SRP, City Of Phoenix To Begin Removing Trees That Threaten Overhead Power Lines March 12, 2024 In an effort to increase power reliability and reduce potential safety risks, SRP and the City of Phoenix are scheduled to begin removing trees growing too close to power lines. For every tree removed,…
Maine’s Versant Power proposes changes to its distribution rates
Maine’s Versant Power proposes changes to its distribution rates March 08, 2024 Maine’s Versant Power has filed a plan with regulators to change its distribution rates in 2025. If approved, the average residential customer using 500 kilowatt-hours per month would see an increase of about $12 per month. A customer…
Xcel says big reason it needs to spend millions on new projects is regional grid’s reliability risks
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.…
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.…
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…
TVA reaches its highest weekend power demand during the cold temperatures
TVA reaches its highest weekend power demand during the cold temperatures Jan 21, 2024 Icy temperatures followed us into the weekend, and the Tennessee Valley Authority broke another peak power record along the way. The peak power demand on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. Easter Time was 34,284 megawatts, with…
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…
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…
NARUC establishes new gas-electric working group to tackle grid-related reliability
NARUC establishes new gas-electric working group to tackle grid-related reliability November 28, 2023 At its annual meeting and education conference last week, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) launched a new 15-month gas electric working group to improve reliability for both the gas and electric industries. “The safety…
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…
Security researchers raise concerns regarding electric vehicle chargers
Security researchers raise concerns regarding electric vehicle chargers November 13, 2023 Security researchers have found voltage vulnerabilities while putting home electric vehicle chargers to the test. Consumer Adviser Clark Howard delves into why they want more regulation for manufacturers to keep the power grid safe. Read more
PacifiCorp now wants protection from fire victims
PacifiCorp now wants protection from fire victims November 10, 2023 Oregon’s second-largest electricity provider wants state regulators to protect it from the costs of future lawsuits seeking reimbursement from destructive wildfires. The Oregonian reported that PacifiCorp’s request to the Public Utility Commission (PUC) was made just months after the utility…
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…
PG&E to Pay $45 Million for Second-Largest California Fire
PG&E to Pay $45 Million for Second-Largest California Fire October 9, 2023 PG&E Corp. will pay a $45 million penalty for its role in starting the second-largest wildfire in California history under a settlement proposal issued by state regulators. The California utility giant agreed to the shareholder-funded penalty proposed by…
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…
China-Linked Hackers Breached a Power Grid—Again
China-Linked Hackers Breached a Power Grid—Again SEP 12, 2023 The loose nexus of Chinese-origin cyberspies collectively called APT41 is known for carrying out some of the most brazen hacking schemes linked to China over the past decade. Its methods range from a spree of software supply chain attacks that planted…
CMP accused of overspending $53.6 million in storm recovery efforts
CMP accused of overspending $53.6 million in storm recovery efforts Sep 8, 2023 Maine’s advocate for utility customers wants state regulators to withhold more than $50 million that it says Central Maine Power Co. overspent in violation of staffing guidelines when restoring power to customers during a dozen storms in…
Hawaii power utility takes responsibility for first fire on Maui, but faults county firefighters
Hawaii power utility takes responsibility for first fire on Maui, but faults county firefighters August 28, 2023 Hawaii’s electric utility acknowledged its power lines started a wildfire on Maui but faulted county firefighters for declaring the blaze contained and leaving the scene, only to have a second wildfire break out…
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.…
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…
How a grid rule change could derail Texas renewables
How a grid rule change could derail Texas renewables 08/04/2023 In the midst of a sweltering summer when renewable energy has helped Texas avoid grid outages despite record demand, wind and solar companies are warning that a proposed rule may cripple their industry. The state’s main grid operator is reviewing…
Cyberattacks on the power grid are on the rise as utilities seeking security play catch-up
Cyberattacks on the power grid are on the rise as utilities seeking security play catch-up Energize Weekly, August 9, 2023 In the summer of 2022, the Colorado Springs Utilities alerted its customers that their data from its system had been hacked. Several months later, 2,000 wind turbines in Germany were…
