Transmission & Distribution: Page 48
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Washington Gov. Inslee proposes to slash emissions, reach net-zero carbon by 2050
He also directed the Washington Department of Ecology to strengthen review of fossil fuel projects to ensure climate change impacts are taken into account.
By Robert Walton • Dec. 23, 2019 -
NERC: Grid operators must prepare for 330 GW of renewables by 2029
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation expects adequate capacity reserves will be available to meet increasing peak demand over the next 10 years, but warned of challenges to integrating more intermittent resources.
By Robert Walton • Dec. 20, 2019 -
Explore the Trendline➔
Mario Tama / Staff via Getty Images
TrendlineGrid 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 -
PG&E CEO promises 'shorter, fewer' shut-offs continuing for the next 5 years
The utility's bankruptcy will not jeopardize California's clean energy goals or increase costs for customers, PG&E President and CEO Bill Johnson told lawmakers.
By Kavya Balaraman • Dec. 20, 2019 -
Xcel, 3 other Colorado utilities choose California's imbalance market over Southwest Power Pool
A comparison of California's Western Energy Imbalance Market with a similar offering from SPP found the larger market offered greater savings, according to four utilities.
By Robert Walton • Dec. 18, 2019 -
Opinion
Happy birthday and thank you, O2K (Order 2000)!
As FERC's Order 2000 turns 20, it’s remarkable a rulemaking that "encouraged" (but did not compel) formation of RTOs would prove so transformative for most large power markets across the country, writes former commissioner James Hoecker.
By James J. Hoecker • Dec. 17, 2019 -
Iulia Gheorghiu / Utility Dive
Squirrels, cyberattacks, age and climate: Obama DOE official reviews top risks to US grid
While there is much attention on cyber threats and other high profile vulnerabilities, the more mundane, day-to-day risks are also very important, John MacWilliams, a former chief risk officer at DOE, said Wednesday.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • Dec. 12, 2019 -
Deep Dive
Northern California's wildfire season is effectively over. What's next for PG&E?
While PG&E did not cause another catastrophic wildfire in Northern California this year, it still has to deal with risky infrastructure, the likelihood of prolonged power shut-offs and the specter of municipalization.
By Kavya Balaraman • Dec. 11, 2019 -
Wikimedia Commons
PG&E reaches $13.5B settlement with wildfire victims, including Tubbs, Butte and Camp blazes
The settlement resolves claims related to several fires including the 2017 and 2018 wildfires that ravaged northern California and gives the utility a path to exit bankruptcy in summer 2020.
By Robert Walton • Dec. 9, 2019 -
Xcel's proposed TOU rates could mean big peak demand savings for DER owning customers
The utility filed an advice letter with Colorado regulators earlier this month to make permanent a residential energy time-of-use rate, following a successful pilot program that concluded in July.
By Robert Walton • Dec. 9, 2019 -
Green Mountain Power
Dive Awards
Executive of the Year: Mary Powell, Green Mountain Power
Powell is leaving her post at the end of the year, but created a new playbook for the investor-owned utility to continue to prioritize customer choice.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • Dec. 9, 2019 -
Brian Tucker / Utility Dive
Dive Awards
The Utility Dive Awards for 2019
The annual awards highlight the biggest trends in innovation in the electric utility sector: from penciling out electrification efforts to pioneering new revenue streams for distributed resources.
Dec. 9, 2019 -
PG&E failed to properly inspect tower that caused Camp Fire: CPUC safety investigators
Gaps in the utility's infrastructure maintenance were "indicative of an overall pattern of inadequate inspection and maintenance of PG&E's transmission facilities," according to a new report.
By Kavya Balaraman • Dec. 4, 2019 -
Southwest Power Pool launches reliability coordinator services in Western interconnection
The operator says it is the first regional transmission organization to provide reliability coordinator services in the Eastern and Western interconnections.
By Robert Walton • Dec. 4, 2019 -
California proposal rejects wildfire premium in PG&E, other utilities' ROE
Regulators said recent state legislation removed the need for a premium by eliminating wildfire risk exposure for investor-owned utilities.
By Kavya Balaraman • Dec. 4, 2019 -
Deep Dive
Can new transmission tech boost capacity and save billions? Two proposals aim to find out
Advocates are pushing a "shared savings" approach to incentivize deployment, but system operators have doubts.
By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 3, 2019 -
Third time's a charm? New Hampshire legislators work to break impasse on net metering
Senate Bill 159 would grow the state's net metering program and could see a vote in early January. But supporters expect a veto should the legislation reach the governor's desk without further changes.
By Robert Walton • Dec. 3, 2019 -
REC Solar
Boulder makes $94M 'final offer' for Xcel Energy assets, in bid to avoid condemnation
Boulder has been ramping up a series of offers for the assets needed to create a municipal utility, and is ready to go back to court if Xcel rejects the latest one.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 27, 2019 -
Despite changes, commissioners see traditional utility system dominating over next decade: NARUC
U.S. utility commissioners agree that traditional fossil fuel generation will be an important aspect of grid reliability over the next decade, according to a NARUC survey.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • Nov. 26, 2019 -
Small, regional utilities located near critical infrastructure targeted in cyberattack: WSJ
Smaller electric utilities may be at higher risk of an attack because they lack the robust security infrastructure of larger power providers, according to experts.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 26, 2019 -
ISO New England chief presses for carbon price in response to Sanders, Warren and others
A carbon price would be a "simple and easily-implemented mechanism" to speed renewables onto the grid, Gordon van Welie wrote, while noting that the region's states oppose its use within wholesale electricity markets.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 25, 2019 -
PG&E says power shutoffs averted hundreds of fire risks, but cities blast lack of coordination
The utility did not tell San Jose officials which geographical areas would lose power and did not allow Sonoma County representatives into its emergency operations center, among other concerns for local officials.
By Kavya Balaraman • Nov. 25, 2019 -
California groups challenge Sempra rate decisions allowing recovery of 'charitable contributions'
The decisions, involving San Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Gas, break with decades of precedent, according to The Utility Reform Network and other advocates.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 20, 2019 -
Getty Images
Hawaii regulators call out HELCO cost controls in initial rate hike denial
The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission's interim order denied a modest revenue increase for Hawaii Electric Light Co. An evidentiary hearing is slated for next month, and the decision could be changed.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 19, 2019 -
Spectra Energy
OpinionTime to move away from old precedents in FERC pipeline reviews
Maintaining the status quo does not engender confidence that FERC is only approving pipeline projects that are truly needed, consistent with the “public convenience and necessity,” writes Analysis Group's Sue Tierney.
By Sue Tierney • Nov. 19, 2019 -
NERC's simulated grid attack leaves thousands of New York customers in hypothetical darkness
The biennial security event, GridEx, highlighted the electric sector's continued dependency on natural gas pipelines.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 15, 2019
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