Xcel says big reason it needs to spend millions on new projects is regional grid’s reliability risks MARCH 4, 2024 The growing risk of unreliability and potential expense of buying energy on the open market is a big reason why Xcel Energy wants to make significant investments in its infrastructure.…
Poor grid interconnection policies are causing project backups across the U.S., study says
Poor grid interconnection policies are causing project backups across the U.S., study says Energize Weekly, March 6, 2024 The grid interconnection process in the U.S. is so “dysfunctional” that more than two million megawatts of generation and storage are waiting to be hooked up, according to an analysis by Advanced…
DOE announces $45 million investment for cybersecurity research
DOE announces $45 million investment for cybersecurity research FEBRUARY 26, 2024 The Department of Energy on Monday announced a $45 million investment into cybersecurity research for the energy sector, including projects on artificial intelligence detection and response and quantum communication for the grid. DOE’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and…
US government may sue PacifiCorp, a Warren Buffett utility, for nearly $1B in wildfire cost
US government may sue PacifiCorp, a Warren Buffett utility, for nearly $1B in wildfire costs February 26, 2024 The U.S. government is threatening to sue PacifiCorp, a unit of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, to recover nearly $1 billion in costs related to the 2020 wildfires in southern Oregon and northern…
Texas Lawmaker files bill that would allow the rest of the country to access Texas’ power grid
Texas Lawmaker files bill that would allow the rest of the country to access Texas’ power grid February 18, 2024 Congressman Greg Casar, D-Austin, says it is the first time it has ever happened in Congress: a bill was drafted and filed that would make Texas connect its power grid…
Texas Electric Utility Courts Unnamed Crypto Miners With Five-Year Deals
Texas Electric Utility Courts Unnamed Crypto Miners With Five-Year Deals Feb 17, 2024 In a recent report, the community-driven, nonprofit electric provider in Texas, Denton Municipal Electric (DME), is attracting interest from several crypto mining companies seeking to establish operations. These companies are eyeing a five-year agreement for powering their…
Growing electricity demand from electric vehicles poses risks to the bulk power system, NERC says
Growing electricity demand from electric vehicles poses risks to the bulk power system, NERC says Energize Weekly, February 21, 2024 The growing demand for electricity to charge electric vehicles (EVs) – depending upon the timing of the charging – could threaten the bulk power system, according to a study by…
Western Maryland Electric Grid Stronger and More Resilient Following Smart Enhancements
Western Maryland Electric Grid Stronger and More Resilient Following Smart Enhancements 13 Feb, 2024 FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) subsidiary Potomac Edison has completed service reliability projects that will enhance electric service and minimize the impact of power outages for nearly 5,000 customers in Allegany, Frederick and Garrett counties. The two…
Oak Ridge public-private partnership looks to advance quantum tech for the power grid
Oak Ridge public-private partnership looks to advance quantum tech for the power grid FEBRUARY 1, 2024 A new cooperative endeavor based at Tennessee’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory unites public and private sector players to push forward advancements in the quantum sciences field, particularly for solutions to further secure the U.S.…
Global investment in clean tech and energy transition reached a record $1.8 trillion in 2023
Global investment in clean tech and energy transition reached a record $1.8 trillion in 2023 Energize Weekly, February 7, 2024 Global investments in the energy transition from fossil fuels to clean tech climbed 17 percent in 2023 to a record $1.8 trillion, according to a study by the energy research…
U.S. Oil Drillers Are Going Electric—and Hitting Speed Bumps
U.S. Oil Drillers Are Going Electric—and Hitting Speed Bumps January 29, 2024 In the country’s busiest oil field, frackers are devouring nearly as much electricity as four Seattles every day—and they are clamoring for more. Diamondback Energy, a major producer in the Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico,…
Texas’ grid has gone 3 years without a crisis. Will it last?