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…
Penelec Boosts Service Reliability with Summer Preparations in Pennsylvania
Penelec Boosts Service Reliability with Summer Preparations in Pennsylvania June 26, 2023 Penelec, a FirstEnergy subsidiary, is enhancing service reliability by inspecting and maintaining equipment across its 31-county northern and central Pennsylvania service area for the upcoming hot summer months. Crews are completing inspections of the local energy delivery system…
FERC finalizes new rules to improve reliability in extreme weather conditions
FERC finalizes new rules to improve reliability in extreme weather conditions June 20, 2023 The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) finalized two new rules last week that are designed to help improve reliability of the bulk power system against threats of extreme weather. The first rule directs the North American…
JCP&L, looking to reduce outages, to spend $34M to trim trees in 9 counties
JCP&L, looking to reduce outages, to spend $34M to trim trees in 9 counties June 9, 2023 Jersey Central Power & Light announced Thursday that it is investing approximately $34 million in 2023 to trim trees along more than 3,400 miles of power lines across its central and northern New…
Austin to enter mutual aid agreement with neighboring utility companies after February freeze
Austin to enter mutual aid agreement with neighboring utility companies after February freeze June 2, 2023 A little over three months after an ice storm left tens of thousands of Austin Energy customers without electricity, some for as long as two weeks, the Austin City Council on Thursday ratified a…
U.S. grid facing blackout risks this summer and next winter, reliability agency warns
U.S. grid facing blackout risks this summer and next winter, reliability agency warns Energize Weekly, May 24, 2023 U.S. power grids are facing a risky summer and an even riskier winter, according to analyses by the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC), the agency that oversees grid reliability and security.…
ComEd says traditionally summer preparations becoming year-round reality for grid resilience
ComEd says traditionally summer preparations becoming year-round reality for grid resilience May 08, 2023 According to a presentation of ComEd’s summer readiness and plans to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), mechanisms are in place to assure reliability for its 9 million customers in northern Illinois. Summer is traditionally the time…
New FERC rule creates incentive-based rate treatment for utilities investing in cybersecurity
New FERC rule creates incentive-based rate treatment for utilities investing in cybersecurity April 24, 2023 A final rule issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) last week could encourage the adoption of cybersecurity technology and collaboration among utilities, thanks to its creation of an incentive-based rate treatment. That treatment…
Southern California Edison Improves Grid Safety, Significantly Reduces Wildfire Threat
Southern California Edison Improves Grid Safety, Significantly Reduces Wildfire Threat March 27, 2023 Southern California Edison today submitted its 2023-25 Wildfire Mitigation Plan to California’s Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety. SCE has reduced the probability of wildfires associated with its utility equipment by 75%-80% since 2018. This is a significant…
South Carolina lawmakers pass power grid protections after attacks
South Carolina lawmakers pass power grid protections after attacks March 20, 2023 South Carolina lawmakers are working to make sure electrical substations are better protected months after a substation shooting knocked out power for more than 34,000 people in North Carolina. Last week, South Carolina senators unanimously passed two bills…
Attacks On The U.S. Power Grid Are Surging
Attacks On The U.S. Power Grid Are Surging Feb 21, 2023 The number of attacks with gunfire or vandalism on the U.S. power grid infrastructure surged last year and is likely to continue rising this year, too, a confidential analysis seen by The Wall Street Journal has shown. Last year,…
FBI says Baltimore County woman plotted to ‘shoot up’ BGE electric substations
FBI says Baltimore County woman plotted to ‘shoot up’ BGE electric substations February 6, 2023 A Baltimore County woman has been arrested on charges for allegedly plotting to destroy electric substations in the Baltimore region, federal authorities said during a press conference on Monday. Sarah Beth Clendaniel was recorded detailing…
The United States Is Facing Electricity Famine
The United States Is Facing Electricity Famine Feb. 7, 2023 There are signs that we are heading towards an electricity famine; a life-threatening energy Holodomor throughout many areas of the United States caused by political decisions. The system is being set up to fail. This problem this time is not…
FERC Directs NERC to Tighten Bulk Electric System Cybersecurity
