Regulation & Policy: Page 49
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New York passes flurry of legislation in wake of frustrations over PSEG Long Island storm performance
Lawmakers in New York have passed a series of bills taking aim at PSEG Long Island over its performance during tropical storm Isaias, which left hundreds of thousands of the utility's customers without power for days last August.
By Scott Van Voorhis • June 25, 2021 -
California approves 11.5 GW of new clean resources in largest-ever single procurement order
"This is a landmark decision. I don’t think it's hyperbole to describe it as such," CPUC Commissioner Clifford Rechtschaffen said at the Thursday meeting.
By Kavya Balaraman • June 25, 2021 -
Explore the Trendline➔
adamkaz via Getty ImagesTrendlineThe 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 -
House passes broad bipartisan measure to help states fund energy cybersecurity efforts
The House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced eight bipartisan bills to the full House, aimed at bolstering national cybersecurity and protecting critical infrastructure.
By Robert Walton • Updated July 22, 2021 -
CPUC ditches natural gas in 11.5 GW proposal but leaves door open for future fossil fuel procurement
Regulators want further analysis of the potential reliability impacts before asking for additional fossil fuel procurement, they said in a new version of the proposed decision.
By Kavya Balaraman • June 24, 2021 -
'An unprecedented mess': DC Circuit rejects FERC approval of existing Spire gas pipeline
"FERC's ostrich-like approach flies in the face of the guidelines set forth in the Certificate Policy Statement" on natural gas pipelines, the court said.
By Catherine Morehouse • June 23, 2021 -
US grid needs overhaul to keep up with renewable revolution, says GE exec, Sen. Heinrich
The infrastructure package Congress is debating must include tens of billions of dollars to modernize the aging U.S. electric grid, a U.S. senator and industry experts said last week.
By Scott Van Voorhis • June 22, 2021 -
North Carolina legislature retools Duke-backed bill after Dems, governor protest weakened oversight
The legislation is a high priority for Duke Energy, one of few stakeholders allowed in closed-door negotiations on the initial text.
By Catherine Morehouse • June 22, 2021 -
Opinion
Ending the snipe hunt for buyer-side power in PJM and other capacity markets
Going forward, FERC should be judicious when applying mitigation measures to state policies and should consider tools beyond the MOPR, the authors write.
By Burçin Ünel and Sarah Ladin • June 21, 2021 -
Critical infrastructure sites face greater cyberthreat amid remote connectivity: Moody's
The company warns that oil, electric and other critical infrastructure providers are increasingly attractive targets for ransomware.
By David Jones • June 21, 2021 -
Bipartisan $973B infrastructure proposal alarms EV advocates with annual surcharge on vehicles
A group of 10 Democratic and 11 Republican senators supports an annual surcharge on electric vehicles, but industry advocates warn it could dampen enthusiasm for the transition away from gasoline-powered cars and trucks.
By Robert Walton • June 21, 2021 -
South Carolina regulators reject Duke's long-term power plant construction plans, call for changes
South Carolina utility regulators are calling upon Duke to rethink its long-term power plant construction plans and are urging the company to look more closely at solar, storage and other resources.
By Scott Van Voorhis • June 21, 2021 -
California groups clash over gas in 11.5 GW procurement proposal as CAISO calls for conservation
“We can’t overemphasize enough the need for procurement to be authorized and get underway,” a CAISO representative said.
By Kavya Balaraman • June 18, 2021 -
AEP seeks up to $317M for 3 West Virginia coal plant upgrades
American Electric Power is facing opposition from environmentalists on upgrades to a trio of coal-fired plants as the utility seeks to extend their lives until 2040.
By Scott Van Voorhis • June 18, 2021 -
Tri-State asks FERC to approve 'transparent and simpler' contract termination approach for members
The commission determined that Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association's tariff is unjust and unreasonable, based on the hurdles members face in considering whether to exit the G&T provider.
By Catherine Morehouse • Updated Sept. 3, 2021 -
FERC pauses ruling that would prevent states from blocking demand response under Order 2222
FERC also on Thursday established a joint federal-state task force on transmission development that will address planning and cost allocation issues.
By Catherine Morehouse • June 18, 2021 -
Deep Dive
As US aims to boost clean energy supply chain, critical minerals gap largely human-caused, analysts say
There's no shortage of rare earth minerals needed to transition to a clean energy economy, experts say. The problem is getting them out of the ground — and out of China.
By Emma Penrod • June 17, 2021 -
Duke-backed North Carolina bill would reduce carbon emissions 61% by 2030, retire some coal early
The legislation calls for Duke to own 55% of renewable energy generation and independent power producers to own 45%. It also establishes a multiyear rate plan — something the utility has long pushed for.
By Catherine Morehouse • June 17, 2021 -
Opinion
As 9 Ex-FERC commissioners tout organized markets, we need facts, not propaganda on the benefits
25 years into this RTO experiment we still have no ability to say dispositively that it has either worked or failed with respect to costs. Someone – maybe a federal regulator – should do an independent study, the author writes.
By Michael McKenna • June 16, 2021 -
Opinion
FERC points PJM toward a 21st-century reliability approach
Reliability mechanisms that seemed appropriate two decades ago, including the original capacity market designs, no longer fit the bill, the authors write.
By David Littell and Michael Hogan • June 15, 2021 -
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (2020). "Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2" [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/nihgov/49565892277/in/album-72157713108522106/.
NARUC task force: COVID-19 highlights states' need for emergency planning tools
With COVID, cyber attacks and natural disasters bringing emergency preparedness to the fore, a panel of regulators says states must increase their focus on resilience.
By Emma Penrod • June 15, 2021 -
California utilities object to fossil fuel requirements in proposed 11.5 GW procurement package
The proposed procurement is intended to maintain grid reliability after the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant is retired by 2025.
By Kavya Balaraman • June 15, 2021 -
Manchin defends coal-fired plants, expresses concern over 'aggressive' Biden climate goals
Sen. Joe Manchin, whose home state of West Virginia is in the heart of mining country, came out swinging in defense of coal-fired power plants in the U.S. at the annual EEI conference, arguing they are being singled out unfairly.
By Scott Van Voorhis • June 14, 2021 -
Glick: FERC to outline plan to tackle transmission 'certainly' by the end of summer
Planning and cost allocation are two of the larger-scale keys to building out the amount of transmission necessary to bring the power grid to 100% carbon-free power under President Biden's 2035 timeline, according to Glick.
By Catherine Morehouse • June 11, 2021 -
National Grid encourages FERC to provide better incentives for grid-enhancing technology
Xcel Energy, on a panel, agreed with many of the hurdles a National Grid representative laid out, including operational, technological and financial barriers.
By Catherine Morehouse • June 10, 2021 -
North Carolina unveils ambitious offshore wind power plan, targeting 8 GW by 2040
Gov. Roy Cooper issued an executive order on Wednesday making North Carolina the latest state with an offshore wind target, as the budding sector draws increasing interest from investors and the federal government.
By Scott Van Voorhis • June 10, 2021