Texas’ grid has gone 3 years without a crisis. Will it last? 01/30/2024 In the three years since deadly blackouts paralyzed Texas, two major winter storms have hit the electricity grid without plunging the state into blackouts. Texas has touted its success during those two events — Elliott in December…
World’s most advanced battery energy storage system comes online, speeding Hawaii’s transition to 100% renewable energy
World’s most advanced battery energy storage system comes online, speeding Hawaii’s transition to 100% renewable energy 11 Jan, 2024 Plus Power™ announced it has begun operating its Kapolei Energy Storage facility on Oahu, Hawaii, the most advanced grid-scale battery energy storage system in the world, helping transition the state’s electric…
Puget Sound Energy says region set new record for electrical demands
Puget Sound Energy says region set new record for electrical demands January 15, 2024 Puget Sound Energy says the region set a new record for demand on the natural gas and electrical systems on Friday. A faulty fiber optic cable temporarily took down one of its gas storage facilities in…
Energy Department has cyber threats to infrastructure in mind with $70 million funding offer
Energy Department has cyber threats to infrastructure in mind with $70 million funding offer JANUARY 5, 2024 The Department of Energy is offering $70 million in funds toward research and development for technology that would protect delivery infrastructure against cyber-related threats and other physical hazards, part of what a senior…
Hawaii completes assessment of Oahu energy system and critical infrastructure
Hawaii completes assessment of Oahu energy system and critical infrastructure December 29, 2023 The Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) recently concluded work on an initiative called the O‘ahu Energy System and Critical Infrastructure Vulnerability and Resiliency Assessment. The assessment involved a comprehensive hazard and risk assessment of O’ahu’s critical energy…
Energy cases to watch in 2024
Energy cases to watch in 2024 01/02/2024 Energy regulators’ power to address planet-warming emissions is in the crosshairs in federal courts in 2024. In one of the year’s biggest cases, the Supreme Court could rein in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s ability to use 50-year-old laws to take bold action…
New manufacturing facilities and data centers are driving increased electricity demand
New manufacturing facilities and data centers are driving increased electricity demand Energize Weekly, December 27, 2023 The U.S. electric grid is ill-prepared for a surge in demand coming from new manufacturing, data centers and in future years, electrification of transport and building heating. Meanwhile, the queue of generation projects waiting…
Building transmission takes forever. The Biden administration is pushing to change that
Building transmission takes forever. The Biden administration is pushing to change that DECEMBER 19, 2023 The SOO Green electric transmission project, a 350-mile high-voltage line between Mason City, Iowa, and Plano, Illinois, was proposed in 2018 to deliver renewable power and to better connect the nation’s two largest power markets.…
Grid monitor warns of blackout risks as coal plants retire
Grid monitor warns of blackout risks as coal plants retire 12/14/2023 Rolling blackouts are a rising threat across the U.S. as aging power grids collide with extreme weather, rising electricity demand and a shift to cleaner fuels, the nation’s top grid monitor warned Wednesday. In a report, the North American…
FirstEnergy Subsidiaries Awarded More Than $800 Million in Transmission Upgrades
FirstEnergy Subsidiaries Awarded More Than $800 Million in Transmission Upgrades 12 Dec. 2023 FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) subsidiaries Potomac Edison and Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission (MAIT) have been awarded transmission projects totaling more than $800 million in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia by regional transmission organization PJM Interconnection. The projects…
FirstEnergy’s 4 Pa. subsidiaries, including Met-Ed, to combine into one company
FirstEnergy’s 4 Pa. subsidiaries, including Met-Ed, to combine into one company Dec 10, 2023 First Energy Corp. has won regulatory approval to combine its four Pennsylvania electric-distribution subsidiaries, including Met-Ed, into one company. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) approved that move on Thursday, Dec. 7, allowing for the combination…
Ford and Xcel Energy will build 30,000 EV charging ports for fleet businesses
Ford and Xcel Energy will build 30,000 EV charging ports for fleet businesses Dec 5, 2023 Ford may be dialing back some of its larger EV investments, but it’s still operating under the assumption that a lot of businesses will be interested in electrifying their fleets eventually. The company is…
Offshore Wind’s Power Grid Costs in States Add to Industry Woes
Offshore Wind’s Power Grid Costs in States Add to Industry Woes Nov. 28, 2023 Atlantic Coast states and energy regulators are working to avoid the looming cost of plugging offshore wind into the nation’s power grid as the industry confronts rising inflation and project cancellations. The push to improve regional…
ERCOT cancels additional capacity request for winter, CEO says Texas grid is ‘adequately’ prepared
ERCOT cancels additional capacity request for winter, CEO says Texas grid is ‘adequately’ prepared November 19, 2023 The state’s power grid won’t add any additional capacity this winter, according to an ERCOT statement. ERCOT said it made this decision after weighing various factors and accounting for a limited market response.…
PG&E bills to soar next year after regulators approve 13% rate increase Thursday
PG&E bills to soar next year after regulators approve 13% rate increase Thursday Nov 16, 2023 Monthly bills for Pacific Gas and Electric Co. customers will climb even higher next year after California regulators on Thursday unanimously approved allowing the utility giant to increase its rates for electricity and natural…
Xcel Energy proposes 175-mile transmission line routes to connect renewable energy for southwest Minnesota
Xcel Energy proposes 175-mile transmission line routes to connect renewable energy for southwest Minnesota November 03, 2023 Xcel Energy turned in two proposed routes for its approximately 175-mile long Minnesota Energy Connection transmission line to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and Minnesota Department of Commerce this week. Either route would…
US energy department announces $1.3bn transmission buildout
US energy department announces $1.3bn transmission buildout Oct 31, 2023 The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to a $1.3 billion commitment in three transmission lines crossing six states, advancing projects aimed at adding 3.5GW of additional grid capacity throughout the United States. To ensure that transmission buildout is…
AI threats are here. Are Biden and the energy industry ready?
