PG&E Developing Several New Remote Grid Systems to Replace Overhead Powerlines and Promote More Wireless Power in High Fire Threat Areas August 11, 2022 Today, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced an expansion of its remote grid program, including progressing four new Standalone Power Systems in 2022 and deploying…
Why the Midwest worries about future blackouts
Why the Midwest worries about future blackouts 08/08/2022 Tightening electricity supplies across the Midwest are a problem a decade in the making. And it may take nearly that long to solve it. In the meantime, the possibility of widespread, Texas-style outages caused by a lack of adequate generating reserves —…
3 issues to watch as heat strains the grid
3 issues to watch as heat strains the grid 08/01/2022 From the Pacific Northwest to coastal New England, millions of Americans have endured sweltering temperatures in recent weeks, driving record energy consumption and offering a snapshot of emerging risks facing the nation’s power system. While grid operators say the electricity…
Utilities join Navajo Nation to bring electricity to thousands
Utilities join Navajo Nation to bring electricity to thousands AUGUST 1ST, 2022 In the year 2022, it is difficult for some to comprehend that over 14,000 families in the United States live without electricity and water, many of whom are Navajo people that reside on the Navajo Nation. With support…
MISO Approves 18 Transmission Projects in US Midwest, Integrating More Renewable Energy
MISO Approves 18 Transmission Projects in US Midwest, Integrating More Renewable Energy July 26, 2022 In a move it says will integrate more renewable energy into North American power grids, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator has approved its largest portfolio of regional transmission projects in recent history. Read more
North American power grid faced extreme weather and cyberattack risks in 2021
North American power grid faced extreme weather and cyberattack risks in 2021 Energize Weekly, July 27, 2022 The North American electric grid faced unprecedented challenges from severe weather, cyberattacks and problems with natural gas supplies in 2021, but with except one exception – in Texas – utilities and grid operators…
FirstEnergy’s Ohio Utilities File Plan to Further Modernize Electric System
FirstEnergy’s Ohio Utilities File Plan to Further Modernize Electric System Jul 18, 2022 FirstEnergy Corp.’s (NYSE: FE) Ohio utilities – Ohio Edison, Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company and Toledo Edison – have filed a plan with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) that would expand investments in smart grid technology,…
Texas grid avoids blackouts with voluntary cutbacks amid scorching heat
Texas grid avoids blackouts with voluntary cutbacks amid scorching heat July 12, 2022 Texas’s power grid operator held off from imposing rolling blackouts on Monday using voluntary cutbacks and appeals to conserve energy as scorching triple-digit temperatures hit much of the state. Read more
Crisis Of 2022: Blackouts, Major Construction Delays Test U.S. Grid
Crisis Of 2022: Blackouts, Major Construction Delays Test U.S. Grid Jul 5, 2022 The future for U.S. electric utilities is under a dark cloud — a cloud generated as much by their century-plus of success as anything else. The nation has come to feel that the supply of electricity from…
New South Carolina law could help electric customers save millions
New South Carolina law could help electric customers save millions July 01, 2022 A new law recently passed in South Carolina could save electric customers in that state millions of dollars in costs to restore service after weather events, Duke Energy said Wednesday. The legislation – Senate Bill 1077 –…
Summer is here. Can the grid keep the lights on?
Summer is here. Can the grid keep the lights on? 06/23/2022 As a heat wave grips large parts of the country and sets heat records coinciding with the start of summer, the U.S. electricity grid has held up. Even Texas’ electricity system — which has experienced power failures during extreme…
Cybersecurity Tools to Protect Solar, Wind Power on the Grid
Cybersecurity Tools to Protect Solar, Wind Power on the Grid June 20, 2022 Solar panels and wind turbines, now projected to produce 44% of America’s electricity by 2050, present cybersecurity challenges. They have sensors, controllers, actuators or inverters that are directly or indirectly connected to the internet. They’re distributed far…
Indiana utilities brace for possible rolling blackouts, Kentucky meeting demands
Indiana utilities brace for possible rolling blackouts, Kentucky meeting demands Jun 13, 2022 Summer is kicking in with heat and humidity this week, and that puts a strain on the power grid to keep up with demand. Parts of Indiana could face rolling blackouts, according to the Midcontinent Independent System…
U.S. Midwest in Danger of Rotating Power Blackouts This Summer
U.S. Midwest in Danger of Rotating Power Blackouts This Summer June 3, 2022 The power grid in the Central United States could be forced to impose rotating blackouts on some of the hottest days of the summer due to rising demand and plant retirements, federal energy officials said in an…
Activists hail Biden’s use of security powers to boost clean energy
Activists hail Biden’s use of security powers to boost clean energy June 7, 2022 Environmental groups have welcomed Joe Biden’s invoking of national security powers to rapidly expand the production of clean energy technology as a significant advance in the effort to curb dangerous climate breakdown. Read more
Here’s what has to happen before CPS Energy can shut down its last coal plant
Here’s what has to happen before CPS Energy can shut down its last coal plant June 6, 2022 In recent months, and with San Antonio facing stricter air quality regulations, calls to diversify CPS Energy’s generation portfolio and speed up the closure of the J.K. Spruce coal-burning power plant have…
