Xcel wants to close power plant near Pueblo barely a decade after going into operation Mar 27, 2022 The Colorado Public Utilities Commission tabled a request by Xcel Energy to once again shorten the operating life of the Comanche power station’s Unit 3 near Pueblo, the last of three generating…
California issued wildfire safety certifications to utilities despite ‘serious deficiencies’: audit
California issued wildfire safety certifications to utilities despite ‘serious deficiencies’: audit March 28, 2022 California’s Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety awarded the state’s utilities wildfire-related safety certifications for 2020 despite “serious deficiencies” in their fire mitigation plans, according to a report from the state’s auditor. Read more
Coal plant owners seek to shut 3.2 GW in PJM in face of economic, regulatory and market pressures
Coal plant owners seek to shut 3.2 GW in PJM in face of economic, regulatory and market pressures March 22, 2022 Power plant owners started the process of potentially retiring 3,228 MW of coal-fired generation in the PJM Interconnection’s footprint this month, according to the grid operator’s generator deactivation list. Another 1,024…
The SEC wants companies to disclose how climate change is affecting them
The SEC wants companies to disclose how climate change is affecting them March 21, 2022 Every year, public companies in the U.S. are required to provide investors and regulators with detailed data about their financial performance and the risks they face. Soon, they may also have to disclose information about…
Supply chain problems and rising prices are pinching the U.S. solar industry
Supply chain problems and rising prices are pinching the U.S. solar industry Energize Weekly, March 23, 2022 Facing supply chain problems and rising prices, the U.S. solar industry delayed about a third of its utility-scale capacity in the fourth quarter of 2021, and installations are projected to be down in…
Judge wants more research on plan to shut down J.H. Campbell Power Plant
Judge wants more research on plan to shut down J.H. Campbell Power Plant Mar 11, 2022 A Michigan judge is recommending Consumers Energy and the Michigan Public Service Commission do more research before signing off on the utility company’s plan to completely shut down the J.H. Campbell Power Plant in…
SEC plans to force public companies to disclose greenhouse gas emissions
SEC plans to force public companies to disclose greenhouse gas emissions March 15, 2022 The Securities and Exchange Commission plans to require all publicly traded companies to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and the climate risks their businesses face, part of the Biden administration’s broader push to force the private…
Pacific Power seeking 12.2% rate increase in 2023
Pacific Power seeking 12.2% rate increase in 2023 Mar 3, 2022 PacifiCorp wants to raise electricity rates for Oregon customers by more than 12% in 2023 because of higher power costs, general inflationary pressure as well as increasing costs for wildfire planning and mitigation, according to proposals filed Tuesday with…
PSEG sells off fossil fuel plants in New York, Connecticut
PSEG sells off fossil fuel plants in New York, Connecticut February 25, 2022 Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) sold off its fossil generating assets in New York and Connecticut to ArcLight Capital Partners through its ArcLight Energy Partners Fund VII. Read more
What the Russia crisis means for U.S. electricity mix
What the Russia crisis means for U.S. electricity mix 03/01/2022 Gasoline prices have spiked in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but the effects of the conflict are also spilling into the U.S. electricity sector, with implications for greenhouse gas emissions and energy policy. Although the crisis isn’t expected…
‘These Waters Are Hot’: U.S. Auction Opens Up Offshore Wind Rush
‘These Waters Are Hot’: U.S. Auction Opens Up Offshore Wind Rush February 22, 2022 When the U.S. last auctioned big plots of ocean to companies that wanted to build offshore wind farms a few years ago, it raked in a then-record-setting haul of $405 million. That’s set to be obliterated…
Pueblo County drops support for nuclear power after facing backlash from residents
Pueblo County drops support for nuclear power after facing backlash from residents February 22, 2022 Pueblo County officials say they are pulling back their support for replacing the state’s largest coal-fired power plant with a nuclear reactor following a public outcry from residents. The decision is a quiet reversal by…
Cyber insurance premiums soar for energy companies
Cyber insurance premiums soar for energy companies Feb. 18, 2022 Cyber insurance rates are rising because of geopolitics, ransomware, a growing threat to operational technology, and continued fallout from last year’s Colonial Pipeline attack, say experts. Read more