AI threats are here. Are Biden and the energy industry ready? 10/30/2023 The White House launched a new strategy Monday to protect American privacy — and critical infrastructure like the electric grid — from artificial intelligence gone wrong. But as AI creeps into the energy sector, experts say much more…
U.S. DOE awards $3.5 billion for 58 projects to make electric grids safer and more resilient
U.S. DOE awards $3.5 billion for 58 projects to make electric grids safer and more resilient Energize Weekly, October 25, 2023 The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has made $3.5 billion in grants to utilities in 44 states to improve grid reliability and to take measures to meet the risks…
Global electricity grid must be upgraded urgently to hit climate goals, says IEA
Global electricity grid must be upgraded urgently to hit climate goals, says IEA 17 Oct 2023 Ministers have been urged to “open their eyes” to the need to build a vast network of new electricity grids to allow countries to hit climate goals, the chief of the world’s energy watchdog…
U.S. Hit Second Highest Hourly Peak Demand This Summer, EIA Reports
U.S. Hit Second Highest Hourly Peak Demand This Summer, EIA Reports October 6, 2023 This summer, the United States hit the second highest peak electricity demand since the Energy Information Administration began collecting data in 2016, the agency said. Peak hourly electricity demand in the continental United States reached 741,815…
EVs could capture 80 percent of new car sales in China, Europe, and the U.S. by 2030
EVs could capture 80 percent of new car sales in China, Europe, and the U.S. by 2030 Energize Weekly, October 11, 2023 While it took six years for electric vehicles (EVs) to climb to from 1 percent to 10 percent of the passenger car market, in another seven, they could…
State awarded $17.2 million grant for power grid resilience
Colorado awarded $17.2 million grant for power grid resilience Sep 28, 2023 The Colorado Energy Office and state Department of Local Affairs were granted $17.2 million in federal funds for improving the resilience and reliability of Colorado’s electric grid against climate-driven extreme weather events and aging infrastructure. As part of…
Hawaiian Electric begins restoration work in Lahaina at request of Maui Emergency Operations Center
Hawaiian Electric begins restoration work in Lahaina at request of Maui Emergency Operations Center September 21, 2023 Hawaiian Electric reports that replacement of poles and electrical equipment damaged in last months windstorms and wildfires in Lahaina will get underway at the request of Maui emergency management officials. This work will…
Dominion, in rare move, details data centers’ big electricity demands
Dominion, in rare move, details data centers’ big electricity demands Sep 18, 2023 Data centers, some of the biggest electricity users of all, have signed agreements with Dominion Energy showing they expect to use the equivalent of 35% of the record flow of electricity the utility saw during last year’s…
Eversource presents plans for electrical grid upgrades, without fossil fuels
Eversource presents plans for electrical grid upgrades, without fossil fuels Sep. 03, 2023 Eversource has announced its first draft of improvements it hopes to make to the state’s electrical grid, boosting clean energy production and reducing the use of fossil fuels. The final plan — which will meet company requirements…
TVA Plans to Invest $15 Billion Over the Next Three Years to Meet Region’s Growth
TVA Plans to Invest $15 Billion Over the Next Three Years to Meet Region’s Growth Aug. 28, 2023 During the decade before COVID, TVA’s seven-state region saw almost no electric load growth. Post-COVID, the region has experienced tremendous economic growth, fueled by several factors. The Tennessee Valley Authority Board of…
State power grid operator calls on Texans to conserve energy late Sunday
State power grid operator calls on Texans to conserve energy late Sunday AUG. 20, 2023 The state’s electric grid operator is asking Texans to limit their power use on Sunday between 7 and 10 p.m., the second such request in three days as extreme heat continues to grip the state.…
Data Centers in Oregon Strain Electricity Grid and Challenge Clean Energy Goals
