 2023

AEP, FirstEnergy urge FERC to reject complaint seeking expanded transmission project oversight

The dispute with nationwide implications comes as spending on “supplemental projects” in the PJM Interconnection has grown to $43.5 billion since 2012.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 20, 2023

How to finance the world’s growing cooling needs? Blended public-private funding solutions.

On a massive scale, we need third-party private sector financing solutions and targeted funding from international development and government agencies to spur investment in higher efficiency cooling equipment.  

By Bob Hinkle • Nov. 20, 2023

Safety for utility workers is about more than a manual

Given the high safety stakes in utility companies, cultivating the appropriate safety culture is imperative. Explore an innovative approach to improve worker safety.

Nov. 20, 2023

FERC investigates possible Winter Storm Elliott market manipulation

“Those people who committed market manipulation … we will find you, we will punish you and you will pay the price,” Federal Energy Regulatory Commission acting Chairman Willie Phillips said.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 17, 2023

DOE proposes easing environmental reviews for certain storage, solar, transmission projects

The proposed “categorical exclusions” would speed project reviews, the Department of Energy said Thursday.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 16, 2023

Biden announces $3.9B for grid modernization as climate report warns of ‘insufficient’ adaptation

The Biden administration announced a total of $6 billion in funding for climate resilience on the same day it released the fifth national climate assessment.

By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 15, 2023

EPA’s power plant carbon rule relies on unproven tech, threatens grid reliability: House Republicans

The proposal “requires stringent and unproven” emissions controls for coal-fired plants "in unrealistic time frames,” said David Glatt, director of the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 15, 2023

All hands on deck needed to build IRA-driven infrastructure, federal officials say

“By 2035 alone we're going to need to add about 75,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines,” said Jesse Jenkins, head of the ZERO Lab at Princeton University.

By Diana DiGangi • Nov. 14, 2023