Alaska utilities plan $200M investment in grid to boost renewable power, increase reliability
Alaska utilities plan $200M investment in grid to boost renewable power, increase reliability May 26, 2022 Five electric utilities in Alaska will invest more than $200 million to upgrade the transmission system from Homer to Fairbanks, in a step they say could boost renewable power opportunities in the state. The…
NYSEG and RG&E Announce “Reliable Energy New York” Plans
NYSEG and RG&E Announce “Reliable Energy New York” Plans May 26, 2022 Today, New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) and Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E), subsidiaries of AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), announced the companies have filed proposed changes to delivery rates with the New York State Public Service Commission…
FERC chair on grid: ‘The old way doesn’t work’
FERC chair on grid: ‘The old way doesn’t work’ 05/20/2022 The growing threat of power outages fueled by extreme weather calls for new approaches to grid oversight, the head of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said yesterday, adding that utilities and grid operators should “think differently.” Read more
West and Midwest U.S. face summer electricity shortfalls due to heat, drought, and fire
West and Midwest U.S. face summer electricity shortfalls due to heat, drought, and fire Energize Weekly, May 25, 2022 The West and Midwest U.S. risk severe electricity shortfalls this summer due to high temperatures, drought, severe storms and wildfire – all driven by a changing climate, according to the North…
Creaky U.S. power grid threatens progress on renewables, EVs
Creaky U.S. power grid threatens progress on renewables, EVs May 12, 2022 The nation’s transmission network, plagued by outages and increasingly severe weather, needs a trillion-dollar overhaul to handle the Biden administration’s promised clean-energy revolution. No one is taking charge of that problem. Read more
California Power Officials Warn of Power Shortfalls This Summer Amid Increasing Strain from Climate Change
California Power Officials Warn of Power Shortfalls This Summer Amid Increasing Strain from Climate Change May 6, 2022 California power regulators are warning of power shortages and possible blackouts this summer as the state’s electrical grid faces increasing strain from drought and extreme heat. “We know reliability is going to…
Tampa Electric, Duke Energy seek approval for storm-project money
Tampa Electric, Duke Energy seek approval for storm-project money May 4, 2022 As this year’s hurricane season gets ready to start June 1, major utilities have filed proposals that could lead to customers paying hundreds of millions of dollars in 2023 to help bolster electric systems against storms. Florida Power…
U.S. and European EV sales climb but more chargers will be needed to sustain growth
U.S. and European EV sales climb but more chargers will be needed to sustain growth Energize Weekly, May 11, 2022 Electric vehicle (EV) sales in both the U.S. and Europe are posting strong gains, but to reach the market penetration governments are targeting – the Biden administration goal is 50…
We Energies seeks rate plan to fund clean energy investments, grid hardening
We Energies seeks rate plan to fund clean energy investments, grid hardening May 02, 2022 We Energies proposed a new rate plan to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) last week, potentially raising customers’ rates for electricity, natural gas and steam next year to pay for a large-scale clean…
Power demand to grow in Tennessee Valley as economy electrifies, TVA CEO says
Power demand to grow in Tennessee Valley as economy electrifies, TVA CEO says April 28, 2022 Tennessee will soon become the No. 1 state for electric vehicle production as part of a power shift that could nearly double electricity demand in the Tennessee Valley over the next three decades, the…
SEPA report makes recommendations to improve transmission development
SEPA report makes recommendations to improve transmission development April 22, 2022 In a new report, the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) calls for greater coordination, collaboration, and partnerships among transmission utilities and developers to achieve the nation’s transmission development goals. Read more
The US has more clean energy projects planned than the grid can handle
The US has more clean energy projects planned than the grid can handle 20 April 2022 The proposed wind, solar and battery projects seeking interconnection to U.S. transmission grids today are enough to bring the country to 80 percent carbon-free electricity by 2030. But based on historical trends, less than…
PGE offers a look inside its futuristic new ops center
PGE offers a look inside its futuristic new ops center Apr. 15, 2022 When you flip the light switch or turn up your thermostat, you expect the juice to start flowing. It’s as simple as that. But in an age of distributed power generation and storage, intermittent renewables, electric cars,…
Russia’s Sandworm Hackers Attempted a Third Blackout in Ukraine
Russia’s Sandworm Hackers Attempted a Third Blackout in Ukraine APR 12, 2022 MORE THAN HALF a decade has passed since the notorious Russian hackers known as Sandworm targeted an electrical transmission station north of Kyiv a week before Christmas in 2016, using a unique, automated piece of code to interact…
‘The lights will not go out’ – Energy experts do not foresee EVs overloading US electrical grid
‘The lights will not go out’ – Energy experts do not foresee EVs overloading US electrical grid Apr. 5th 2022 According to research teams and engineers at multiple US energy laboratories, the acceleration of EV adoption will not reach any sort of “tipping” point in which charging EVs will overwhelm…
