Ethan Howland
@ethanhowl.bsky.social
I'm a reporter for Utility Dive, covering FERC, energy policy and the clean energy transition.
In FERC complaint, utility commissions from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana and North Dakota seek to undo MVP classification of MISO's Tranche 2.1 transmission portfolio -- which would eliminate $22B in regional cost share.
5 utility commissions ask FERC to undo MISO’s $22B multi-value transmission portfolio
The Midcontinent Independent System Operator overstated the benefits of transmission projects approved in December, according to a complaint at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
www.utilitydive.com
July 31, 2025 at 3:48 PM
In FERC complaint, utility commissions from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana and North Dakota seek to undo MVP classification of MISO's Tranche 2.1 transmission portfolio -- which would eliminate $22B in regional cost share.
Utility commissions from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana and North Dakota contend that MISO overstated the benefits of its Tranche 2.1 regional transmission portfolio. www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-co...
www.utilitydive.com
July 31, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Utility commissions from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana and North Dakota contend that MISO overstated the benefits of its Tranche 2.1 regional transmission portfolio. www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-co...
The case shows how easy it is for companies to manipulate RTO capacity auctions, per Public Citizen.
Dynegy to pay $38M to settle charges it manipulated MISO’s capacity market
The case shows how easy it is for companies to manipulate regional transmission organization capacity auctions and underscores the need for stronger safeguards, said a consumer watchdog.
www.utilitydive.com
July 31, 2025 at 2:46 PM
The case shows how easy it is for companies to manipulate RTO capacity auctions, per Public Citizen.
Sidenote on PJM: hard to build power plants with tariffs so instead consolidation underway in power sector. “It’s a mad rush right now, and I don’t think it’s over,” per Public Citizen’s Tyson Slocum. #energysky
PJM capacity prices set another record with 22% jump
The Trump administration will likely seize on the auction results to justify keeping thermal power plants, namely coal, in PJM from retiring, according to analysts with Capstone.
www.utilitydive.com
July 23, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Sidenote on PJM: hard to build power plants with tariffs so instead consolidation underway in power sector. “It’s a mad rush right now, and I don’t think it’s over,” per Public Citizen’s Tyson Slocum. #energysky
"PJM’s multi-year inability to efficiently connect new resources to its grid and to engage in effective long-term transmission planning has deprived our states of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in investment that may flow to other regions,” nine governors said to PJM's board.
Governors seek more influence over PJM amid ‘crisis of confidence’
Nine governors representing the majority of electric customers in the grid operator’s footprint said they want a say in filling two vacant board seats.
www.utilitydive.com
July 18, 2025 at 3:19 PM
"PJM’s multi-year inability to efficiently connect new resources to its grid and to engage in effective long-term transmission planning has deprived our states of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in investment that may flow to other regions,” nine governors said to PJM's board.
State utility commissions cast doubt on reliability of NERC reliability reports as they challenge DOE order to keep coal plant operating past retirement date. #energysky
Eight utility regulators challenge DOE order keeping Michigan coal plant open
The department’s invocation of emergency powers to interfere with state and regional utility planning is unprecedented, according to the challenge.
www.utilitydive.com
June 26, 2025 at 6:06 PM
State utility commissions cast doubt on reliability of NERC reliability reports as they challenge DOE order to keep coal plant operating past retirement date. #energysky
“There is no energy emergency in our country … and it is illegal to invoke a made-up emergency to overturn a long-planned plant retirement,” the Sierra Club’s Greg Wannier said.🔌💡
www.utilitydive.com/news/doe-eme...
www.utilitydive.com/news/doe-eme...
June 18, 2025 at 7:58 PM
“There is no energy emergency in our country … and it is illegal to invoke a made-up emergency to overturn a long-planned plant retirement,” the Sierra Club’s Greg Wannier said.🔌💡
www.utilitydive.com/news/doe-eme...
www.utilitydive.com/news/doe-eme...
MISO’s market monitor contends NERC overstates the grid operator’s reliability risks (NERC says MISO could have supply shortfalls during normal summer/winter peak conditions). www.utilitydive.com/news/nerc-mi...
NERC overstates MISO reliability risks: market monitor
Also, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator has vastly overestimated the power supplies it will need in coming years to meet demand for electricity, market monitor David Patton said.
www.utilitydive.com
June 6, 2025 at 2:56 PM
MISO’s market monitor contends NERC overstates the grid operator’s reliability risks (NERC says MISO could have supply shortfalls during normal summer/winter peak conditions). www.utilitydive.com/news/nerc-mi...
