Regulation & Policy: Page 154
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Deep Dive
SCE nuclear waste settlement highlights growing problem for shuttered plants
Southern California Edison will spend up to $4 million to explore the feasibility of finding an alternative storage site for spent fuel from the San Onofre nuclear plant.
By Peter Maloney • Sept. 18, 2017 -
Updated: EPA to reconsider portions of Obama-era coal ash rule
The agency granted a polluter petition to reconsider the rule, a move environmentalists call "a ploy to scrap the protections entirely."
By Gavin Bade • Sept. 15, 2017 -
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 -
Deep Dive
Baseload compensation a high priority for FERC, Chatterjee tells Congress
Threats to reliability could cause federal regulators to change plant compensation, the acting FERC chair told House lawmakers in a hearing that also touched on climate change and renewables integration.
By Gavin Bade • Sept. 15, 2017 -
Arizona regulator Doug Little appointed to DOE
Little will become the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental and External Affairs at the Energy Department in October.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 15, 2017 -
EPA delays rule limiting toxic metal discharges from coal plants
The rule limiting heavy metal discharges from coal plants into lakes and rivers had been set to go into effect in 2018, but will now be delayed two years.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 15, 2017 -
DOE awards $20M to commercialize new energy technologies
More than 50 projects at 12 national labs will receive funding to help them bridge the gap to commercial use.
By Peter Maloney • Sept. 15, 2017 -
DOE seeks stakeholder input, data for net metering cost-benefit study
Public comments are due by the end of October, and the agency will present the study's findings to Congress.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 15, 2017 -
Virginia Supreme Court upholds utility rate freeze law
Utilities say the five-year freeze protects customers from Clean Power Plan compliance, but consumer advocates argue it allows power companies overcharge ratepayers without regulatory review.
By Peter Maloney • Sept. 15, 2017 -
Deep Dive
Alectra Utilities CEO: 'Someone's going to cannibalize our business — it may as well be us'
"Someone's going to eat our lunch. They're lining up to do it," CEO Brian Bentz told Utility Dive. Here's how the Canadian utility is moving aggressively into DERs.
By Gavin Bade • Sept. 14, 2017 -
Tax equity financing for renewable energy healthy, but with risks: CohnReznick
The company sees good deal flow and an expanding pool of investors, but potential tax changes present an element of risk.
By Peter Maloney • Sept. 14, 2017 -
Deep Dive
Illinois energy reform set to shape new solar business models for utilities
Rate-based returns on distributed resources could allow utilities to displace traditional investments and drive a community solar boom.
By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 13, 2017 -
Michigan advocates fear rollback of retail electric choice program
The Michigan Public Service Commission is considering requiring alternative suppliers to procure the electricity they sell from in-state generators.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 13, 2017 -
Brattle: Regulatory barriers prevent stacking of battery benefits
Even in California's nation-leading storage market, stacking battery benefits still faces regulatory and rate design challenges, a new report finds.
By Peter Maloney • Sept. 13, 2017 -
FERC evaluating enhanced baseload compensation, Chatterjee writes
The acting FERC chair would have told a cancelled House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing that his commission is evaluating "compensation for providing [reliability] services," Axios reports.
By Gavin Bade • Sept. 12, 2017 -
California Dems look to restart CAISO regionalization with 11th hour amendments
With only days left in the state's legislative session, lawmakers are pushing bills that would create a planning process for a full ISO across the western United States.
By Gavin Bade , Peter Maloney • Sept. 12, 2017 -
Mississippi Power fails to reach PSC settlement over Kemper costs again
State regulators already extended a settlement deadline in August after its staff and the utility failed to reach a settlement over Kemper costs.
By Peter Maloney • Sept. 12, 2017 -
Deep Dive
Utilities see benefits in energy storage, even without mandates
Greater operational flexibility, customer savings, frequency response and black start capability were among the advantages cited by utilities in pursuing storage absent any legal requirement.
By Peter Maloney • Sept. 12, 2017 -
Half of Florida still without power as Irma churns into Southeast
Federal officials say storm recovery and power restoration will involve the "largest ever mobilization of line restoration workers in this country."
By Robert Walton • Sept. 12, 2017 -
Opinion
DOE grid study offers no panaceas to struggling nuclear and coal plants
Ray Gifford, a former Colorado regulator and partner at Wilkinson, Barker and Knaur law firm, says the study's modest findings highlight the tension between energy policies.
By Ray Gifford • Sept. 11, 2017 -
Deep Dive
California energy interests set to square off over Puente natural gas plant
Solar and storage can meet power needs cheaper than outdated capacity analyses suggest, clean energy advocates will tell regulators this week.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 11, 2017 -
Bill to California governor would direct utilities to plan storage, DERs for peak demand
SB 338 would compel utilities to include considerations for peak demand management with storage, efficiency and DERs in their integrated resource plans.
By Gavin Bade • Sept. 11, 2017 -
Arizona regulator can't demand campaign finance records, APS says
The utility filed court documents against Arizona Corporation Commissioner Bob Burns, saying only state lawmakers can demand more details of campaign spending.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 11, 2017 -
Deep Dive
DOE grid study dominates FERC nomination hearing
The hearing illustrated how politicians of all stripes are deploying the study's findings to support their views on power sector transformation.
By Gavin Bade • Sept. 8, 2017 -
Report: NRC Commissioner Baran to be renominated
There's still no word on when two other nominees to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Annie Caputo and David Wright, might see a Senate vote.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 8, 2017 -
New emails reveal behind-the-scenes battle over Summer nuke
Utility officials suspected they were victims of "financial malfeasance" by contractor Westinghouse as early as last summer, hiring bankruptcy lawyers in June 2016.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 8, 2017