Clean power faced headwinds in 2021 and the pace of installations faltered
Clean power faced headwinds in 2021 and the pace of installations faltered Energize Weekly, February 23, 2022 Clean power installations – wind, solar and battery storage – were down slightly in 2021 as the various sectors face challenges ranging from tariffs to expiring tax credits to regulatory uncertainty, according to…
Former Ohio regulator linked to $4M payoff directed agency to limit response to FirstEnergy corruption
Former Ohio regulator linked to $4M payoff directed agency to limit response to FirstEnergy corruption February 15, 2022 Newly produced documents show that Sam Randazzo, former chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, came up with the idea to let FirstEnergy show it didn’t use ratepayer money for House Bill…
Peco parent Exelon completes spinoff of its power generation business
Peco parent Exelon completes spinoff of its power generation business Feb 2, 2022 Exelon Corp. on Wednesday completed its separation into two companies: a new generation and marketing business that owns the nation’s largest fleet of nuclear power plants, and a Chicago-based utility giant whose operations include Peco, Atlantic City…
After a record-breaking 2021, Global EV sales are set for another surge in 2022
After a record-breaking 2021, global EV sales are set for another surge in 2022 Energize Weekly, February 9, 2022 After a record-breaking 2021, global electric passenger vehicle (EV) sales are poised to surge again in 2022, reaching 10.5 million, a nearly 60 percent annual increase, according to new analyses of…
Oft-Delayed Vogtle Expansion on Track for 2022 Start
Oft-Delayed Vogtle Expansion on Track for 2022 Start January 27, 2022 The two-unit expansion at the Plant Vogtle nuclear power facility in Georgia remains a work in progress, a project that still holds the promise of emissions-free electricity even as construction delays and cost overruns continue to spark debate about its future.…
Cleantech investments soar to a record $755 billion in 2021, BNEF says
Cleantech investments soar to a record $755 billion in 2021, BNEF says Energize Weekly, February 2, 2022 A record $755 billion was invested in energy-transition technologies in 2021 – a 27 percent increase over 2020, according to energy consultant BloombergNEF (BNEF). In addition, climate-tech companies raised $165 billion in equity…
Emergence of the New Payments Paradigm – The Case for Utility CX Transformation
Emergence of the New Payments Paradigm – The Case for Utility CX Transformation By Paridhi Gupta, Marketing, Smart Energy Water Utilities across the geographies have started their journey to improved customer self-service capabilities. Now millions of people enjoy the digital convenience of managing their utility account, tracking usage, paying bills,…
PJM seeks reserve market rehearing from FERC, proposes capacity auction schedule
PJM seeks reserve market rehearing from FERC, proposes capacity auction schedule 24 Jan 2022 PJM Interconnection has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a rehearing in its reserve market proceeding because a recent FERC order departs, without adequate explanation, from prior findings that resource procurement costs to alleviate power…
Tri-State reaches agreement with more than two dozen parties on resource plan
Tri-State reaches agreement with more than two dozen parties on resource plan January 20, 2022 Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, a wholesale power provider serving rural utilities in Colorado and three other states, has reached a settlement with several parties on a plan aimed at cutting costs for ratepayers and…
A rise in U.S. renewable generation to reduce fossil-fuel electricity in coming years
A rise in U.S. renewable generation to reduce fossil-fuel electricity in coming years Energize Weekly, January 26, 2022 Generation from renewable energy sources, primarily wind and solar, will reduce fossil-fuel generation over the next two years in the U.S., even as the country’s energy-related carbon dioxide emissions are set to…
Energy and Commerce Committee leaders seek information from TVA on business practices
Energy and Commerce Committee leaders seek information from TVA on business practices January 17, 2022 Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee are seeking information from Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) on its lack of deployment of renewable energy and other business practices. Specifically, the lawmakers are concerned that TVA…
Adding Intelligence to Outage Management with Integrated Cloud-Based Digital Platforms
Adding Intelligence to Outage Management with Integrated Cloud-Based Digital Platforms January 17, 2022 By Paridhi Gupta, Marketing, Smart Energy Water “The grid is not ready for the 21st century.” “Climate change will lead to frequent outages, and utilities are unprepared.” Headlines such as these have become commonplace. Nothing eye-opening about…