MISO, the PJM Interconnection and other grid operators face tightening power supply conditions, but ...
Vistra solar, battery projects in MISO face supply chain delays
Vistra asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for two-year commercial operation deadline extensions for projects in Illinois totaling 833 MW.
www.utilitydive.com
May 28, 2025 at 2:20 PM
MISO, the PJM Interconnection and other grid operators face tightening power supply conditions, but ...
One item that jumped out to me from this story: PJM has a measly 21.5 MW of battery storage in its capacity market, per its market monitor. That could change with PJM selecting 2.3 GW of battery capacity in its fast-track interconnection initiative.
PJM fast-tracks 11.8 GW, mainly gas, to bolster power supplies
Natural gas-fired generation accounts for 69% of selected Reliability Resource Initiative capacity, followed by batteries at 19% and nuclear at 12%.
www.utilitydive.com
May 6, 2025 at 12:48 PM
One item that jumped out to me from this story: PJM has a measly 21.5 MW of battery storage in its capacity market, per its market monitor. That could change with PJM selecting 2.3 GW of battery capacity in its fast-track interconnection initiative.
so far, FERC (an agency that had been majority D-led until yesterday) has mostly been spared Trump admin's axe. www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-ph...
Phillips exits FERC, leaving a seat for Trump to fill
The White House has been considering replacement candidates from a pool of conservative lawyers with experience at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, according to R Street’s Devin Hartman.
www.utilitydive.com
April 23, 2025 at 2:18 PM
so far, FERC (an agency that had been majority D-led until yesterday) has mostly been spared Trump admin's axe. www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-ph...
Highlights from FERC’s meeting yesterday: no White House directives on coal; ending EJ analysis; and interconnection queues shrink.
FERC approves SPP’s RTO West, plus 4 other open meeting takeaways
The White House has not directed the commission to bolster coal-fired generation, and the agency is eyeing reorganization possibilities, Chairman Mark Christie said Thursday.
www.utilitydive.com
March 21, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Highlights from FERC’s meeting yesterday: no White House directives on coal; ending EJ analysis; and interconnection queues shrink.
Hopeful: witchhazel is blooming in Maine.
March 12, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Hopeful: witchhazel is blooming in Maine.
Ontario says it could increase its “tariff response charge” or stop electricity exports to the U.S. entirely, depending on the Trump administration’s actions.
Ontario imposes 25% tariff on power exports to US
The Canadian province on Monday adopted a US$7/MWh fee on exports to Michigan, Minnesota and New York, which it expects will reap about $243,000 a day in U.S. dollars.
www.utilitydive.com
March 11, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Ontario says it could increase its “tariff response charge” or stop electricity exports to the U.S. entirely, depending on the Trump administration’s actions.
A look at how electric utility customers may be subsidizing the data center buildout.
Power for data centers could come at ‘staggering’ cost to consumers
New report highlights how traditional ways of setting rates don’t fit Big Tech’s massive, immediate demand for more electricity
floodlightnews.org
March 7, 2025 at 3:56 PM
A look at how electric utility customers may be subsidizing the data center buildout.
The West is heading towards two, intertwined day-ahead power markets — with all the complexities that entails. 🔌💡
Bonneville opts to join SPP’s Markets+ day-ahead market over CAISO alternative
BPA’s draft decision sets the stage for having two, intertwined day-ahead markets across the West with complex seams between them.
www.utilitydive.com
March 7, 2025 at 3:54 PM
The West is heading towards two, intertwined day-ahead power markets — with all the complexities that entails. 🔌💡
Clean energy tax credits are “incredibly helpful in ensuring that we can get those projects built and online in a manner that’s affordable for our customers,” Southern Co. exec says during House hearing.
Basin Electric urges Congress to support clean energy tax credits
Inflation Reduction Act tax credits support energy infrastructure needed to meet rising demand for electricity, an Iowa Republican said during a House hearing.
www.utilitydive.com
March 6, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Clean energy tax credits are “incredibly helpful in ensuring that we can get those projects built and online in a manner that’s affordable for our customers,” Southern Co. exec says during House hearing.
Despite the current federal policy uncertainty surrounding tariffs and tax credits, analysts at LevelTen Energy believe the sale of renewable energy projects could pick up in 2025.
