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
Oversight finds ‘small lapses’ in security led to Colonial Pipeline, JBS hacks
Oversight finds ‘small lapses’ in security led to Colonial Pipeline, JBS hacks 11/16/21 A series of “small lapses” in cybersecurity led to several recent successful ransomware attacks, the House Oversight and Reform Committee concluded in a staff memo released Tuesday. Read more
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.…
Microsoft: Chinese hackers are targeting Zoho ManageEngine software
Microsoft: Chinese hackers are targeting Zoho ManageEngine software November 9, 2021 Microsoft has sent an alert about a sophisticated Chinese hacker group targeting an obscure bug in Zoho software to install a webshell. Read more
DTE plans $7B, 5-year investment in SE Michigan electric grid, tree trimming
DTE plans $7B, 5-year investment in SE Michigan electric grid, tree trimming Nov. 4, 2021 DTE Energy Co. plans to invest $7 billion over the next five years to modernize southeast Michigan’s electric grid and prepare for increasing demand from electric vehicles. Read more
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
CISA Begins Program to Identify Critical Infrastructure
CISA Begins Program to Identify Critical Infrastructure November 1, 2021 The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and a congressional committee leader agree that officials must take precautionary steps to identify “systemically important critical infrastructure” to reduce risks of pervasive supply chain cyberattacks. Read more
RCA aims to help cable operators cut power costs
RCA aims to help cable operators cut power costs 10/21/2021 Robert Cruickshank Associates (RCA), innovators at the intersection of broadband and power networks, today announced a breakthrough that creates energy opportunities for cable broadband operators: the first nationwide availability of standards-based Optimum Load Shaping (OLS) signals that enable operators to…
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
DOE Invests $61 Million for Smart Buildings that Accelerate Renewable Energy Adoption and Grid Resilience
DOE Invests $61 Million for Smart Buildings that Accelerate Renewable Energy Adoption and Grid Resilience October 14, 2021 The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $61 million for 10 pilot projects that will deploy new technology to transform thousands of homes and workplaces into state-of-the-art, energy-efficient buildings. These Connected…
Consultants offer ways to improve US power transmission planning in FERC comments
Consultants offer ways to improve US power transmission planning in FERC comments 11 Oct 2021 Stakeholders and power market participants have begun submitting responses to federal regulators regarding an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on transmission improvements, with one group contending transportation and space heating electrification will increase power demand…
CMP, public power backers locked in war to weaken each other’s 2022 referendum bids
CMP, public power backers locked in war to weaken each other’s 2022 referendum bids October 11, 2021 Supporters and opponents of establishing a consumer-owned utility in Maine both made changes to their ballot initiatives in the past week in attempts to render the other ineffective ahead of a possible referendum fight…
Xylem, Dragos Partner to Bring Cybersecurity Leadership to Water Utilities
Xylem, Dragos Partner to Bring Cybersecurity Leadership to Water Utilities October 04, 2021 Leading global water technology company, Xylem Inc., and Dragos, Inc., the global leader in cybersecurity for industrial controls systems (ICS)/operational technology (OT) environments, today announced they have partnered to bring best-in-class industrial cybersecurity to critical infrastructure in…
Lynn Good projects $100B in spending on ‘clean energy transition’ at Duke Energy in the next 10 years
Lynn Good projects $100B in spending on ‘clean energy transition’ at Duke Energy in the next 10 years Sep 30, 2021 Touting Duke Energy Corp.’s sustainability goals at a presentation an S&P Global Inc. conference, CEO Lynn Good said the company will spend close to $100 billion on its transition to clean…
Duke Energy complaints rise ahead of company’s decision to extend disconnection ban
Duke Energy complaints rise ahead of company’s decision to extend disconnection ban September 30, 2021 Duke Energy announced Thursday the company will continue to avoid shutting off electricity for the most at-risk families through March of 2022. The announcement came just a day before Duke Energy’s limited disconnection ban was set…
Solar trade woes cast a pall over Biden’s climate goals
Solar trade woes cast a pall over Biden’s climate goals 09/28/2021 President Joe Biden’s climate goals are conflicting with his aim to bolster American manufacturing of solar panels — an industry the U.S. largely lost to China when he was vice president and one that can’t be rebuilt quickly. Read…
PPL Corporation receives FERC approval to acquire The Narragansett Electric Company
PPL Corporation receives FERC approval to acquire The Narragansett Electric Company September 23, 2021 PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) today received unanimous approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to acquire The Narragansett Electric Company from National Grid USA. Read more
Anterix scores $30M lease with Evergy for 900 MHz spectrum
Anterix scores $30M lease with Evergy for 900 MHz spectrum Sep 20, 2021 Anterix is building steam with utility companies, notching a third long-term lease for use of its 900 MHz spectrum in a 20-year $30 million agreement with power company Evergy. Evergy gets exclusive access to 6 MHz of…