Insurance Companies Sue Texas Power Grid Operator Over 2021 Winter Storm Losses
Insurance Companies Sue Texas Power Grid Operator Over 2021 Winter Storm Losses January 7, 2022 More than 100 insurance companies are suing the Texas power grid operator and several power-generating companies (PGCs) over losses suffered from 2021 Winter Storm Uri, which resulted in more than 500,000 insurance claims and approximately…
Evergy Files Missouri Rate Review to Recover Costs to Modernize Grid, Improve Reliability and Enhance Customer Service
Evergy Files Missouri Rate Review to Recover Costs to Modernize Grid, Improve Reliability and Enhance Customer Service January 7, 2022 Today Evergy submitted a detailed rate review to the Missouri Public Service Commission (MPSC). The requested rate adjustment reflects investments to improve reliability, enhance customer service and enable the company’s transition to cleaner energy…
Western and Midwestern grids may face supply shortfalls as early as this summer, NERC says
Western and Midwestern grids may face supply shortfalls as early as this summer, NERC says Energize Weekly, January 12, 2022 The Midwest and Western grids could face shortfalls in electricity supply and generating capacity as early as this summer as baseload plants retire and weather-related disruptions become more common, according…
Germany Rejects EU Proposal for Nuclear Energy, Will Rely on Natural Gas
Germany Rejects EU Proposal for Nuclear Energy, Will Rely on Natural Gas 1/3/22 Germany’s government on Monday rejected the European Union‘s proposals to include nuclear energy in the bloc’s climate-focused plans and investments for the future. Instead, the European nation plans to lean heavily on natural gas as an energy source…
A look ahead at advanced nuclear in 2022
A look ahead at advanced nuclear in 2022 Jan 1, 2022 On June 2, TerraPower announced that it would build a demonstration nuclear reactor, known as Natrium, at a retiring Wyoming coal plant. The Bill Gates-fronted nuclear developer had joined forces with utility Rocky Mountain Power, after receiving an $80 million Department…
ERCOT says generation, transmission ready for winter following on-site inspections
ERCOT says generation, transmission ready for winter following on-site inspections 30 Dec 2021 Generation and transmission facilities in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas market are ready for winter, ERCOT said Dec. 30 after inspecting more than 300 generation units and 22 transmission facilities representing 85% of the megawatt hours…
Exelon separation moves forward, with New York Public Service Commission approval
Exelon separation moves forward, with New York Public Service Commission approval December 20, 2021 Exelon Corp. announces that the New York State Public Service Commission has approved a unanimous settlement agreement that allows Exelon to move forward with its plan to separate into two companies in the first quarter of 2022. Read…
Renewable and coal-fired power generation surge in 2021 led by India and China
Renewable and coal-fired power generation surge in 2021 led by India and China Energize Weekly, December 22, 2021 The global profile for electricity generation in 2021 is a tale of surging old and new power as both renewable energy and coal-fired generation are set to reach record highs, according to…
Cincinnati, Columbus settle civil claims related to FirstEnergy bailout
Cincinnati, Columbus settle civil claims related to FirstEnergy bailout December 14, 2021 The cities of Cincinnati and Columbus have dismissed their state court claims against FirstEnergy and Energy Harbor for the companies’ actions relating to House Bill 6, the nuclear and coal bailout law at the heart of a $60…
ERCOT inspecting more than 300 Power Plants to ensure Texas Power Grid is ready for winter
ERCOT inspecting more than 300 Power Plants to ensure Texas Power Grid is ready for winter Dec 6, 2021 The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has announced that by the end of this month, they’ll have inspected more than 300 power generation plants. Including natural gas, nuclear, coal, wind…
Utility biz Delta-Montrose Electric Association loses billing capability and two decades of records after cyber attack
Utility biz Delta-Montrose Electric Association loses billing capability and two decades of records after cyber attack 3 Dec 2021 A US utility company based in Colorado was hit by a ransomware attack in November that wiped out two decades’ worth of records and knocked out billing systems that won’t be…
California Community Choice Financing Authority issues first municipal clean energy bonds
California Community Choice Financing Authority issues first municipal clean energy bonds DECEMBER 6, 2021 California’s first municipal non-recourse Clean Energy Project Revenue Bonds issued today are valued at over $2 billion for thirty-year terms. The two separate bond issuances support the purchase of clean electricity to serve over 2.5 million…
