Utilities

California lawmakers punt on chances to deal with utility bill crisis

Wildfire mitigation and grid expansion are driving up utility bills in California. But plans to contain those costs failed to make it through the legislative gauntlet.

By Jeff St. John . 5 September 2024

(Jessica Christian/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

Utilities

PG&E’s $7.5B securitization: A bellwether for utility efforts to cover the costs of climate change?

Wildfire liability financing under scrutiny in California could presage efforts in other states to offset costs of coal plant retirements and climate-change mitigations.

By Elizabeth McCarthy . 11 May 2021
Fossil fuels

The Colonial pipeline ransomware shutdown: A wake-up call for energy cybersecurity

How digital hostage-taking can bring about the breakdown of fossil fuel networks — and threaten the power grid.

By Jeff St. John . 11 May 2021
Guest essay

What's different about the utilities at the forefront of the energy transition?

A new SEPA survey identifies key traits of utilities that are taking the lead in the transition to clean energy.

By Julia Hamm . 11 May 2021
Nuclear

Biden going nuclear with a tax credit? Plus, an advanced reactor news roundup

A production tax credit for nuclear power generation could make its way into the $2.3 trillion jobs and infrastructure plan.

By Eric Wesoff . 10 May 2021
Guest essay

Utilities can’t be for the Paris Agreement and against building electrification

Energy companies are making a bad bet on fossil fuels in buildings. Investors don’t want to take the hit.

By Lila Holzman, Daniel Stewart . 5 May 2021
Policy & regulation

PJM moves to curtail compliance with FERC policy that hinders state-subsidized clean energy

A long-running policy battle over the country’s biggest capacity market appears to be nearing an end. What the replacement policy will look like remains an open question.

By Jeff St. John . 29 April 2021
Transmission

Biden administration boosts support for transmission jobs and clean energy benefits

An ACEG report finds that interstate transmission projects could drive 1.2 million jobs and increase wind and solar capacity by 50 percent. A new $8.25 billion federal loan commitment could help.

By Jeff St. John . 28 April 2021
Climate crisis

Why US utilities must cut carbon emissions faster — and how data can help get it done

A new report from RMI sets a tough schedule for closing fossil-fueled power plants. Its Utility Transition Hub compiles the data to help find a way.

By Jeff St. John . 27 April 2021
Transmission

How transmission along railroads and highways could break open clean energy growth

High-voltage lines buried along road and rail rights of way could carry renewable power across the U.S. — if a lot of novel challenges can be overcome.

By Jeff St. John . 26 April 2021
Wind

Renewable energy in the time of floods, droughts and hurricanes

Renewable energy plants are built to last decades. How will climate change alter the weather patterns they're designed for in the years to come?

By Jason Deign . 19 April 2021

Utilities

California lawmakers punt on chances to deal with utility bill crisis

PG&E’s $7.5B securitization: A bellwether for utility efforts to cover the costs of climate change?

The Colonial pipeline ransomware shutdown: A wake-up call for energy cybersecurity

What's different about the utilities at the forefront of the energy transition?

Biden going nuclear with a tax credit? Plus, an advanced reactor news roundup

Utilities can’t be for the Paris Agreement and against building electrification

PJM moves to curtail compliance with FERC policy that hinders state-subsidized clean energy

Biden administration boosts support for transmission jobs and clean energy benefits

Why US utilities must cut carbon emissions faster — and how data can help get it done

How transmission along railroads and highways could break open clean energy growth

Renewable energy in the time of floods, droughts and hurricanes