10 must-read utility sector stories from 2022

Reliability, security and affordability concerns are rising in a U.S. power sector increasingly focused on decarbonization and electrification. Utility Dive has rounded up some of our top stories so far on these and other trends in 2022.

By Larry Pearl • Dec. 5, 2022

California requires permits for large natural gas projects to enable environmental and cost scrutiny

A first-ever order holds investor-owned utility pipelines and other projects to the same standard as big electricity proposals.

By Elizabeth McCarthy • Dec. 5, 2022

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

From solar installer to home energy solutions provider: why installers need to think beyond panels

As more homeowners look to electrify their homes, solar installers have an opportunity to serve their customers' holistic home energy needs — and differentiate themselves from competitors.

Dec. 5, 2022

PacifiCorp interconnection plan for retiring power plants sparks anti-competitive concerns at FERC

The proposal would “tilt the competitive landscape sharply in PacifiCorp’s favor, allowing it to lock in its dominant position in the generation market,” NewSun Energy said.

By Ethan Howland • Dec. 2, 2022

NYISO warns of narrower reliability margins in the next 10 years as gas plants retire, electrification advances

The scheduled addition in 2026 of the 339-mile Champlain Hudson Power Express transmission line from Hydro Quebec to New York City is key to grid reliability, NYISO said.

By Stephen Singer • Dec. 1, 2022

FERC approves PJM’s ‘first-ready, first-served’ interconnection reform plan, steps to clear backlog

FERC Commissioner Allison Clements, who said she reluctantly voted in favor of PJM’s plan, called for additional measures to improve the interconnection process.

By Ethan Howland • Dec. 1, 2022

Senators press DOE’s Granholm to help New England avoid major power disruptions, price spikes this winter

The lawmakers from Connecticut, Maine and Vermont asked DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm to convene stakeholders — including FERC, ISO New England, New England’s governors and utilities — to “mitigate these risks.”

By Stephen Singer • Updated Dec. 1, 2022

Eversource, Avangrid aim to ease soaring Connecticut electricity bills as lawmakers push for hearings

With Eversource’s residential standard offer rate set to double to 24.2 cents/kWh, Connecticut lawmakers called for a multistate hearing into the utility and said its executive compensation should be more closely tied to performance.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 29, 2022

High electricity rates impede crucial but costly technology investments to manage rising DER levels: utilities

Utilities want distribution system technologies for more DER visibility and control. But advocates want a new national stakeholder dialogue about the timing of spending for DER integration.

By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 29, 2022

NYISO warns of high electricity prices as it forecasts sufficient supply to meet peak demand this winter

The grid operator’s extreme winter weather scenario shows that peak demand could increase to as much as 26,086 MW, higher than its previous all-time winter peak.

By Stephen Singer • Updated Nov. 28, 2022

EV charger deployments must overcome electrician shortage

The industry will have to find innovative ways to minimize the labor required by electricians and optimize the use of their time.

Nov. 28, 2022

MISO power prices could remain high, go higher for years: Chatterjee, other Voltus panelists

“This isn't a short-term thing that's just going to last into next year or the year after,” said Neil Chatterjee, former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission chairman and a senior advisor at Hogan Lovells.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 23, 2022

Western day-ahead market could save $1.2B a year, boost renewables output 1,800+ GWh: CAISO report

A Western day-ahead market would bring economic, reliability and environmental benefits, according to the California grid operator. CAISO plans to issue a final market proposal next month.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 23, 2022

Today’s rate designs are defective. How can utilities better recover their fixed costs, and from whom?

Volumetric rates, which place much of a utility’s fixed costs in the usage (KWh) charge of a tariff, have created a number of social problems as they relate to economic efficiency and equity.

By Kenneth W. Costello • Nov. 22, 2022

California moves to accelerate fossil-free energy and vehicles to further cut climate gases and other pollution

An updated greenhouse gas reduction plan from the state’s Air Resources Board incorporates new clean energy laws and directives and includes the potential use of carbon capture to curb emissions at fossil-fueled power plants.

By Elizabeth McCarthy • Nov. 21, 2022

DOE conditionally awards PG&E’s Diablo Canyon nuclear plant $1.1B to forestall shutdown

Meanwhile, Holtec said that its application to DOE’s Civil Nuclear Credit Program for funds to reopen the Palisades nuclear plant was rejected.

By Stephen Singer • Nov. 21, 2022

Republicans will soon control the House. Is a repeal of the Inflation Reduction Act likely?

The change of power in the House could spur a new wave of political attacks against the landmark law, legal and political experts say, but it’s not clear whether they’ll result in policy change.

By Emma Penrod • Nov. 18, 2022

FERC enforcement settlements jump to $57.5M in FY22 while Uri market manipulation investigation continues

“It's important to have the cop on the street,” FERC Chairman Richard Glick said. People will “think twice before they try to engage in market manipulation.”

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 18, 2022

Solar industry, utilities, ratepayer advocates clash over California net energy metering proposal

“Other states that have implemented a similar cliff in the export compensation rate have seen sharp declines in the pace of solar deployment,” a solar industry representative said. 

By Kavya Balaraman • Nov. 17, 2022

Cross-border power trade can help leaders at COP27 facilitate emissions reductions

Enhancing cross-border power trade can help achieve global greenhouse gas reduction goals by efficiently integrating low-cost renewable resources while improving electricity affordability and security.

By Jennifer Chen, Edmund Downie and Noah Kittner • Nov. 16, 2022

US can reach 100% clean power by 2035, DOE finds, but tough reliability and land use questions lie ahead

New aggressive planning is needed to identify the long-duration storage technologies and find the land to grow enough resources to reach the Biden administration’s net zero emissions goals, a DOE national lab reports.

By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 15, 2022

State regulators urge PJM to adopt ‘circuit breaker’ to prevent extreme prices in emergencies

Electricity could cost as much as $17 billion a day in the PJM Interconnection under extreme conditions, according to the Organization of PJM States.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 15, 2022

Utilities seeing benefits from new customer engagement strategies

Utilities are realizing that the new customer welcome experience is an untapped opportunity to gather meaningful data, boost program participation and reduce call center volumes.

Nov. 14, 2022

Manchin withholds confirmation hearing for FERC Chairman Glick, throwing second term in doubt

A 2-2 split at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission would make it harder to tackle challenging issues, according to Tony Clark, former FERC commissioner.

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 11, 2022

The clock is ticking: Urgent steps New York must take to achieve its climate targets

New York needs to act now to improve climate resilience, electrify the transportation system, decarbonize the gas system, and identify equitable economy-wide solutions to cut carbon emissions.

By Mary Barber • Nov. 11, 2022