Reconductoring transmission lines could be one solution to the growing demands on the grid Energize Weekly, April 17, 2024 Faced with a soaring demand for transmission capacity in the U.S. and a dwindling number of new transmission projects, one strategy could be to upgrade the existing transmission network to carry two to three times as…
In the central U.S., an electric grid bottleneck persists MARCH 30, 2024 Forty-five million people live in the area managed by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, the organization that runs a massive portion of the North American electric grid running from Manitoba, Canada, to the Gulf of Mexico. Inside that footprint are all or parts…
The U.S. is facing an “unprecedented” shortage of electric transformers, NREL says Energize Weekly, March 27, 2024 The U.S. is facing an “unprecedented” shortage of electric distribution transformers creating challenges for the nation’s utilities, according to a study by the National Renewable Energy Research Laboratory (NREL). The nation’s grid faces the dual pressures of aging…
Shake up looms for Long Island’s power grid 18th March 2024 New York’s state lawmakers are considering a measure that would shake up the way Long Island’s power grid operates. The Long Island Power Authority Public Power Act would make LIPA the sole operator of the grid, ending the long-standing public-private model. Residents feel this…
U.S. Power Grid Struggles to Keep Up with Data Center Growth March 18, 2024 The exponential growth of data centers with a tremendous appetite for electricity rapidly is outpacing the capacity of utilities to meet their needs, pushing data center developers to prioritize new markets where they can be sure they can hook up to…
After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans March 18, 2024 State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two…
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, three more trees will be…
National Grid says Biden-backed transmission line ‘not viable’ March 5, 2024 NATIONAL GRID and Citizens Energy are pulling the plug on a proposed $2 billion two-way transmission line linking New England and Quebec that had received financial backing from the Biden administration. A source familiar with the situation said National Grid and Citizens Energy were…
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. The issue was underscored last…
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 Energy United (AEU). The study…
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 to the national grid. And…
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 projects allow Potomac Edison personnel…