Electric Utilities Studies & Reports
» RESPECT – Reforming Energy System Planning for Equity and Climate Transformation
By The Acadia Center
November 1, 2021
» View the webinar on Acadia Center’s RESPECT proposal here.
» Download report here.
» Municipal Light Plant Report Card
This is the webpage for the Municipal Light Plant Report Card created by MCAN.
Electric Utilities News
» Warning: A Pillar of Utility Regulation May Be About To Topple
The New Hampshire House is about to vote on a bill to repeal the whole integrated resource planning statute and replace it with – well, nothing. In fact, House Bill 281 has a reasonably good shot at passage, having been reported out of the Science, Technology, and Energy Committee on a tie, 10-10 vote on February 16.
By Donald M. Kreis, Power to the People
March 2, 2023
» How the Electric Utilities Industry Created One of the ‘Largest’ Propaganda Campaigns in U.S. History
A new book documents how today’s prevailing anti-regulatory and anti-government postures that deride Big Government and cheer for Big Business did not arise simply from grassroots demands. Instead, they arose from well-funded industry campaigns creating what the authors have called a manufactured consensus “quasi-religious belief” in deregulated markets and an accompanying diehard opposition to governmental solutions to public policy problems.
By Steve Horn, DeSmog
February 21, 2023
» In phasing out emissions, Duke Energy looks to lean on new natural gas plants
“You have a hammer, and everything looks like a nail.” Critics say Duke’s proposed path to net-zero leans too heavily on natural gas, an approach that ignores methane emissions and risks creating stranded assets.
By Elizabeth Ouzts, Energy News Network
December 7, 2022
» Why utilities resist simple upgrades to boost renewables
By Peter Behr, E&E News
November 23, 2022
» Massachusetts Utilities Hope Hydrogen and Biomethane Can Keep the State Cooking, and Heating, With Gas
State regulators are allowing electric utilities to plan how to decarbonize the power they supply, but environmentalists say the industry is presenting false solutions to lock in natural gas as a fuel source for decades.
By Jon Lamson, Inside Climate News
November 18, 2022
» Eversource CEO Warns New England May Not Have Enough Natural Gas to Last the Winter
“This represents a serious public health and safety threat,” Eversource CEO Joe Nolan wrote in a letter to President Joe Biden
By Marc Fortier, NBC Channel 10
October 31, 2022
» Eversource CEO urges Biden to expand natural gas supply and avert risk of winter blackouts
The chief of the region’s largest utility warns gas supply could grow short if a severe cold snap hits.
By Jon Chesto, Boston Globe
October 29, 2022
» The energy system is ‘inherently racist,’ advocates say. How are utilities responding to calls for greater equity?
Millions of utility shutoffs during the pandemic highlighted the growing U.S. electricity affordability crisis, customer advocates say. Utilities say funding, outreach are barriers to doing more.
By Robert Walton, Utility Dive
October 26, 2022
» Avoiding the ‘tax on God’ dilemma when transitioning to dynamic rates
By Brad Langley, VP of Marketing, GridX, in Utility Dive (Sponsored)
September 26, 2022
» America’s electric utilities spent decades spreading climate misinformation
Utilities knew about climate change as early as the 1960s and misled the public in order to continue turning a profit.
By Zoya Teirstein, Grist
September 7, 2022
» Why electricity prices are rising unevenly across New England
By Miriam Wasser – WBUR, and Mara Hoplamazian, on New Hampshire Public Radio
September 8, 2022
» New Mississippi rule requires utilities to pay low-income customers up front for solar installations
By Emma Penrod, Utility Dive
July 14, 2022
» Eversource faces conflict of interest questions in wind-energy contracts
State lawmakers aim to rein in utility company influence when it comes to selecting wind farm projects off the Massachusetts coast
By Jon Chesto, Boston Globe
July 3, 2022
» Community power advocates excited to see progress on New Hampshire rules
The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission is finalizing community power rules that would allow municipalities to replace distribution utilities as the default procurer of electricity for residents and businesses.
By Lisa Prevost, Energy News Network
June 23, 2022
» A push for public power stalled in New York, but activists say they’re just getting started
Advocates say the New York Power Authority is a “sleeping giant” in the energy transition.
By Emily Pontecorvo, Grist
June 10, 2022
» Warned of ‘massive’ climate-led extinction, Southern Company funded crisis denial ads
The Georgia-based utility spent at least $62.1 million running campaigns to deceive the public about climate change, new research has found.
By Geoff Dembicki, The Guardian
June 8, 2022
» Meet the group lobbying against climate regulations — using your utility bill
The federal government is considering a rule change that would make it harder for utility companies to recover trade association dues.
By Nick Tabor, Grist
June 7, 2022
» Utilities facing pushback on clean energy contract compensation
Healey calls payments to Eversource, National Grid, Unitil ‘kickbacks
By Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine
June 6, 2022
» Sen. Edwards’ Testimony on Eversource Substation Appeal
By East Boston Times – Free Press
May 25, 2022
» Get Ready for Another Energy Price Spike: High Electric Bills
Rates have jumped because of a surge in natural gas prices and could keep rising rapidly for years as utilities invest in electric grids.
By Ivan Penn, New York Times
May 3, 2022
» They spent $24,000 on solar panels. Then Eversource took four months to turn them on.