Data Centers in Oregon Strain Electricity Grid and Challenge Clean Energy Goals AUG 12, 2023 Data centers in Oregon are expected to consume significantly more electricity than initially estimated, according to three recent forecasts. This unexpected increase in energy consumption is placing additional strain on the Northwest electrical grid and…
Experts eye ways to mitigate physical assaults on US power grid
Experts eye ways to mitigate physical assaults on US power grid 11 Aug, 2023 Industry experts offered a range of ideas for how power system planners can help bolster physical grid security during an Aug. 10 technical conference hosted by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staff. The gathering, held jointly with…
Hawaiian Electric shares plummet 40% after Maui wildfires lawsuit
Hawaiian Electric shares plummet 40% after Maui wildfires lawsuit August 15, 2023 Shares of Hawaiian Electric have plummeted nearly 40% since trading opened Monday over concerns that the utility company could be held liable for damage wrought by the Maui wildfires. A class-action lawsuit filed against Hawaiian Electric on Saturday…
SRP and APS report record-breaking electricity demand during July heat wave
SRP and APS report record-breaking electricity demand during July heat wave Aug. 4, 2023 After July’s historic heat wave, both SRP and APS reported electricity demand skyrocketed, and the companies recorded the highest demand they have ever seen from customers. Both companies say it only takes one megawatt to power…
APS says rate hike vital to keep homes in Phoenix powered, recover infrastructure costs
APS says rate hike vital to keep homes in Phoenix powered, recover infrastructure costs Aug 4, 2023 As a rate increase for Arizona Public Service customers is on the horizon, the president of the company said it is necessary to recover infrastructure costs and to continue powering Phoenix homes. Regaining…
Northland transmission line to boost reliability as renewables replace power plants
Northland transmission line to boost reliability as renewables replace power plants July 31, 2023 Large cross-country transmission lines carrying clean energy from remote rural areas to population centers will be a key strategy for reducing emissions. But as a project in Minnesota illustrates, the grid puzzle is more complicated than…
Infrastructure and green energy spending are powering the economy
Infrastructure and green energy spending are powering the economy July 28, 2023 A surge in government funding and related private investment is beginning to make its way to businesses and communities across the country, building electric vehicles, new bridges, airport upgrades and a host of other infrastructure and green energy…
Feds propose $2B in PNW energy grid upgrades to meet rising demand
Feds propose $2B in PNW energy grid upgrades to meet rising demand July 24, 2023 The Pacific Northwest’s need for more — and renewable — electricity is increasing, and Bonneville Power Administration officials say the grid needs billions of dollars’ of work to keep those higher energy loads flowing across…
Congestion on the U.S. electric grid added $20.8 billion in costs in 2022
Congestion on the U.S. electric grid added $20.8 billion in costs in 2022 Energize Weekly, July 26,2023 The increasingly choked U.S. electric grid – sometimes preventing the cheapest generation from getting online – cost consumers $20.8 billion in 2022, a 55 percent year-over-year increase, according to utility consultant Grid Strategies.…
Probe Into 2022 Attack on Kern County PG&E Facility Hits Dead End
Probe Into 2022 Attack on Kern County PG&E Facility Hits Dead End Jul 10 Investigators have hit a dead end in their investigation of a July 2022 incident in which gunfire caused nearly $6 million in damage to a PG&E substation near Bakersfield. It’s one of a string of unsolved…
Global EV sales set to triple by 2026 led by China, Europe, and the U.S.
Global EV sales set to triple by 2026 led by China, Europe, and the U.S. Energize Weekly, July 12, 2023 Electric vehicle (EV) sales are projected to almost triple between 2022 and 2026, reaching nearly 27 million vehicles as the technology pushes beyond automobiles to trucks and buses, according to…