System Monitors Transmission Lines for Faults and Damage
System Monitors Transmission Lines for Faults and Damage SEP 14, 2021 Prisma Photonics Ltd and Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) have signed a pilot agreement to supply monitoring services for IEC’s electrical power transmission grid. The collaboration has started as a part of Israel’s Innovation Authority’s program to run pilots in governmental companies and national infrastructure.…
Solar could power 45 percent of U.S. electricity by 2050 with multi-billion dollar investment, DOE says
Solar could power 45 percent of U.S. electricity by 2050 with multi-billion dollar investment, DOE says Energize Weekly, September 15, 2021 The U.S. could get 40 percent of its electricity from solar installations by 2035 and 45 percent by 2050 – through $225 to $560 billion in the power grid…
Connexus electricity co-op wants a new power deal with Great River Energy
Connexus electricity co-op wants a new power deal with Great River Energy AUGUST 30, 2021 Connexus Energy, the largest owner of Great River Energy, wants to exit the big electricity generating co-op as a member, saying its longtime arrangement has become too costly and inflexible. Read more
Hurricane Ida damage to Louisiana’s power grid expected to take weeks to repair
Hurricane Ida damage to Louisiana’s power grid expected to take weeks to repair August 30, 2021 Rescuers set out in hundreds of boats and helicopters to reach people trapped by floodwaters Monday, and utility repair crews rushed in, after a furious Hurricane Ida swamped the Louisiana coast and ravaged the…
Alpha Wireless Unveils Antenna Solutions to Enable Utility Network Modernization
Alpha Wireless Unveils Antenna Solutions to Enable Utility Network Modernization Aug 24th, 2021 Alpha Wireless is launching the Alpha Wireless AW3874 dual-band antenna, engineered to empower utilities to modernize and digitize their communications infrastructure. With support for both 900 MHz and 3.5 GHz / Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum…
NM could get billions in new federal funding
NM could get billions in new federal funding August 23, 2021 Congress is gearing up to approve the largest federal investments in infrastructure and social programs since the Great Depression in the 1930s, and New Mexico could reap huge benefits. Read more
Grid’s ‘town crier’ separates cyber signal from noise
Grid’s ‘town crier’ separates cyber signal from noise 08/17/2021 The U.S. power grid’s hub for cyberthreat information got word last December that hackers had breached FireEye Inc., one of the world’s largest cybersecurity companies. Read more
New Mexico customers sound alarm over major utility merger
New Mexico customers sound alarm over major utility merger Aug 10, 2021 New Mexico customers are sounding the alarm over a proposed multibillion-dollar merger of the state’s largest electric utility provider with a U.S. subsidiary of Spanish energy giant Iberdrola, citing a sordid track record of reliability and customer service.…
Federal cybersecurity defenses not strong enough to protect American data, Senate report warns
Federal cybersecurity defenses not strong enough to protect American data, Senate report warns AUGUST 3, 2021 Federal agencies responsible for safeguarding the security and personal data of millions of Americans have failed to implement basic defenses against cyberattacks, according to a report from Senate investigators released Tuesday. The agencies earned…
Bipartisan $1T Senate infrastructure bill focuses on nuclear, carbon capture, transmission
Bipartisan $1T Senate infrastructure bill focuses on nuclear, carbon capture, transmission Aug. 3, 2021 A bipartisan group of senators on Sunday unveiled its nearly $1 trillion infrastructure bill, formalized into text following a 67-32 consensus to advance the legislation. The vote to advance the bill included the support of 17 Republicans. Read…
New cybersecurity order issued for US pipeline operators
New cybersecurity order issued for US pipeline operators July 20, 2021 The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday announced new requirements for U.S. pipeline operators to bolster cybersecurity following a May ransomware attack that disrupted gas delivery across the East Coast. Read more
Connecticut launches nine-year effort to build up EV charging infrastructure
Connecticut launches nine-year effort to build up EV charging infrastructure July 19, 2021 The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) approved a nine-year program to support electric vehicle charging infrastructure installation in the state. PURA established a statewide Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Program that provides a combination of incentives for…
PG&E wants to propose an 18% rate hike during a heat wave. Here’s why
PG&E wants to propose an 18% rate hike during a heat wave. Here’s why Jul 9, 2021 PG&E is asking the state to raise rates by 18%. The utility presented a proposal to the California Public Utilities Commission saying the money is needed for critical investments- specifically, on work to…
Recently passed bill could accelerate 5G deployment across Pittsburgh
Recently passed bill could accelerate 5G deployment across Pittsburgh June 29, 2021 Pennsylvania passed House Bill 1621, or the Small Wireless Facilities Deployment Act, in a move that could make the Pittsburgh region more competitive with other tech hubs around the country. Read more
Lawmakers introduce American Cybersecurity Literacy Act
Lawmakers introduce American Cybersecurity Literacy Act June 28, 2021 Bipartisan House lawmakers introduced legislation to increase cybersecurity literacy and security awareness among the American public amid a spike in cybersecurity threats against critical infrastructure. Read more