Demand for renewable energy projects remains strong, but supply is growing: LevelTen Energy
As more developers are forced to sell early-stage projects, a glut of supply is eroding renewable energy profits, according to data from LevelTen Energy.
www.utilitydive.com
March 5, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Despite the current federal policy uncertainty surrounding tariffs and tax credits, analysts at LevelTen Energy believe the sale of renewable energy projects could pick up in 2025.
“It’s very hard to predict what’s going to happen. We’re in uncharted territory,” Paul Patterson, an equity analyst at Glenrock Associates, said. www.utilitydive.com/news/trump-t...
Will Trump tariffs delay utility transmission, power plant plans?
FirstEnergy and other utilities warn they could be hurt by tariffs, but analysts see little immediate effect on utility capital expenditure plans.
www.utilitydive.com
March 5, 2025 at 3:37 PM
“It’s very hard to predict what’s going to happen. We’re in uncharted territory,” Paul Patterson, an equity analyst at Glenrock Associates, said. www.utilitydive.com/news/trump-t...
Exelon CEO Calvin Butler called for new approaches to ensuring PJM has adequate power supplies. “A variety of solutions across regulated and merchant participants is necessary,” he said on an earnings call.
Exelon data center pipeline jumps to 17 GW as load forecast turns positive
CEO Calvin Butler called for new approaches to ensuring the PJM Interconnection has adequate power supplies. “A variety of solutions across regulated and merchant participants is necessary,” he said.
www.utilitydive.com
February 13, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Exelon CEO Calvin Butler called for new approaches to ensuring PJM has adequate power supplies. “A variety of solutions across regulated and merchant participants is necessary,” he said on an earnings call.
Electric bills for New Jersey’s residential customers are poised to jump up to 20%: New Jersey BPU. Other states may also soon feel the pinch from PJM’s last capacity auction, per Glenrock’s Paul Patterson.
New Jersey residential customers face 20% bill hikes, driven by PJM capacity prices: BPU
New Jersey regulators must carefully examine utility filings with an eye towards keeping electricity affordable, the state’s ratepayer advocate said.
www.utilitydive.com
February 13, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Electric bills for New Jersey’s residential customers are poised to jump up to 20%: New Jersey BPU. Other states may also soon feel the pinch from PJM’s last capacity auction, per Glenrock’s Paul Patterson.
“By facilitating queue jumping for large generators ... PJM’s proposal may not actually resolve its impending capacity shortage,” FERC Commissioner Chang said in her dissent.
FERC approves PJM’s fast-track power plant interconnection plan
However, agency commissioners said they are concerned the PJM Interconnection’s proposal for shovel-ready projects may not address potential capacity shortfalls.
www.utilitydive.com
February 12, 2025 at 3:45 PM
“By facilitating queue jumping for large generators ... PJM’s proposal may not actually resolve its impending capacity shortage,” FERC Commissioner Chang said in her dissent.
The US grid has headroom to handle new data centers, EVs, heat pumps etc. without system upgrades — as long as the load can be curtailed, according to a report released today by the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University.
Existing US grid can handle ‘significant’ new flexible load: report
“Flexible load strategies can help tap existing headroom to more quickly integrate new loads [and] reduce the cost of capacity expansion,” Duke University researchers said.
www.utilitydive.com
February 11, 2025 at 7:49 PM
The US grid has headroom to handle new data centers, EVs, heat pumps etc. without system upgrades — as long as the load can be curtailed, according to a report released today by the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University.
FERC failure to act on New England interconnection reform threatens capacity market participation, per energy storage company Flatiron Energy.
FERC delay on ISO-NE interconnection plan could lock out 3 GW from capacity auction: Flatiron
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s failure to act on ISO New England's interconnection reform proposal is creating market uncertainty, according to New England states.
www.utilitydive.com
February 6, 2025 at 4:24 PM
FERC failure to act on New England interconnection reform threatens capacity market participation, per energy storage company Flatiron Energy.
“Net-zero policies raise energy costs for American families and businesses, threaten the reliability of our energy system, and undermine our energy and national security,” DOE Secretary Wright.
DOE to focus on expanding baseload generation: Secretary Wright
“Net-zero policies raise energy costs for American families and businesses, threaten the reliability of our energy system, and undermine our energy and national security,” Energy Secretary Chris Wrigh...
www.utilitydive.com
February 6, 2025 at 4:21 PM
“Net-zero policies raise energy costs for American families and businesses, threaten the reliability of our energy system, and undermine our energy and national security,” DOE Secretary Wright.