Transmission & Distribution
-
US clean energy jobs grew 4.2% in 2023: DOE
The U.S. added clean energy jobs at more than twice the rate of the broader economy, according to the Department of Energy.
By Robert Walton • Aug. 28, 2024 -
Interregional power transfer capability ranges from 1% to 92% across North America: NERC
Total import capabilities between transmission planning regions also vary depending on the season, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. said Tuesday.
By Robert Walton • Aug. 28, 2024 -
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 -
Clean energy groups push for more interconnection reforms ahead of FERC workshop
They called for fast-track processes that would give construction-ready projects access to existing and planned interconnection capacity, among other things.
By Ethan Howland • Aug. 27, 2024 -
Southwest Power Pool seeks FERC OK to delay 2024 interconnection queue process
The delay would give SPP time to finish studying and restudying interconnection clusters going back to 2018, the grid operator told the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
By Ethan Howland • Aug. 26, 2024 -
ERCOT successfully navigates heat wave, new peak demand record
Thousands of megawatts of new solar, wind and battery storage have helped keep the grid reliable this summer, said Electric Reliability Council of Texas officials.
By Robert Walton • Aug. 26, 2024 -
CAISO interconnection reform plan draws support from SoCal Ed, PG&E, PUC
However, renewable energy developers and trade groups urged the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reject provisions they say would favor utility-backed projects.
By Ethan Howland • Aug. 23, 2024 -
MISO, SPP advance ‘unprecedented’ transmission plan that could support up to 30 GW
The grid operators are seeking Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approvals that are needed to build $1.7 billion in transmission projects along their northern border.
By Ethan Howland • Aug. 22, 2024 -
Deep Dive
California pioneers new ways to ease interconnection of large DERs
Limited generation profiles in California will schedule limits to DERs during system constraints. New York, Illinois, Colorado and others are testing more flexible approaches.
By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 21, 2024 -
FERC rejects Basin Electric’s cryptocurrency mining rate proposal
Basin Electric failed to show it was fair to treat cryptocurrency loads differently from other similar-sized loads, the agency said in a potentially precedent-setting decision.
By Ethan Howland • Aug. 21, 2024 -
New York encourages electrification with new grid planning process, affordability pilot
“The rate at which consumers are electrifying buildings and vehicles has the potential to outpace the existing grid planning processes,” the New York Public Service Commission said.
By Robert Walton • Aug. 19, 2024 -
Sponsored by West Monroe
Navigating FERC orders: Strategies for successful transmission development
How FERC orders impact utilities on their journey to high clean energy growth.
By Kevin Hade, Senior Manager, West Monroe and Cecilia Fung, Manager, West Monroe • Aug. 19, 2024 -
CenterPoint cannot cancel $800M lease for large mobile generators unused during Beryl
The utility should weigh its options, including subleasing the generators and renegotiating contracts, members of the Public Utility Commission of Texas said Thursday.
By Robert Walton • Aug. 16, 2024 -
Opinion
To get more transmission, we need a bottom-up approach
A bottom-up process to build support for transmission development can deliver more line miles faster at lower cost with broad popular support.
By Joshua Rogers • Aug. 15, 2024 -
Maryland electric customers face up to 24% bill hikes from PJM capacity auction: report
Reliability-must-run contracts for two Talen Energy power plants added about $5 billion to PJM’s capacity costs in its last auction, Synapse Energy Economics found.
By Ethan Howland • Aug. 15, 2024 -
Sponsored by Black & Veatch
The high stakes of extra high voltage: engineering effective EHV transmission lines
To realize visions of integrated renewable energy systems delivering reliable, efficient power over long distances, we need transmission lines with high-voltage capacity.
By Wil Michalski, Overhead Transmission Solution Lead, Black & Veatch • Aug. 14, 2024 -
Texas AG investigates CenterPoint storm response, possible ‘fraud, waste’
Hurricane Beryl left 2.3 million CenterPoint customers without power in July, spurring questions about the utility’s storm preparedness and restoration efforts.
By Robert Walton • Aug. 14, 2024 -
New York ISO reforms interconnection queue, launches cluster study reviews
The changes, which comply with FERC Order 2023, “deliver greater efficiencies and transparency in our interconnection process,” New York ISO President and CEO Rich Dewey said.
By Robert Walton • Aug. 13, 2024 -
59 GW in data center load seeking to connect to Oncor’s system: CEO
Nearly three-fourths of new interconnection requests are coming from data centers, Oncor officials said.
By Emma Penrod • Aug. 8, 2024 -
Opinion
Do Tri-State’s member exits signal ‘the next episode’ for PJM?
PJM may look “too big to fail,” and reliance interests are always tough to overcome, but the same inflexibility and internal contradictions that are leading to Tri-State’s demise are roiling PJM.
By Ray Gifford and Matt Larson • Aug. 7, 2024 -
Innovative transmission, energy storage projects in 18 states get $2.2B from DOE
Companies involved in winning projects include Allete, Duke Energy, Eversource, Grid United, National Grid, Pacific Gas and Electric and Southern California Edison.
By Ethan Howland • Aug. 6, 2024 -
Opinion
Senate permitting reform compromise is a win for American energy and American politics
The legislation would provide a good foundation to undo unreasonable timetables and fragmented planning processes inhibiting investments in clean energy projects.
By Paolo Mastrangelo • Aug. 5, 2024 -
Sponsored by Copper Labs
It’s time for a new approach to ensure utilities can get the data they need without driving up customer bills
A modern AMx framework can help utilities better balance meter infrastructure and affordability needs by enabling mixed-meter portfolios and improving cost-effectiveness.
Aug. 5, 2024 -
USTR to decide soon on proposed tariff hikes for Chinese solar cells, EVs, other items
The White House’s rationale for increasing tariffs is to make the U.S. more competitive in the clean energy and technology sectors, a major focus during the Biden administration.
By Philip Neuffer • Aug. 2, 2024 -
PJM capacity auction to lead to double-digit rate hikes for Exelon utilities: CFO
When asked about possible power plant ownership, Exelon President and CEO Calvin Butler said, “We're working with our [state utility] commissions on all types of scenarios.”
By Ethan Howland • Aug. 2, 2024 -
FERC calls SPP Western market proposal ‘deficient,’ requests more info
Southwest Power Pool is developing a response to questions about its Western day-ahead electricity market, including rules around transmission capacity availability and resource aggregations.
By Robert Walton • Aug. 2, 2024