The California utility Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) filed for bankruptcy protection on Jan. 29, raising some immediate, and financially critical, questions for its customers, suppliers and investors. Answers to those...

Solar and wind power are the leading sources of renewable energy generation. Combined with advanced battery storage technology, their effectiveness has only increased. Rarely, however, are all three utilized together in one...

As the nation’s mix of energy sources continues to evolve, the need for distribution innovation also increases. Recently, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced awards for projects that find new ways to harness the...

Information technology company IBM has launched a predictive analytics tool that—combined with artificial intelligence—helps utilities better spot which trees and other vegetation within their service territory need to be...

Questions about the ability of Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) to withstand the tremendous liability it incurred from a series of unprecedented wildfires have now been answered. The Northern California utility has announced it is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

For electrical contractors and electricians concerned about the possibility of reduced demand by the nation's electric utility industry for new infrastructure projects, there is some good news. According to a December...

Thanks to a climate that is growing both warmer and drier, California’s investor-owned utilities are facing an existential crisis. As the state sets new records for fire damage with each passing year, utility transmission...

While not specifically referencing Armageddon, the President's National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC) has released a report, titled "Surviving a Catastrophic Power Outage," that may not be too far away from that...

As reported in late November , while utility power lines are often the victims of wildfires, they can, in some instances, also be the causes. In the case of the devastating Camp Fire in California, the preliminary evidence...

“Parity” is a term followers of renewable-energy technology have used for years to describe that moment when the cost for electricity generated from wind, solar and other alternative energy sources falls to the level of power...

Concern over grid reliability has been coming to the forefront in recent years, and a newly announced cutting-edge project involving a Midwest utility, an energy technology company, and the U.S. Department of Homeland...

Over the years, utilities around the nation have had to deal with wildfire-related damage to their transmission and distribution lines, especially those that traverse wilderness areas. Now, there is growing evidence that, in...

In South Carolina, electricity providers are ensuring everyone benefits from energy efficiency, and the federal government is helping them do it. Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a $13...

The term “smart meter” has been used for a couple decades now. Such devices have been promised to boost grid responsiveness and enable customer participation in time-of-use rate plans that can reduce peak demand. However, as...

Category 4 Hurricane Michael, with 155-mph winds, hit the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday, Oct. 10. According to Reuters, over 2.6 million utility customers were initially without power as the storm cut a path of destruction...

As the nation’s energy mix goes through profound changes, the grid that delivers that power has to keep up. This month, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a major funding opportunity for research projects that will...

Even as recently as two years ago, utility-scale lithium-ion batteries were considered cutting edge technology, and just a few forward-thinking utilities were experimenting with the concept. These days, though, it seems there...

The need to support the nation’s growing demand for electricity and its increasing appetite for power generated from renewable sources has brought its aging transmission and distribution infrastructure into sharp relief....

Unlike renewables and natural gas, which are on the rise nationally, nuclear energy faces numerous challenges that are forcing the industry to contract. However, the industry is defying that trend in one region. According to...

If utility lines serve as the lifeblood to electrical systems, stations that feed those lines are the heart, so upgrading those stations to meet growing, changing demands is critical. However, only a limited number of...