Virginia Regulator Approves $650 Million Grid Transformation Plan for Dominion Energy

Infrastructure Bill Provides Over $62 Billion for U.S. Energy Department Initiatives

Climate Change and Emissions, coal, Coal Power, Cyber Security, Electric Transmission, Electric Vehicles, Energy Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, Energy Storage, EnerKnol Pulse, Fossil Fuels, Grid Modernization, Nuclear, Power & Utilities, REC Feed, Renewable Energy Credit Market, Retail Power, Smart Grid, Solar, Wind

U.S. President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law on Nov.15, unlocking $62 billion for U.S. Energy Department initiatives, including revitalizing domestic manufacturing, expanding access to energy efficiency and clean energy, modernizing the power grid, and advancing next-generation technologies. Among the major provisions, the legislation allocates $6 billion for a Civilian…...

Maryland Regulator Establishes Pilot Program to Implement Multi-Year Utility Rate Plans

Washington Regulators Emphasize Customer Protection in New Advanced Meter Rules

Cyber Security, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Grid Modernization, PRODUCTS, Retail Power and Gas

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission on Aug 4 approved new rules for advanced meter infrastructure, following a two-year rulemaking process. The regulations require investor-owned utilities employing residential smart meters to focus on customer data privacy and service continuity. Customers are allowed to opt-out of smart meters. Smart meters are critical to grid modernization as…...

Southwest Power Pool Proposes Rules to Implement Western Power Market

Trump Signs Order to Protect U.S. Power System From Foreign Attacks

Cyber Security, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Pulse, PRODUCTS

U.S. President Donald Trump on May 1 issued an executive order prohibiting the acquisition or installation of bulk-power system equipment in which a foreign country has an interest if the transaction raises national security concerns. The move aims to protect the system from foreign adversaries that are increasingly creating and exploiting the vulnerabilities of the…...

Virginia Commission Denies Dominion’s $750 Million Smart Meter Proposal Over Cost Concerns

Virginia Commission Denies Dominion’s $750 Million Smart Meter Proposal Over Cost Concerns

Cyber Security, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Grid Modernization, PRODUCTS, REC Feed

The Virginia State Corporation Commission on March 26 rejected portions of Dominion Energy Inc.’s grid transformation plan including a $752 million proposal to deploy smart meters over the next decade. The agency found that Dominion failed to justify its smart meter proposal with a well-crafted plan including rate design that would maximize the potential for…...

Advance Innovative Energy Technologies

U.S. Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Advance Innovative Energy Technologies

Climate Change and Emissions, Cyber Security, Electric Vehicles, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Grid Modernization, Natural Gas, Nuclear, REC Feed, Solar, Wind

Senators Lisa Murkowski, a Republican representing Alaska, and Joe Manchin, a Democrat representing West Virginia, unveiled a bipartisan legislative package on Feb. 27 that compiles more than 50 energy-related measures reported by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee last year. The comprehensive bill supports innovative energy technologies covering a range of topics including energy efficiency,…

Texas State Lawmakers Pass Legislation to Enhance Grid Protection Against Cyber Attacks

New Pathfinder Initiative Aims to Protect U.S. Energy Infrastructure From Cyber Threats

Cyber Security, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Grid Modernization

The U.S. Energy Department has partnered with the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense on a new Energy Sector Pathfinder initiative to strengthen intergovernmental cooperation in proactively addressing cyber threats to critical energy infrastructure, according to a Feb. 3 news release. The initiative aims to advance information sharing, enhance training and education regarding…

States, Environmental Groups Challenge FERC Order on PJM Capacity Market Rules

FERC Approves Transmission Planning, Cybersecurity Standards to Strengthen Grid Reliability

Cyber Security, Electric Transmission, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Pulse

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved two reliability standards developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation to enhance transmission planning and cybersecurity, according to a Jan. 23 news release. The commission also accepted NERC’s performance assessment, endorsing the continued work of the corporation, now in its 13th year as the Electric Reliability Organization. In…

Cybersecurity and Privacy Protocols

New York Regulator Issues New Cybersecurity and Privacy Protocols to Protect Customer Data

Cyber Security, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Retail Power and Gas

The New York State Public Service Commission adopted new cybersecurity and data privacy requirements for third-party energy suppliers and companies that electronically receive and exchange utility housed customer data, according to an Oct. 17 press release. The commission’s decision is directed at the state’s utilities and third-party energy suppliers with standards that ensure customer data remains…

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Michigan Regulators Propose Overhaul of Natural Gas Standards Including Cybersecurity Rules

Cyber Security, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Pulse, Natural Gas, Retail Power and Gas

The Michigan Public Service Commission is proposing to amend rules governing the technical standards for gas service for utilities under the Commission’s jurisdiction, including cybersecurity measures, according to an Oct. 17 press release. The proposed rules reflect new technologies in the area of metering, equipment inspections and tests as well as removing references to obsolete…

Energy Department Secretary Rick Perry

U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry to Step Down This Year Amid Ukraine Scandal

coal, Cyber Security, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Natural Gas, Nuclear

U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry announced his resignation on Oct. 17 amid a Democratic-led impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump’s actions to pressure the Ukraine government to investigate his political opponent Joe Biden. The Energy Department wrote to House Committees that it would not comply with a subpoena demanding Ukraine-related documents, arguing that the House…

Electric Utility 9 9 2019

FERC Cybersecurity Report Provides Recommendations to Improve Compliance With Reliability Standards

Cyber Security, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Pulse

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a report on Oct. 4 finding that most of the cyber security protection processes and procedures adopted by registered entities of the bulk power system met the mandatory requirements of the Critical Infrastructure Protection, or CIP, Reliability Standards during fiscal year 2019. The report, based on audits of registered…

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Watchdog Protests FERC Settlement Failing to Disclose Identity of Utilities Said to Violate Market Rules

Cyber Security, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Wholesale Power

Public Citizen Inc issued a protest to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requesting it release the name of utilities that violated reliability standards, according to June 24 filing with the federal regulator. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation, which is responsible for enforcing the nation’s cybersecurity and reliability standards for the electric utility industry, issued a…