FERC Directs NERC to Tighten Bulk Electric System Cybersecurity January 26, 2023 On January 19, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a Final Rule directing the North American Electric Reliability Corporation to file for FERC review new or modified Reliability Standards that require internal network security monitoring (INSM) within…
State lawmakers propose power grid protections after attacks
State lawmakers propose power grid protections after attacks January 22, 2023 When gunshots at two electrical substations cut power to thousands of central North Carolina homes for several days in early December, Republican state Rep. Ben Moss watched his vibrant district full of family farms, small businesses and sprawling golf…
Substation attacks may lead to new energy security rules in 2023, experts say
Substation attacks may lead to new energy security rules in 2023, experts say Jan. 17, 2023 Amid a growing cyber threat to the U.S. electric grid, 2022 ended with a spate of physical attacks that could portend new security rules for some energy infrastructure, say experts. “The physical substation attacks…
Winter Storm Elliott stressed regional electric grids across the U.S. in different ways
Winter Storm Elliott stressed regional electric grids across the U.S. in different ways Energize Weekly, January 18, 2023 Winter Storm Elliott, the bomb cyclone with freezing temperatures and blizzard conditions that swept across the U.S. east of the Rockies, sparked a wave of outages with its impacts varying from regional…
Biden declares emergency in California as more winter storms advance
Biden declares emergency in California as more winter storms advance JAN 9 2023 President Joe Biden on Monday declared an emergency in California after a barrage of deadly winter storms has prompted widespread power outages and flooding since last week. Extreme downpours, high winds and flash floods have caused at…
AEP Ohio asking for rate increase to boost system reliability after last summer’s storms
AEP Ohio asking for rate increase to boost system reliability after last summer’s storms Jan. 6, 2023 Several months after powerful storms whacked AEP Ohio’s transmission system and forced the power company to turn off electricity to some Columbus-area neighborhoods to avoid a larger power loss, AEP is now asking…
Two Puyallup men charged in Pierce County power substation attacks
Two Puyallup men charged in Pierce County power substation attacks January 3, 2023 Two Puyallup men alleged to have attacked four Pierce County power substations over Christmas weekend will appear in U.S. District Court Tuesday. Matthew Greenwood, 32, and Jeremy Crahan, 40, were arrested Dec. 31, and face charges of…
Hackers stole data from multiple electric utilities in recent ransomware attack
Hackers stole data from multiple electric utilities in recent ransomware attack December 27, 2022 Hackers stole data belonging to multiple electric utilities in an October ransomware attack on a US government contractor that handles critical infrastructure projects across the country, according to a memo describing the hack obtained by CNN.…
Entergy Louisiana files proposed 10-year Entergy Future Ready resilience plan
Entergy Louisiana files proposed 10-year Entergy Future Ready resilience plan 12/19/2022 Today, Entergy Louisiana filed its proposed Phase I Entergy Future Ready resilience plan with the Louisiana Public Service Commission. Phase I seeks approval of the first five years of a 10-year resilience plan that would aim to accelerate the…
PG&E wildfire and catastrophe proposal may trigger higher monthly bills
PG&E wildfire and catastrophe proposal may trigger higher monthly bills December 19, 2022 Higher monthly bills might jolt PG&E customers due to the utility’s request that state regulators allow the company to collect more revenue for its spending linked to wildfires and catastrophes. PG&E wants to recover costs that arose…
Boise State prof receives grant to develop power grid security that thinks like a human
Boise State prof receives grant to develop power grid security that thinks like a human DECEMBER 08, 2022 A Boise State associate professor is researching ways to improve the power grid’s reliability by creating electronics to make it think like a human brain. The United States Department of Energy is…
Tens of thousands still in the dark after ‘targeted’ attacks on North Carolina power substations
Tens of thousands still in the dark after ‘targeted’ attacks on North Carolina power substations December 5, 2022 With no suspects or motive announced, the FBI is joining the investigation into power outages in a North Carolina county believed to have been caused by “intentional” and “targeted” attacks on substations…
NYISO reports sufficient electricity supplies expected to meet winter demands
NYISO reports sufficient electricity supplies expected to meet winter demands 11/28/22 The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) reported Monday, that they expect sufficient electricity supplies in the state are expected to meet demands this winter. “The New York State bulk electric system is well positioned to meet this winter’s…