UN report on climate crisis confirms the world already has solutions – but politics are getting in the way
UN report on climate crisis confirms the world already has solutions – but politics are getting in the way April 4, 2022 The world is careening toward levels of global warming that will have irreversible impacts, a new landmark report says, but we already have the solutions — the only…
Federal agencies warn Russian cyber operations pose continued threat to U.S. energy infrastructure
Federal agencies warn Russian cyber operations pose continued threat to U.S. energy infrastructure March 28, 2022 In a joint advisory published this week, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the United States Department of Energy (DOE) assessed that state-sponsored Russian cyber operations…
SRP proposes high-voltage line for Facebook center
SRP proposes high-voltage line for Facebook center Mar 21, 2022 Meta, parent company of Facebook, may be getting its own half-mile high-voltage power line between the 202 San Tan Freeway and Ellsworth Road in Mesa. Salt River Project said in a release that a proposed 230 kV line, which would…
As electrification grows, car dealerships become prime candidates for microgrids
As electrification grows, car dealerships become prime candidates for microgrids March 14, 2022 US car dealerships are finding they need to upgrade their electrical infrastructure — and fast — given that more than half of their sales are expected to come from electric vehicles (EVs) before the decade is out. …
Entergy completes $100 million improvement project in north Louisiana
Entergy completes $100 million improvement project in north Louisiana 03/07/2022 Entergy Louisiana recently completed a $100 million project across Ouachita Parish that positioned the region for economic growth and increased the resilience and reliability of the electric system in north Louisiana. Read more
Putin’s threat of ‘consequences’ heightens worries about Americans’ electricity
Putin’s threat of ‘consequences’ heightens worries about Americans’ electricity 02/25/2022 The war in Ukraine is renewing fears of a Russian cyberattack on the U.S. — and the danger that such a strike could spiral into a wider conflict between the two powers. U.S. officials have worried for years about a…
Ameren Missouri to invest $8.4M in grid modernization
Ameren Missouri to invest $8.4M in grid modernization February 20, 2022 Ameren filed its updated Smart Energy Plan with Missouri’s Public Service Commission (PSC) this week, pledging to put $8.4 million toward replacing equipment, some of which is up to 50 years old, and putting new technology into practice to…
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
Blocking Microgrid Cyberattacks To Keep The Power Flowing
Blocking Microgrid Cyberattacks To Keep The Power Flowing February 14, 2022 As microgrids grow more complex, they require sophisticated computer networks to coordinate, control and distribute different sources of power. Like any network, they are vulnerable to cyberattacks. Read more
New clean generation technology is needed for the West to achieve 100 percent clean electricity
New clean generation technology is needed for the West to achieve 100 percent clean electricity Energize Weekly, February 16, 2022 The West could run on 90 percent clean electricity by 2040 with existing renewable generation and storage, but to get to 100 percent, new, clean generation filling the same baseload…
Texas’ grid held up this time with enough extra capacity to power 3 million homes
Texas’ grid held up this time with enough extra capacity to power 3 million homes February 6th 2022 As this latest arctic blast hit the state, the power for most of Texas stayed on as the grid stayed steady. “The power grid continues to perform well at peak demand during…
Texas grid operator warns electricity demand could near records during cold snap
Texas grid operator warns electricity demand could near records during cold snap 01/30/22 A cold weather front next week could trigger near record-setting levels of electric demand in Texas, which last winter saw days-long power outages impacting millions in the state, according to the state’s grid operator. Read more
Can A Smarter Grid Jolt The U.S. Economy And Circumvent Climate Change?
Can A Smarter Grid Jolt The U.S. Economy And Circumvent Climate Change? Feb 1, 2022 The electric grid is evolving and adapting to the 21st Century market place. America’s brain trust is developing bells and whistles to increase reliability and to maintain affordability — in the context of bolstering the…
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…
FERC proposes new rule to strengthen systems against cyberattacks
FERC proposes new rule to strengthen systems against cyberattacks January 24, 2022 The Federal Regulatory Energy Commission (FERC) has released a proposal that would require internal network security monitoring (INSM) for high- and medium-impact bulk electric grid cyber systems. Read more
FPL completes first project to replace overhead power lines in Northwest Florida
FPL completes first project to replace overhead power lines in Northwest Florida January 16, 2022 In the first project of its kind in Northwest Florida, Florida Power & Light Company has finished replacing overhead power lines with more reliable underground lines to continue improving service and speed storm restoration for customers in…
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…
SCC approves Dominion Energy Virginia grid transformation plan
SCC approves Dominion Energy Virginia grid transformation plan Jan. 9, 2022 The State Corporation Commission has approved Dominion Energy Virginia’s plan for electric distribution grid transformation projects that the company seeks to deploy in 2022 and 2023. Read more
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…
