There is a growing focus on enhancing oversight, transparency, and stakeholder engagement in the integrated resource planning process for electric utilities across various states. The pursuit for a low-carbon future is driving the need for innovative policy initiatives to maximize…Read the full report…...
There is a growing focus on enhancing oversight, transparency, and stakeholder engagement in the integrated resource planning process for electric utilities across various states. The pursuit for a low-carbon future is driving the need for innovative policy initiatives to maximize renewable energy utilization and maintain grid reliability. Integrated resource plans (IRPs) that utilities file with state commissions identify the optimal mix of resources required to serve customers over a long-term planning horizon.
Evolving electric system reliability needs that stem from the anticipated unprecedented growth in intermittent resources have prompted a closer scrutiny of resource adequacy (RA) issues. The increasing share of renewables to facilitate a lower-carbon grid, coupled with fossil generation retirements and increased demand for electrification, pose emerging challenges to the ability of system operators to meet reliability requirements. RA ensures that the planned resource mix is sufficient to meet the future system capacity needs and maintain grid reliability.
Several states across the U.S. are revisiting utility resource planning processes to account for changing policy developments and demand projections while also considering long-term affordability and reliability to build a more resilient grid.
The electricity system is in a state of transition amid the increase in fossil-fueled generation retirements and the penetration of intermittent renewable resources. Grid operators and regulators across the U.S. are exploring tools and strategies to adapt resource adequacy planning to the changing generation mix.
Recent developments around grid modernization strive to enable greater adoption of clean energy resources while ensuring a more resilient and responsive grid.
Ambitious clean energy and reliability goals continue to drive grid modernization efforts ranging from proposed rules to encourage utility investments in cybersecurity to a $10.5 billion initiative to enhance grid resilience.
Technological advancements and climate goals are driving the transformation to distributed energy resources (DER), such as solar photovoltaic systems. The transformation, which is empowering consumers with more choices and energy management options, has also prompted an evaluation of potential cybersecurity risks stemming from anticipated future growth.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Oct. 14 issued a report providing recommendations to improve compliance with Critical Infrastructure Protection, or CIP, reliability standards based on lessons learned from audits of registered entities for fiscal year 2022. The findings show that most of the cybersecurity protection measures adopted by the entities satisfied the mandatory requirements…....
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued on Oct. 3 issued a directive requiring federal civilian agencies to enhance accountability for what resides on their networks. CISA is dedicated to employing its cybersecurity agencies to achieve better visibility and make appropriate risk reduction among federal civilian agencies. Enactment of the directive — Binding Operational…...
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a request for information, seeking public input on approaches to implement the cyber incident reporting requirements, in accordance with the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022, or CIRCA. CIRCA has been a pioneering legislative measure for the whole cybersecurity public and everyone interested in protecting…...