The First U.S. Offshore Wind Farm Could Be a Lifeline for Struggling New England Cities
The First U.S. Offshore Wind Farm Could Be a Lifeline for Struggling New England Cities NOVEMBER 29, 2021 As many of New England’s industrial cities fell into decline in recent decades, the wealthier residents of Martha’s Vineyard, a regional center of affluence and privilege, have gotten richer, building and rebuilding…
US power transmission, distribution costs seen outpacing electricity production costs
US power transmission, distribution costs seen outpacing electricity production costs 24 Nov 2021 US utility transmission and distribution costs have been rising faster than electricity production costs over the past decade, with utility spending on power delivery 65% higher in 2020 than in 2010, a trend that could continue as…
U.S. grid ready for winter, NERC says, New England and California may face fuel pinch
U.S. grid ready for winter, NERC says, New England and California may face fuel pinch Energize Weekly, December 1, 2021 Winter electricity-generating resources across the North American grid are forecast to be adequate, although weather and fuel access issues may create challenges for New England, California and parts of Canada.…
PJM members flag power price formation, transmission planning concerns to board
PJM members flag power price formation, transmission planning concerns to board 22 Nov 2021 PJM Interconnection’s management board recently met with representatives of each of the five power industry sectors who raised concerns regarding energy market rule changes increasing power prices, resource adequacy, transmission regulation, and other issues. Read more
EV sales poised to set a record in 2021, forecast to reach a 20 percent market share by 2025
EV sales poised to set a record in 2021, forecast to reach a 20 percent market share by 2025 Energize Weekly, November 24, 2021 A booming global electric vehicle (EV) market is forecast to post more than 7 million in sales of battery-electric and hybrid plug-in cars in 2021, double…
Energy companies push for proposed merger in New Mexico
Energy companies push for proposed merger in New Mexico NOVEMBER 13, 2021 New Mexico’s largest electric provider and global energy giant Iberdrola say they’re committed to customer protections as they push for regulatory approval for a multibillion-dollar merger. Read More
Infrastructure bill offers a $30 billion down payment on upgrading the nation’s grid
Infrastructure bill offers a $30 billion down payment on upgrading the nation’s grid Energize Weekly, November 17, 2021 The federal infrastructure bill signed by President Joe Biden this week, includes a nearly $30 billion down payment in grants and loan authorities to upgrade the nation’s aging and challenged electric grid.…
Q&A: Options for the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant
Q&A: Options for the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant November 8, 2021 The Diablo Canyon nuclear plant in California, the only one still operating in the state, is set to close in 2025. A team of researchers at MIT’s Center for Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems, Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems…
Virginia GOP targets clean energy law, but options for rollback are limited
Virginia GOP targets clean energy law, but options for rollback are limited November 9, 2021 Newly emboldened Virginia Republicans are vowing to roll back the state’s landmark clean energy reforms enacted by Democrats over the last two years. Read more
Global initiatives take aim at ending the use of coal, financing to be trimmed by 99 percent
Global initiatives take aim at ending the use of coal, financing to be trimmed by 99 percent Energize Weekly, November 10, 2021 Global momentum to end of the use of coal-fired generation is growing as more than 40 countries last week pledged to end the use of coal, and key…
Dozens of nations back pledge to slash methane emissions at COP26
Dozens of nations back pledge to slash methane emissions at COP26 2 Nov 2021 Dozens of countries have joined a United States and European Union pledge to cut emissions of methane by at least 30 percent this decade, in one of the most significant climate commitments so far at COP26.…
Clean tech investment soars in 2021, IEA says it has to go much higher to curb emissions
Clean tech investment soars in 2021, IEA says it has to go much higher to curb emissions Energize Weekly, November 3, 2021 Clean tech investment, from both the public and private sectors, has been growing rapidly in 2021, but it still may not be fast enough to alter global emissions…
Southern California Edison to add 535MW of battery energy storage
Southern California Edison to add 535MW of battery energy storage October 25, 2021 Southern California Edison (SCE) will add 535 megawatts of battery energy storage at three of its substations to increase grid reliability for next summer. Read more
