Regulation & Policy: Page 2
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DOE awards $371M to boost permitting, local benefits from transmission projects
Most of the grants support projects that give communities tangible benefits from transmission development, said Maria Robinson, director of the Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office.
By Ethan Howland • July 24, 2024 -
AEP, Exelon oppose Talen-Amazon interconnection pact to protect rate base growth potential: Constellation
Exelon’s Commonwealth Edison stands to add up to $5 billion to its rate base by building transmission infrastructure to serve planned data centers in Illinois, according to Constellation Energy.
By Ethan Howland • July 24, 2024 -
Trendline
The Energy Transition to Renewables
New policy and business actions are giving a significant boost to renewable energy in the U.S., but opposition is growing and grid interconnection, permitting, labor and other challenges remain.
By Utility Dive staff -
Utility commissioners from 14 states, DC, say FERC transmission rule will lower energy costs
The support comes after utility commissions from Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and West Virginia challenged the agency’s rule in court, partly because they say it usurps state authority.
By Ethan Howland • July 24, 2024 -
Bipartisan energy permitting bill ups FERC transmission siting authority, requires interregional planning
The Senate bill released Monday could guide the framework for action on permitting reform, which may not come until next year, according to observers.
By Ethan Howland • July 23, 2024 -
Sustainability experts: ‘Start preparing now’ for SEC climate rule, other disclosure regulations
Despite the SEC rule’s temporary stay, sustainability experts said companies should not wait for the court’s ruling to begin preparing for compliance.
By Zoya Mirza , Lamar Johnson • July 22, 2024 -
DC Circuit rejects bids to put hold on EPA power plant carbon rule
Cooperative utilities and others seeking to put the EPA's rule on hold failed to show they are likely to succeed in their claims, the appeals court for the District of Columbia Circuit said Friday.
By Ethan Howland • July 22, 2024 -
Deep Dive
Innovative solutions emerge to reduce 2.5-TW US clean energy interconnection backlog
California’s project scoring criteria, the Texas connect and manage option and SPP’s work to link system planning with the interconnection process across its multistate region could speed the clean energy expansion.
By Herman K. Trabish • July 22, 2024 -
States, clean energy groups, others appeal FERC transmission planning rule
A lottery will be held to determine which court will handle the appeals to the agency’s Order 1920.
By Ethan Howland • July 19, 2024 -
Column
FERC in Focus: What’s on tap for the rest of 2024 as FERC’s 3 new commissioners gear up?
Experts expect the commission will tackle rehearing requests on its new transmission planning rule and review interconnection reform compliance plans, among other actions, over the next six months.
By Ethan Howland • July 18, 2024 -
Existing nuclear power plants are best behind-the-meter option for data centers: NEI paper
Author and former PJM Interconnection executive Michael Kormos disputed claims that colocated data centers would increase power costs and erode reliability.
By Brian Martucci • July 18, 2024 -
Opinion
With huge capital needs, the power sector’s founding regulatory principle is more critical than ever
Any possible energy future is a capital-intensive one, with capital needs that will only increase as the U.S. demand wave and load growth continue.
By Ray Gifford and Matt Larson • July 18, 2024 -
Opinion
Nowhere to sell: As local bans proliferate, renewable energy companies must prioritize politics
The polluters who want to kill the energy transition have created political headwinds that are grinding the transition to a halt for everyone else, including the companies that really do want to move away from dirty fuels.
By Ayelet Hines • July 17, 2024 -
Duke, Exelon, others urge FERC to toss ‘show cause’ order on utility self-funding interconnection upgrades
FERC’s order to major grid operators that they show why their rules on who can pay for network upgrades is based on unconstitutional premises, Xcel Energy and other utility companies said.
By Ethan Howland • July 17, 2024 -
PJM market monitor asks FERC to end grid operator’s energy efficiency capacity payments
The complaint from Monitoring Analytics adds to energy efficiency issues in the PJM Interconnection’s capacity market, including Affirmed Energy’s possible bankruptcy.
By Ethan Howland • July 15, 2024 -
Current FERC reforms won’t be enough to solve interconnection gridlock: MIT economists
The U.S. must adopt a national transmission strategy if it wants to deploy enough clean energy to decarbonize the grid, MIT researchers say.
By Emma Penrod • July 15, 2024 -
Supreme Court’s Chevron ruling creates power sector uncertainty: Moody’s
“The lack of clarity on future EPA mandates increases uncertainty and makes it more difficult for power companies to determine their most appropriate and cost-effective generation mix,” Moody’s said.
By Ethan Howland • July 12, 2024 -
Talen-Amazon interconnection agreement needs extended FERC review: PJM market monitor
However, Constellation Energy and Vistra contend AEP and Exelon’s protests over the proposed agreement aim to stifle innovative power supply arrangements for data centers.
By Ethan Howland • July 11, 2024 -
EIA prepares for second attempt to survey bitcoin miners about electricity consumption
Preliminary estimates from the Energy Information Administration suggest cryptocurrency mining could account for up to 2.3% of total U.S. electricity consumption today.
By Robert Walton • July 11, 2024 -
DC Circuit vacates FERC Western refund decisions, rejects Duke challenge to network upgrade orders
In separate decisions, PacifiCorp and other power sellers won their case against FERC refund orders stemming from a 2020 Western heat wave while Duke was found liable for network upgrade costs for a proposed solar project.
By Ethan Howland • July 10, 2024 -
FERC approves capacity solicitation plan for $2.4B RioSol transmission project
Southwestern Power Group plans to launch a solicitation for capacity on the 1.6-GW project between New Mexico and Arizona late this year.
By Ethan Howland • July 9, 2024 -
Labor Department’s ESG rule trial to serve as litmus test for Chevron decision
A lower court’s dismissal of a challenge to the rule cited the now-overturned Chevron doctrine, though the agency believes the rule will survive.
By Lamar Johnson • July 8, 2024 -
Talen urges FERC to reject AEP-Exelon protest over interconnection pact for Amazon data center
American Electric Power and Exelon are trying to “hijack” an interconnection service agreement amendment proceeding and make it an ad hoc referendum on the future of data center load, Talen’s Susquehanna Nuclear said.
By Ethan Howland • July 8, 2024 -
FERC issues transmission planning rule, plus 5 other first half agency highlights
Wholesale market reforms, private equity mergers and reliability during extremely cold weather were among the other key issues the commission tackled in the first six months of 2024.
By Ethan Howland • July 3, 2024 -
Nuclear energy gets funding, policy boost in H1 2024 as rising demand brightens prospects
Federal and state policymakers have taken significant steps in the first half of 2024 to support nuclear energy as new opportunities emerge with the rising power needs of data centers.
By Larry Pearl • July 3, 2024 -
Opinion
Two bold ideas to change the energy industry forever
Now may be an ideal time to make dramatic, fundamental changes to how we transport electricity, deliver it to customers and fund new projects, writes Anthony Allard, head of Hitachi Energy, North America.
By Anthony Allard • July 3, 2024