Maine Governor Endorses Avangrid’s $1 Billion Hydropower Transmission Line

New York Grid Operator Highlights Growing Risks to Statewide Electric System Reliability

The New York Independent System Operator on Nov. 21 released its 2024 Reliability Needs Assessment, or RNA, which evaluates the reliability of the state’s power grid from 2028 to 2034 based on projected peak power demand, planned transmission system upgrades, and anticipated changes in the generation mix over the next decade. The RNA highlights a…...

Transmission requirements

Texas Commission Concludes Investigation into Houston-Area Utilities’ Weather Preparedness

The Texas Public Utility Commission on Nov. 21 approved a staff report concluding an investigation into utility preparedness and responsiveness to extreme weather in the Greater Houston Area. In July, Governor Abbott ordered an investigation into the flawed and delayed response of Houston utilities in the wake of Hurricane Beryl and the May 2024 Derecho…....

EPA Releases Strategic Plan in Conjunction with President's Proposed $11.8 Billion Budget to Address Climate Change, Environmental Justice

U.S. Releases Landmark Blueprint for Cleaner Industrial Sector

The U.S. Energy Department and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy on Nov. 18 released a national blueprint for creating a cleaner and more competitive industrial sector. The department developed the blueprint in collaboration with several federal agencies to highlight how the government can enable the private sector to reduce emissions, improve…...

Utility Power Shutoffs

New York Electric Grid Ready to Meet Forecasted 24-Gigawatt Peak Winter Demand: NYISO

The New York Independent System Operator on Nov. 13 confirmed that the state has adequate supplies to meet the forecasted electricity demand this winter. The grid operator’s 2024-2025 annual assessment revealed that the state has 29,514 megawatts (MW) of power resources, which is more than sufficient to meet a forecasted peak demand of 23,800 MW…....

energy exports to canada

U.S. Electricity Exports to Canada Rise Since September 2023: EIA

Monthly average electricity exports from the U.S. to Canada rose 70 percent to 1,809 gigawatthours (GWh) during 2023 compared to 2022, while monthly average imports from Canada to U.S. declined by 36 percent to 3,315 GWh, according to an Nov. 12 report published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The shift in trading dynamics can…...

Southwest Power Pool Proposes Rules to Implement Western Power Market

West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative Advances

The California Independent System Operator Board of Governors and the Western Energy Markets (WEM) Governing Body on Nov. 8 took action to implement the first step of the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative. This initiative was developed last year to maximize the benefits of wholesale electricity markets through a new governing organization. The West-Wide Governance Pathways…...

washington vote

Washington Voters Preserve Cap-and-Invest Program

Washington voters on Nov. 5 rejected Initiative 2117, a ballot measure that sought to repeal the 2021 Climate Commitment Act, which established the cap-and-invest program, a key component of the state’s efforts to achieve emission limits set in law and progress toward net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Nearly 62 percent of voters cast ballots against…...

Transmission requirements

NERC Recommends Adding 35 Gigawatts of Power Transfer Capacity Across U.S. to Withstand Extreme Weather

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) on Nov. 4 released the second and third parts of its Interregional Transfer Capability Study, or ITCS, initiated last year to analyze the amount of power that can be moved reliably across interconnected transmission systems. The report recommends that the U.S. add 35 gigawatts (GW) of power transfer…...

energy production

U.S. Energy Production Rises Faster Than Energy Consumption: EIA

Total U.S. energy production between January and July 2024 was 68 percent, or 24 quadrillion British thermal units (quads) higher compared to the same period in 1974, according to an Oct. 29 report published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The increase in energy production, most notably natural gas and crude oil production can be…...

Michigan Regulator Approves Energy Efficiency Programs for Low-Income Utility Customers

Michigan’s Energy Waste Reduction Programs Expected to Save $1.4 Billion for Utility Customers

The Michigan Public Service Commission or Oct. 25 released a report on the state’s Energy Waste Reduction, EWR, programs, finding that EWR efforts could generate up to $1.4 billion in cost savings for utility customers over the 12- year lifecycle of these programs. The cost savings are a result of a decrease in demand of…...