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)

Video

Video: Meeting surging US power demand with clean energy alternatives

U.S. utilities don't have to build more fossil-fueled power plants to serve the data centers and factories connecting to their grids. These experts explain why.

By Jeff St. John . 3 June 2024
Transmission

Better real-time data for the country's congested transmission lines

Dynamic-line-rating projects reveal how much power transmission lines can handle, expanding clean energy capacity without costly upgrades. The U.S. needs a lot more of them.

By Jeff St. John . 28 May 2024
Utilities

Virtual event: Power demand is soaring. What should utilities do about it?

Sign up to watch Canary’s Jeff St. John and three experts discuss how to prevent a buildout of fossil-gas plants and instead shift to cleaner, cheaper options.

By Canary Staff . 20 May 2024
Utilities

Can California's new fixed rates really help the energy transition?

Amid rising electricity rates, regulators add flat charges and drop power prices to try to boost EVs and heat pumps. But underlying utility costs are a problem.

By Jeff St. John . 13 May 2024
Clean energy

A year in, New York’s pioneering public power law makes uneven progress

New York Power Authority is preparing to build state-owned clean energy projects for the first time — but advocates want more transparency.

By Akielly Hu . 3 May 2024
Utilities

Data centers want clean electricity. Can Georgia Power deliver it?

The utility intends to build fossil gas plants to meet data center demand, but tech companies and enviro groups are pushing for more clean energy in the next plan.

By Jeff St. John . 22 April 2024
Utilities

More demand, more gas: Inside the Southeast’s dirty power push

Southeastern utilities want to build fossil gas power plants to meet surging demand. Critics say clean energy, batteries and grid-responsive data centers can do the job.

By Jeff St. John . 11 April 2024
Distributed energy resources

California’s new rules allow solar and batteries to help out the grid

Utilities tend to treat solar and batteries as threats to their power grids. California’s policy will now tap their flexible power to benefit the grid instead.

By Jeff St. John . 2 April 2024
Utilities

California regulator takes income-based electric bills off the table

CPUC’s new proposal ditches the controversial plan to charge ratepayers based on their income and instead puts forth fixed monthly charges.

By Jeff St. John . 29 March 2024
Energy storage

Arizona just added its biggest grid battery yet, with another coming soon

The state is shoring up clean energy supply for a new Google data center during a record year nationally for energy storage installations.

By Julian Spector . 20 March 2024