Often when project developers talk about the cost of a new power plant, wind farm, or solar installation, they’re referring to the capital cost of building a facility. Certainly those development costs have dropped over time—especially for wind and solar.
But developers overlook the cost to move power—at their peril. You might think that transmission costs—at least the fraction of those that developers of new plants must bear—are a very small part of the total....
Asset and risk management for electric utilities BY SIRI VARADAN, UISOL, & SERGE VANASSE, Clevest Aging transmission and distribution (T&D) infrastructure is a critical issue for electric utilities, resulting in the need for utilities to make decisions regarding the replacement, repair,...
As the big push behind NERC CIP v5/v6 comes to some form of “conclusion”, most U.S. utility executives are breathing a huge sigh of relief. Their efforts to make their high and medium impact facilities compliant are finally completing. However for some insiders, there is a concern that a...
As the utility sector continues to evolve amidst technological advancements and regulatory changes, industry conferences offer invaluable opportunities for networking, knowledge sharing, and innovation. In 2025, several pivotal conferences will shape the future of utilities, addressing critical...
The SmartGrid continues to expand and gather new functions as needs expand. Automated metering, relay operation, RTU operation, electric management systems, remedial action schemes, SCADA, field reclosers, Synchrophasors, remote access, weather, and earthquake monitoring and future needs still yet...
Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) and private 5G networks promise deterministic, low-latency communication for modern protection and control—extending real-time reliability beyond the substation fence. Why Determinism Matters In protection systems, milliseconds determine success or failure. A...
In a strategic move to tackle the growing electricity demand and bolster energy security, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), under Secretary Chris Wright, has announced plans to focus on expanding baseload and dispatchable power generation. This shift in priorities, outlined on January 5, 2025,...
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...
The shift from traditional electrical grids to smart grids marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of energy distribution and management. Smart grids leverage cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced automation to transform how...
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has rejected a proposal from PJM Interconnection, one of the United States' largest regional transmission organizations, to alter its transmission planning protocol. The decision represents a significant victory for state regulators who had expressed...
As Texas continues to experience rapid population growth and surging electricity demand, there is increasing pressure on the state's electrical grid to meet the needs of its residents. According to Texas energy leader, Dan Woodfin, the state's grid needs a fundamental redesign to address the...
