Fate of Illinois nuclear plants in balance after 3 fail to clear PJM auction and subsidy plan stalls

Three Illinois nuclear plants failed to land power contracts at the PJM capacity auction, generating additional uncertainty about their future.

By Scott Van Voorhis • June 7, 2021

New England states push for governance changes in ISO-NE, ahead of anticipated MOPR reform

To quell state frustrations, regulators say conversations will have to move beyond reforming the controversial minimum price rule.

By Catherine Morehouse • June 7, 2021

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

Avangrid faces tough questions from New Mexico regulators in final hurdle to $8.3B PNM merger

The company is facing scrutiny over $60 million in penalties and cost disallowances levied against its utility subsidiaries across several states for service issues.

By Scott Van Voorhis • June 7, 2021

'An unlikely alliance': US investor-owned utilities and NGOs partner to advance new carbon-free tech

The Edison Electric Institute and the Clean Air Task Force announce an initiative to support a slate of emerging carbon-free technologies.

By Ben Fowke and Armond Cohen • June 4, 2021

Texas lawmakers approve bill mandating power plant weatherization, market reforms

Senate Bill 3, signed by Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday, mandates weatherization standards and makes some market reforms, but it will not require renewable energy providers to pay for reliability guarantees.

By Emma Penrod • Updated June 9, 2021

The Texas Big Freeze: Holistic policy design for a clean and resilient grid

Energy Innovation evaluates a set of lessons from Texas' February power outages that regulators and grid operators can apply around the country, while it cautions against inadequate responses to the crisis.

By Dan Esposito and Eric Gimon • June 4, 2021

FERC should expand organized markets across the US, former chairs and commissioners say

Although momentum for RTO expansion is growing, resistance to the shift is strong in some markets where the more competitive structure doesn't exist.

By Catherine Morehouse • June 3, 2021

California PUC proposes rules to accelerate near-term EV charger deployment

Facing a potential deficit in the number of chargers needed to meet the state's electric vehicle goals, the state gives utilities more flexibility to install new infrastructure. 

By Jason Plautz • June 3, 2021

Nuclear capacity increases by 4.5 GW in long-delayed 'MOPRed' PJM auction, coal loses 8 GW

Total costs dropped $4.4 billion and prices dropped to $50/MW-day during PJM’s years-delayed capacity auction, due to lower load forecasts, which translate to lower reliability requirements, according to the grid operator.

By Catherine Morehouse • June 3, 2021

California utilities highlight reliability, cost concerns as state charts path to 100% clean power

"California has been a leader in decarbonization... how do we also ensure we’re a leader in making sure we’re planning for reliability as the grid changes?" asked one utility representative.

By Kavya Balaraman • June 3, 2021

The Texas Big Freeze: How much were markets to blame for widespread outages?

Rather than abandoning markets, regulators and lawmakers should correct them through smart policy that bolsters readiness for future climate-driven disasters while facilitating grid decarbonization, the authors write.

By Dan Esposito and Eric Gimon • June 3, 2021

Transition away from natural gas necessary to meet climate goals but creates equity concerns, experts say

The U.S. may have a handle on how to decarbonize electricity, a panel of regulators and lawmakers concluded, but eliminating dependence on natural gas without burdening low-income populations is another matter.

By Emma Penrod • June 2, 2021

Nevada passes clean energy bill requiring state to join RTO, accelerating $2B transmission project

The bill also requires utilities to forecast a path to achieve an 80% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 2005 levels by the end of the decade.

By Jason Plautz • June 2, 2021

The Texas Big Freeze: How a changing climate pushed the state's power grid to the brink

Energy Innovation explains what drove the extended Texas outages in February in a series on resiliency against extreme events.

By Dan Esposito and Eric Gimon • June 2, 2021

Biden proposes more than $2B for clean energy infrastructure, $14B+ increase in climate spending

Biden's first proposed budget includes sizable increases in spending for climate change mitigation, research, EVs and clean energy infrastructure.

By Emma Penrod • June 1, 2021

Xcel's record-low-price procurement highlights benefits of all-source competitive solicitations

The utility's Colorado division showed how competitive bidding benefits customers if regulators protect the quality of the process.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 1, 2021

Local communities want to lead the fight for clean energy

Local governments want to step up and advance all-electric buildings because they know it's good for communities, public health, affordability, reliability and our planet, the author writes.

By Alejandra Mejia Cunningham • June 1, 2021

The dangers of 'out of sight, out of mind' gas ban policies

Counter to electrification advocates' goals, natural gas bans would increase, rather than decrease, the share of the country's energy mix coming from gas in its least-efficient form — natural gas-fired power plants, the author writes.

By Dave Schryver • June 1, 2021

Arizona regulators revive energy rules package, propose 100% clean energy by 2070

Regulators kept intact proposed standards for energy efficiency, storage, and all-source procurement, while setting a longer schedule to transition the electric sector.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 28, 2021

Republicans include $4B for EVs in 2nd counteroffer to Biden infrastructure plan

In all, the Republicans' proposal would spend $928 billion on infrastructure over the next eight years, a $360 billion increase over their previous proposal.

By Catherine Morehouse • May 28, 2021

California proposal advises against more retail choice amid debate over reliability, emissions impacts

Ratepayer advocates think the proposal offers a clear-eyed perspective of California's reality, but retail competition advocates says it doesn't reflect what's actually happening on the ground. 

By Kavya Balaraman • May 28, 2021

TSA directive adds teeth to pipeline cybersecurity oversight

Under the Transportation Security Administration's new requirements, companies will need to establish a cybersecurity coordinator and report confirmed and potential cybersecurity incidents to CISA.

By Samantha Schwartz • May 27, 2021

Exposing the utility playbook: Ratepayers are stuck paying the bill for utility corruption

Legislators and regulators need to be insulated from undue influence from utilities by limiting political spending and instituting strict anti-revolving door policies, the authors write.

By Landon Stevens and Mark Pischea • May 27, 2021

Senate Finance Committee advances energy tax credit overhaul bill amid partisan deadlock

A committee vote on the Clean Energy for America Act, a bill to create resource-agnostic tax credits based on carbon reductions, ended in a 14-14 tie along party lines on Wednesday.

By Emma Penrod • May 27, 2021

Record wildfire threats mean California must pick when and where to fight, utilities, analysts, CalFire agree

Utilities, public agencies and firefighters are preparing for the worst as the climate crisis-driven threat of deadly, destructive wildfires in California grows, but the biggest question remains unanswered.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 27, 2021