Utilities

Utilities

Who pays when utilities get sued over wildfires?

With fire risk on the rise and neglected utility equipment sparking more deadly conflagrations, all electricity customers may be left holding the bag.

By Jake Bittle . 28 August 2023
Batteries

Vermont’s biggest utility dramatically expands home battery subsidies

Since 2015, Vermont's Green Mountain Power has helped a limited number of customers install home batteries each year. Now the program cap is gone.

By Julian Spector . 24 August 2023
Energy efficiency

Why efficient buildings are key to decarbonizing the power grid

New data shows that efficient, grid-responsive buildings would make a zero-carbon grid $100B cheaper per year — if utilities and policymakers can act in time.

By Jeff St. John . 22 August 2023
EV charging

The grid isn't ready for the EV boom. Can better data fix that?

Utilities lack the necessary data to plan ahead for the coming influx of EV charging. A new data-sharing consortium could help them overcome that obstacle.

By Jeff St. John . 7 August 2023
Clean energy

Is the biggest US public utility finally catching up on clean energy?

Tennessee Valley Authority is buying massive amounts of renewables. But critics say it's still relying too much on fossil fuels to serve its 10 million customers.

By Julian Spector . 26 July 2023
Utilities

Another major utility is accelerating its transition to renewables

Michigan's DTE Energy has announced a plan to spend $11 billion on clean energy construction and close its remaining coal plants sooner.

By Julian Spector . 17 July 2023
Utilities

The boards that regulate utilities are overwhelmingly white and male

Public utility commissions wield enormous power over state-level clean energy progress. But they lack diversity and tend to have political, utility or fossil connections.

By Lisa Prevost . 13 July 2023
Utilities

Hot trend: States banning utilities from charging you for their lobbying

Connecticut joins Maine and Colorado in a growing movement to block utilities from using ratepayer dollars to sway lawmakers and delay climate action.

By Akielly Hu . 10 July 2023
Fossil fuels

Natural gas is the pillar of the US electric grid. It’s also unreliable

Pro-fossil groups argue gas is more reliable than clean energy. But in extreme cold, gas pipelines and power plants are failing to deliver when they're most needed.

By Jeff St. John . 5 July 2023
Long-duration energy storage

Form Energy closes its biggest deal yet for long-duration energy storage

The startup doesn't have any projects in commercial operation, but it has snagged another buyer with Georgia Power's order for a 15 MW/1,500 MWh iron-air battery.

By Julian Spector . 15 June 2023