Transmission & Distribution
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FERC approves canceling NextEra transmission project blocked by Texas right-of-first-refusal law
The agency rejected NextEra Energy’s argument the $129 million project should be kept alive because litigation over the law is ongoing.
By Ethan Howland • March 21, 2023 -
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Transmission link between Puerto Rico, US mainland wouldn’t trigger FERC jurisdiction, agency declares
The clarification issued Friday could affect Alternative Transmission’s proposed undersea cable project that aims to bolster Puerto Rico’s grid.
By Ethan Howland • March 20, 2023 -
Explore the Trendline
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TrendlineThe Utility Dive Outlook on 2023
2023 promises to be another busy year for the U.S. energy transition as stakeholders move to implement new clean energy measures while tackling growing security, reliability, equity and affordability challenges.
By Utility Dive staff -
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FERC works ‘feverishly’ on transmission reform, with near-term focus on interconnection rule
“Transmission reform addresses all of the major priorities that I've set out for this commission: reliability, affordability and sustainability,” Acting FERC Chairman Willie Phillips said Thursday.
By Ethan Howland • March 17, 2023 -
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Deep DiveTreasury Department guidance urgently needed to tap IRA’s clean energy ‘gold mine,’ analysts say
Clarifications defining Inflation Reduction Act provisions on labor, domestic content, energy community, and clean hydrogen are urgently needed to put the “boldest action” by Congress to work, they say.
By Herman K. Trabish • March 16, 2023 -
Texas regulators to set Oncor return on equity at 9.7%, maintain capital structure in pending rate decision
The decision reflects a challenging business environment and Oncor’s work to minimize customer outages — though it also factors in lagging interconnection times, regulators said.
By Robert Walton • March 15, 2023 -
Retrieved from Google Maps on March 14, 2023
Confidential PJM meetings hinder state energy policy, oversight: West Virginia PSC, Maryland lawmaker
Efforts are underway to increase transparency at the largest U.S. grid operator, with Exelon and FirstEnergy opposing a bill to require annual voting reports of PJM meetings.
By Ethan Howland • March 14, 2023 -
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Lower gas prices to drive 35%-45% ‘plunge’ in 2023 peak power prices across most of US: Moody’s
California is the exception, where peak prices are expected to fall “only around 9%,” according to the ratings and financial research agency.
By Robert Walton • March 14, 2023 -
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‘Welcome to ERCOT.’ Regulators approve city of Lubbock, Texas, shift to retail competition
The Public Utility Commission of Texas on Thursday authorized the move after a last-minute agreement was struck regarding the allocation of termination fee proceeds.
By Robert Walton • March 10, 2023 -
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Grid operators oppose FERC conference on barriers to merchant interregional HVDC transmission
But Invenergy’s petition for a conference was backed Wednesday by state utility regulators, renewable energy advocates, consumer groups and transmission companies.
By Ethan Howland • March 9, 2023 -
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Supreme Court asks solicitor general to weigh in on Texas law banning non-incumbent transmission
The Department of Justice has twice before said states’ “anti-competition” transmission laws violate the U.S. Constitution’s dormant Commerce Clause, said Ari Peskoe, director of the Harvard Law School’s Electricity Law Initiative.
By Ethan Howland • March 7, 2023 -
OpinionAre RTOs and ISOs sick, dying or dead?
Three recent occurrences illustrate that the regional transmission organization/independent system operator regulatory model is spent.
By Raymond L. Gifford and Matthew S. Larson • March 6, 2023 -
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DOE finds ‘pressing’ transmission needs, with interregional links offering the biggest benefits
“Large amounts of low-cost generation potential exist in the middle of the country and accessing this generation through increased transmission is cost effective for neighboring regions,” DOE said in a draft report.
By Ethan Howland • March 6, 2023 -
shutterstock.com/ Drotyk Roman
Sponsored by Franklin EnergyThe jump to widespread EV adoption doesn’t need to be a long way up
The customer experience should be simple; designed to effortlessly guide and support the consumer as they advance in their EV and EV charging journey.
By Danielle Marquis, Vice President of Solution Management for Franklin Energy • March 6, 2023 -
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House Republicans advance infrastructure permitting reform as part of 16-bill energy package
The first legislative step could lead to negotiations with the Senate this summer on permitting reform for transmission and pipelines, according to Akin Gump attorneys.
By Ethan Howland • March 1, 2023 -
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Deep DiveDuke, APS planning reforms show ways to work with stakeholders to meet emerging power system needs
Integrated planning with deeper modeling and greater stakeholder engagement may slow overburdened regulators and utilities now, but will lead to better long-term decision-making, planners and analysts agree.
By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 28, 2023 -
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Advanced Energy United warns frameworks needed for transmission buildout ‘don’t really exist’
Building out transmission in the U.S. will require strong federal leadership as well as interstate and interregional coordination, said AEU’s transmission campaign director, Verna Mandez.
By Diana DiGangi • Feb. 27, 2023 -
Permission granted by PJM Interconnection
PJM launches fast-track capacity market reform process in face of shrinking reserve margins
The effort comes as the PJM Interconnection finds new resources aren’t keeping pace with power plant retirements and load growth.
By Ethan Howland • Feb. 27, 2023 -
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DOE announces $48M to improve semiconductor technologies for better grid control and protection
The program will be managed by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy and will focus on improving semiconductors, which are essential components in controlling power generation and transmission.
By Robert Walton • Feb. 27, 2023 -
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State bills spur debate over who should build transmission: incumbent utilities or independent companies
Companies such as LS Power, NextEra, Evergy and ITC Great Plains are pressing lawmakers on bills that may determine who can build transmission projects costing in the billions of dollars across the central United States.
By Ethan Howland • Feb. 23, 2023 -
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Deep DiveNew power system cybersecurity architectures can be ‘vaults’ against insider attacks, analysts say
Utility operations facing hackers now, and a future of minimally-protected distributed energy resources, will need smarter, more complex defenses, from control rooms to customer-owned devices, analysts said.
By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 17, 2023 -
NY PSC authorizes $4.4B in transmission upgrades planned by National Grid, other utilities
The projects will create 3,500 MW for clean energy that New York says will be enough for more than 2.8 million homes.
By Stephen Singer • Feb. 17, 2023 -
Proposed distribution transformer standards ‘could significantly impact’ grid reliability, utilities warn DOE
The sole domestic manufacturer of amorphous steel cores for distribution transformers says it could quickly scale up production to meet U.S. demand if new energy efficiency standards are adopted.
By Robert Walton • Updated Feb. 17, 2023 -
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NextEra, renewable trade group urge FERC to keep competitively bid East Texas transmission project alive
Entergy supports the Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s plan to cancel the $115 million project, which has been delayed by a right-of-first-refusal law.
By Ethan Howland • Feb. 14, 2023 -
istockphoto.com/ ArisSu
Sponsored by SenseUtility regulators must make smart decisions about smart meters: delays could be costly to consumers
For the first time ever, energy consumers and the technology providers that serve them have access to real-time energy data.
By Colin Gibbs, VP Energy Services, Sense • Feb. 13, 2023 -
stock.adobe.com/ Zakhar Marunov
Sponsored by EPRIAdapting T&D investments to climate projections is the strategic choice
The energy system is one of many critical infrastructure sectors impacted by these disasters—growing in importance as dependence on electricity increases.
By Andrew Phillips, EPRI vice president of T&D Infrastructure • Feb. 13, 2023