By Sean P. Murphy, Boston Globe
March 31, 2022
» Investor-owned utilities underestimate potential costs of carbon, climate change, Deloitte finds
By Emma Penrod, Utility Dive
February 24, 2022
» How a Powerful Company Convinced Georgia to Let It Bury Toxic Waste in Groundwater
Documents reveal Georgia Power went to great lengths to advocate for risky waste storage. After a ProPublica investigation exposed this practice, the EPA is trying to block the move.
By Max Blau, ProPublica
January 18, 2020
» Unused and useless: States must act to end flawed natural gas power plant buildouts
By Grant Smith, Utility Dive | Guest Opinion
January 11, 2022
Grant Smith is senior energy policy advisor at Environmental Working Group (EWG)
» ‘Anecdotal evidence’ points to price gouging during winter storm Uri, NERC official says
Robert Walton, Utility Dive
December 22, 2021
» Springfield City Council, Eversource expand dispute over unpaid utility taxes
Eversource is currently prepping to apply for a pipeline / meter station permit for Longmeadow & Springfield with the EFSB
By Peter Goonan, MassLive
October 8, 2021
» Utilities Would Like to Speak to the Manager About Your Tweets
Some of the most powerful energy companies in the U.S. have responded to mildly critical tweets by calling employers and asking users for edits.
By Molly Taft, Gizmodo
September 15, 2021
» ‘A total mindshift’: Utilities replace gas peakers, ‘old school’ demand response with flexible DERs
Utility-customer cooperation can balance renewables’ variability with flexibility without using “blunt” demand response or natural gas.
By Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive
March 8, 2021
» New England states call for changes to wholesale markets, transmission planning and grid governance
By Robert Walton, Utility Dive
October 19, 2020
» N.E. governors seek bigger say in power policies
Seek greater role in oversight of grid operator
By Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine
October 16, 2020
» In Maine, pandemic hasn’t stopped push for a publicly owned electric grid
While lawmakers disagree on the likely costs and benefits, one proponent says COVID-19 has made the case for a state-owned utility even stronger.
By Tom Perkins, Energy News Network
August 20, 2020
» The Ohio Utility Scandal, Explained
By Amy Westervelt, Drilled News
August 5, 2020
» As Fossil Fuel Pipelines Fall to Opposition, Utilities See Renewable Energy as Safe Bet
Atlantic Coast and Dakota Access pipeline woes underscore trends pushing utilities toward clean power as a less risky business.
By Jeff St. John, GreenTech Media
July 6, 2020
» Maine utility critics plot public takeover of the state’s electric grid
Creating a publicly owned distribution utility could boost reliability and renewables, supporters of the proposal argue.
By Tom Perkins, Energy News Network
Photo by Jim Bowen, Flickr / Creative Commons
May 13, 2020
» Eversource Slams the Virtual Door
By D. Maurice Kreis, NH Consumer Advocate, InDepthNH.org
April 17, 2020
» BlackRock, Morgan Stanley to utilities: Tackle climate-related risks or lose market value
Analyst research shows utilities that address climate-related physical and transition risks earn higher valuations from investors.
By Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive
April 6, 2020
» Can Public Ownership Of Utilities Be Part Of The Climate Solution?
By Mark Paul and Johanna Bozuwa, Forbes
September 13, 2019
» Rocky Mountain Power prepares to operate largest US residential battery demand response project
Sonnen and the utility are partnering to build a virtual power plant at the new 600-unit apartment complex, with 12.6 MWh of energy capacity from a 5.2 MW solar array.
Robert Walton, Utility Dive
August 27, 2019
» Renewables’ variability sends wary utilities from traditional DR to DER and load flexibility
New technologies can expand utilities’ once-limited options, allowing control of load with customer-sited resources to balance variable generation, but utilities say they need incentives.
By Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive
August 14, 2019
» Rural co-op transition to renewables impeded by coal financing obligations, NGOs find
By Iulia Gheorghiu, Utility Dive
July 8, 2019
» Diversifying the Northeast power mix: Is offshore wind + storage key to the region’s reliability?
As more New England states roll out offshore wind mandates, bringing the technology to scale is a portfolio priority.
By Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive
July 2, 2019
» Senate passes cybersecurity bill to decrease grid digitization, move toward manual control
By Robert Walton, Utility Dive
July 1, 2019
» Here Comes the World’s Biggest Virtual Power Plant — And it’s Behind the Meter
By Elisa Wood, Microgrid Knowledge
June 20, 2019
» Utilities are ‘the new cyber battlefield,’ as US ramps up pressure on Russia’s electric grid
Robert Walton, Utility Dive
June 18, 2019
» U.S. Escalates Online Attacks on Russia’s Power Grid
By David E. Sanger and Nicole Perlroth, New York Times
June 15, 2019
» The rise of EVs could overwhelm the grid, but PG&E has a better plan
A new framework gives utilities a way to identify and seize electrification value with managed charging
Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive
June 13, 2019
» Eversource Takes Local Energy Concept to New Level with New Hampshire Microgrid Plan
By Elisa Wood, Microgrid Knowledge
May 24, 2019
» DPU gives $168m offshore wind bonus to utilities: Healey spokeswoman says decision ‘sets a dangerous precedent’
By Bruce Mohl, Commonwealth Magazine
April 16, 2019
» As 100% renewables goals proliferate, what role for utilities?
The momentum behind demand for renewables is growing; utilities lose if they ignore it and there is much to gain in planning ahead.
By Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive
April 2, 2019
No Fracked Gas in Mass 