The U.S. Energy Department announced $98 million in funding for 40 new projects as part of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy’s open funding opportunity to spur innovative technologies that can transform the energy system, according to a Nov. 15 press release. The projects, located in 21 states, cover a broad range of technologies in multiple…
FirstEnergy Corp.’s subsidiaries reached a settlement that would allow the companies to flow back $900 million in savings from the federal tax cut law that lowered the corporate income tax rate to 21 percent from 35 percent. The company said that the tax savings would be credited through a new mechanism reconciled annually, and that…
Massachusetts electric and gas utilities on Oct. 31 filed a joint energy efficiency plan with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities proposing an investment of $2.77 billion over three years from 2019 to 2021. The proposal seeks to invest over $200 million more in the new plan compared to the prior three-year period and achieve…
The Department of Energy announced its inaugural Grid Optimization (GO) Competition consisting of a series of challenges to develop software that will improve the reliability, resilience and security of the nation’s power grid. In an Oct. 31 press release, U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry recognized that the grid has become more diverse, with the…
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio on Oct. 24 established the PowerForward Collaborative, a utility workgroup charged with monitoring marketplace developments to fulfil the objectives of its grid modernization roadmap. The PowerForward roadmap charts a path forward for the state’s grid modernization endeavor, creating a regulatory paradigm to foster innovation that allows for an enhanced…
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Oct. 18 approved reliability standards to address supply chain risks in industrial control system hardware, software, and computing and networking services. The rule, developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation builds on existing critical infrastructure protection standards to allay cyber security risks associated with the supply chain for…
President Donald Trump nominated Bernard L. McNamee to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the term ending June 30, 2020, to fill the vacancy resulting from Commissioner Robert Powelson’s resignation in August, according to an Oct. 9 release from the agency. McNamee currently serves as the Executive Director of the U.S. Energy Department’s Office of…
Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, announced on Oct. 5 that two new initiatives, funded by the New York Power Authority at a total of $173 million, will help the New York Power Authority collect data more quickly and accurately through the installation of advanced sensors at facilities across the state, enabling the public power organization…
The U.S. Energy Department announced a funding opportunity for projects designed to study the application of big data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning technology and tools to enhance the value of sensor data used to monitor the power grid, according to a Sept. 25 press release. The department said that advanced sensors called “phasor measurement…
The U.S. Energy Department is seeking information to better understand the emerging smart technology market, including any energy efficiency trends in smart appliances and commercial equipment. Recognizing the investments in innovative products, the department said that the request for information will ensure that the department does not hamper innovation in the process of setting efficiency…
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted a request by Gateway Energy Storage LLC, a unit of LS Power Development LLC, for an order directing San Diego Gas & Electric Co. to provide transmission and grid-connections to deliver the output of its battery storage system onto its service territory within the California grid. FERC said that…
The Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission on Aug. 24 approved a settlement cutting National Grid plc’s one‐year base rate request by 75 percent and lowering the company’s allowed return‐on‐equity to 9.275 percent from the current 9.5 percent. The agreement slashes the company’s originally requested revenue hike by about $54 million and refunds all the benefits…