State, Local Governments Highlight Cybersecurity Funding Needs
State, Local Governments Highlight Cybersecurity Funding Needs June 18, 2021 State, local and county governments officials testified that they need continually renewed, flexible funding to fend off increasing cyber threats during a U.S. Senate hearing. Read more
Hacker group REvil claims responsibility for Invenergy data breach
Hacker group REvil claims responsibility for Invenergy data breach JUNE 14, 2021 Chicago-based solar and wind developer Invenergy said that it has been hacked, following a recent trend in energy-data security breaches. Russia-linked hackers “REvil” claimed involvement in the breach. Read more
Energy chief cites risk of cyberattacks crippling power grid
Energy chief cites risk of cyberattacks crippling power grid June 6, 2021 Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on Sunday called for more public-private cooperation on cyber defenses and said U.S. adversaries already are capable of using cyber intrusions to shut down the U.S. power grid. Read more
Hackers Exploit Post-COVID Return to Offices
Hackers Exploit Post-COVID Return to Offices May 28, 2021 With COVID-19 restrictions lifting and workers trickling back to offices, threat actors are sharpening their spear phishing ploys. The latest scam includes pelting recipients with emails purportedly from their CIOs welcoming employees back into offices. Read more
Colonial Pipeline Ransomware Attack Prompts DHS to Issue New Cybersecurity Regulations
Colonial Pipeline Ransomware Attack Prompts DHS to Issue New Cybersecurity Regulations JUNE 1, 2021 Hot on the heels of an executive order aimed at standardizing federal response to cyber attacks and creating new reporting requirements for government vendors, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is establishing its own requirements specifically…
Green push presents cybersecurity problems of its own
Green push presents cybersecurity problems of its own May 17, 2021 The shift to cleaner energy forebodes greater cybersecurity challenges as the economy adds new technologies and relies increasingly on electricity to fuel vehicles and heat homes. Read more
Biden prepared to take additional steps after Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack
Biden prepared to take additional steps after Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack MAY 10, 2021 President Joe Biden said Monday that his administration was prepared to take additional steps as the energy sector grapples with a colossal cyberattack targeting one of the largest fuel pipelines in the nation. Read more
Duke Energy commits to helping struggling Floridians save money, avoid disconnections
Duke Energy commits to helping struggling Floridians save money, avoid disconnections May 11, 2021 Duke Energy announced a series of steps it is taking to ensure customers who are behind on their utility bills don’t have their power cut off at a dangerous time. Read more
Duke vs. Duke: Electric and gas utilities at odds over efficiency rebates in N.C.
Duke vs. Duke: Electric and gas utilities at odds over efficiency rebates in N.C. by Elizabeth Ouzts; Elizabeth OuztsApril 27, 2021 Duke Energy’s effort to expand a popular energy-efficiency program to its entire North Carolina service area is drawing stiff opposition from a surprising quarter: Duke Energy. Read more
White House launches cybersecurity push targeting electricity sector
White House launches cybersecurity push targeting electricity sector By Justin Katz, Apr 20, 2021 The White House on Tuesday announced the first pilot program to improve the cybersecurity of the nation’s electricity infrastructure as part of a broader initiative focused on industrial control systems. Read more
Millions of connected devices have security flaws, study shows
Hannah Murphy, Apr 13, 2021 Millions of “internet of things” devices using software from groups including Siemens and Microsoft contain security flaws that could be used to compromise government servers or hospitals, new research has found. Read more
Alabama Power hailed as national model for innovative broadband partnerships, expansion efforts
Sean Ross, March 2, 2021 Alabama Power Company in recent days was the focus of a joint webinar organized by the Edison Electric Institute and the National League of Cities (NLC), as the kick-off to NLC’s Emerging Tech Webinar Series. The webinar featured a remote panel discussion moderated by John Smola,…
Hitachi ABB Power Grids Drives Power Sector Upgrades with Smart Digital Substations
FEB 23, 2021 The Smart Digital Substation answers rising demand and complexity from distributed energy resources. Read more
New reports affirm cybersecurity war is not being won
By Phil Hall, February 16, 2021 Despite the best efforts by technology experts, the cybersecurity war continues to rage and digital miscreants still have the upper hand in their assaults on corporate, government and individual targets. Read more
How Biden Could Change the Conversation on Cybersecurity
The incoming administration could mean significant changes for technology, especially where federal cybersecurity is concerned. The increased attention will no doubt mean big changes for state and local governments as well. Read More
Technologies to bring economies to zero carbon emissions still lacking, IEA says
Energize Weekly, August 12, 2020 Many countries have announced ambitious climate goals to bring their economies to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, but the technologies needed to cut emissions in areas like shipping and steelmaking don’t exist and may take decades to bring to market, according to the International Energy…
