The traditional utility business model of selling electricity from large-scale thermal power plants and expanding grids to meet rising demand historically has supported strong balance sheets. With this financial strength, utility retained earnings served as the primary financing source for the electricity sector.
In many markets, utilities serve as reliable purchasers of power, facilitating investments by independent power producers. But as the role of electricity in the world economy expands, technology innovation creates new opportunities...
Utilities worldwide are adopting innovative technology to embrace the potential of the Smart Grid while conquering a myriad of new challenges posed by it, and by a new host of financial and regulatory challenges. In order to take advantage of the opportunities presented, while at the same time,...
Achieving the gold standard in data protection for the Smart Grid BY ANN CAVOUKIAN, Ryerson University’s Privacy and Big Data Institute The increased amount of information that is collected, used, and analyzed by the Smart Grid brings with it additional privacy and security concerns which must be...
Using technology to improve response and recovery BY TOM BERGER, Mutualink The electric utility industry has an outstanding performance record of providing reliable power to public agencies, private enterprises, and the general public for over 100 years. However, when outages occur due to...
Over the last several years, towns, cities, and states across the United States have developed policies and invested in efforts aimed at to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and their associated negative societal impacts. Businesses and private citizens have also become increasingly involved in...
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...
A Smart substation digitizes protection and control, enabling utilities to detect faults faster, manage DER volatility, and reduce outage risk. The payoff depends on architecture, cybersecurity, and edge analytics, not just new relays. The shift toward smart substations is inseparable from broader...
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...
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 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...
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...
