Grid Modernization
Alliant Energy Launches Iowa's Largest Solar Facility
FERC Complaint Targets Duke, PJM Transmission Planning
Grid Modernization
Moving Smart Grid to the Field
Ben Franklin famously said, “If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail”. This saying certainly holds true for Smart Grid deployments, which can cost utilities several hundred million dollars. Given these high stakes, effective planning is essential.
Many North American electric utilities have installed Smart Grid systems. Currently, 25 percent of U.S. electricity customers have smart meters, a key component of the Smart Grid. Some early deployments were rocky, but utilities have learned...
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FERC Complaint Targets Duke, PJM Transmission Planning
A coalition of large energy consumers and ratepayer advocates has filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), urging the agency to prohibit transmission owners from independently planning "local" transmission projects exceeding 100 kilovolts (kV). The coalition argues...
A Grid With Multiple Applications
Examining the foundational elements in architecture decision BY TOM WILSON, Itron In recent years, the utility industry has seen a diverse set of use cases for Smart Grid deployments emerge. North American electric utilities are carefully considering architecture decisions to ensure that the...
Texas PUC Shelves $1B Grid Credit Mechanism
The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) has unanimously decided to shelve the proposed $1 billion Performance Credit Mechanism (PCM) for power generators, concluding that it would not deliver the anticipated grid reliability benefits. The PCM was conceived as a means to incentivize power...
Residential Small-Scale Home Solar Power Generation Continues to Set Monthly Record Highs
Ever since 2015, EIA’s monthly estimates of electricity generated from residential small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems less than 1 megawatt in capacity have set new monthly high records. The latest reported month is no exception. The June 2017 estimate for small-scale solar PV output...
Grid Communications Infrastructure: Fiber, Wireless, and Networking Technologies
Reliable and secure communication infrastructure is essential to the safe and efficient operation of the modern power grid. As utilities transition to digital substations, integrate distributed energy resources (DERs), and deploy real-time monitoring systems, the need for robust, scalable grid...
Smart Substations and Their Role in the Evolving Smart Grid
The power industry is undergoing a profound transformation driven by grid modernization, renewable integration, and increasing demands for resilience and efficiency. At the heart of this evolution lies the smart substation—a next-generation facility equipped with advanced sensors, digital...
Alliant Energy Launches Iowa's Largest Solar Facility
Alliant Energy has officially brought Iowa’s largest solar facility online, marking a significant milestone in the state's renewable energy landscape. The 200-megawatt (MW) Pleasant Creek Solar project, located in Linn County, is now operational and supplying clean electricity to Alliant...
Bills Threaten Renewable Growth and Raise Costs
Texas is at a pivotal crossroads in its energy policy, with legislative actions that could significantly reshape the state's electricity landscape. A recent report by Aurora Energy Research, commissioned by the Texas Association of Business, warns that proposed restrictions on renewable energy...
Duke Energy Florida Adds 300 MW with Four New Solar Projects
Duke Energy Florida has announced plans to build four new utility-scale solar energy facilities across the state, aimed at adding 300 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy to the grid. This expansion is part of the company’s broader strategy to increase its solar generation capacity and...
FERC Reviews PJM Colocation Rules for Data Centers and Large Energy Loads
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has launched a review of the rules surrounding the colocation of large energy consumers, such as data centers, with power plants within the PJM Interconnection region. This review follows concerns raised by stakeholders, including major energy...