How climate change will stress the grid and what ISOs are doing about it

Global warming is expected to increase peak demand and extreme weather events, but new grid planning practices can help ensure power reliability. 

By Herman K. Trabish • March 6, 2017

Commodities giant Vitol taps NEC to build 50 MW UK storage project for National Grid

NEC will build two battery facilities with a combined capacity of 50 MW, 35 MWh to provide frequency response to the U.K. utility. 

By Peter Maloney • March 3, 2017

Explore the Trendline➔

Grid Resiliency

Utilities and grid operators are facing increasing threats from climate change as well as cyber and physical attacks, and are deploying a variety of responses to meet the rising challenges.

By Utility Dive staff

ConEd, NRG partner on 4 MWh mobile battery storage demo for REV docket

The mobile battery system will allow ConEd to deploy storage to different locations depending on system needs. 

By Peter Maloney • March 1, 2017

PG&E restructures rate tiers to better cover costs of service

Beginning today, PG&E will charge rates based on two rather than three tiers of power use. 

By Robert Walton • March 1, 2017

ARPA-E 2017: Optimism turns to tension as sector prepares to protect energy R&D funding

The prospect of Trump budget cuts hung over the federal government's clean energy research summit this year.

By Krysti Shallenberger • March 1, 2017

National Grid, Utilidata REV demo targets 3% power demand reduction

New York's Reforming the Energy Vision has helped seed several innovative projects that look for solutions beyond new wires and power plants.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 27, 2017

Green groups: Indian Point nuke can be replaced with other carbon-free resources

Efficiency and transmission upgrades can help New York replace the Indian Point nuclear facility without turning to fossil fuels, according to a new study.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 27, 2017

Maine legislation seeks to cap retail power rates to protect residents from overpaying

The consumer protection bill was filed months after a study found Maine households overpaid for electricity by more than $30 million in 2015.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 24, 2017

Pushing for scalability, utilities look to new hybrid models for microgrid deployment

Utilities are searching for standardized microgrid models that allow both end users and the wider grid to benefit.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 23, 2017

Updated: California lawmaker proposes to target 100% renewables by 2045

The bill would also set California's current 50% renewables mandate deadline at 2025, instead of 2030. 

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 22, 2017

Herding cats: California PUC President Picker on the new DER Action Plan

A new regulatory roadmap aims to guide the power sector into the distributed energy future, but is everyone along for the ride? 

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 21, 2017

Connecticut DEEP rejects two utility storage pilots as too costly

Eversource and Avangrid were sent back to the drawing board on two substation-sited storage projects. 

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 21, 2017

Tres Amigas truncates transmission tie

The project that hoped to link the three U.S. regional grids has been pared down to connect only two. 

By Robert Walton • Feb. 17, 2017

PJM board approves $1.5B in system upgrades

The grid operator has now approved almost $31 billion in projects and enhancements related to its Regional Transmission Expansion Plan.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 17, 2017

NARUC 2017: A little less climate and a lot more infrastructure

Donald Trump's election has shifted state regulators' focus from carbon regulation to pipelines.

By Krysti Shallenberger • Feb. 16, 2017

California regulators to consider shuttering Aliso Canyon gas storage facility

The gas storage facility was the site of the nation's worst-ever methane leak, which curtailed fuel supplies to area generators. 

By Robert Walton • Feb. 13, 2017

Invenergy launches energy investment fund with stake in cloud company Aquilon

The developer's first fund will not invest in physical projects or equipment, but in companies that use technology to improve the operation of energy assets.

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 13, 2017

EEI promises collaboration with Trump administration on energy, tax policy

Edison Electric Institute officials also said the trend toward cleaner power will continue as prices for natural gas, renewable energy and new technology fall.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 10, 2017

Morgan Stanley: US energy storage market could grow to 145 GWh with FERC support

A current "addressable" market of 85 GWh could nearly double if FERC allows utilities to deploy storage in organized power markets, a new report forecasts. 

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 9, 2017

What the US can learn from Australia's innovative approach to grid transformation planning

A 'no-regrets' approach aims to build a grid that can handle DERs at 40% of consumer households.

By Mark Higgins • Feb. 8, 2017

How utility data sharing is helping the New York REV build the grid of the future

Making detailed grid data public can enable more clean resources and cut consumer costs. The REV docket shows just how difficult that can be. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 8, 2017

Looming tax reforms and regulatory changes could challenge utilities' financials

If proposed tax reforms and regulatory changes from the Republican-led Congress and the Trump administration succeed, what will they mean for utilities? 

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 6, 2017

Reframing LCOE: New interactive tool expands the scope of generation cost comparisons

A new project from UT-Austin compares the full cost of electricity from 10 different generation resources in every U.S. county.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 2, 2017

Zibelman exit interview: How the New York REV is paving the way for transactive energy

As she prepares to leave her post, New York PSC Chair Audrey Zibelman says the REV docket is well on its way to transforming utility operations.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 1, 2017

Shape, shimmy, shed: Renewables are revamping DR's future value in California

Growing flexibility and renewable resources mean simple peak load curtailment will have less value in the future.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 1, 2017