natural gas

The John W. Turk Jr. coal-fueled power plant in Hempstead County, Ark. (SWEPCO photo)

South Arkansas power company tells lawmakers goal is to boost reliance on renewable energy

BY: - October 27, 2023

HOPE, Arkansas — A major supplier of electricity to south Arkansans told state lawmakers the company plans to boost its use of renewable energy to even out its resource portfolio. The Legislative Joint Committee on Energy heard presentations Thursday morning from experts on both solar and coal-powered energy. The panel aimed most of its comments […]

A hydrogen hub is a a cluster of assets that produce and process hydrogen fuel as an alternative to fossil fuels. (Screenshot from Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy)

‘So many ways hydrogen can go wrong’: Hub announcements viewed with caution

BY: - October 23, 2023

The Oct. 13 announcement that seven projects had been selected to receive $7 billion in seed money to kickstart the production of clean hydrogen across the country was billed by President Joe Biden’s administration as a major step toward slashing carbon emissions, creating thousands of domestic jobs and positioning the U.S. as a clean energy […]

Winter is coming and the U.S. grid remains vulnerable to power plant failures

BY: - July 23, 2023

This story has been updated to correct the spelling of U.S. Sen. John Barrasso’s name. From winter storms to sweltering summer heat, there’s a consensus among experts that increasing extreme weather, a shifting electric generation mix, delays in getting new power generation projects connected and the difficulties in getting new transmission lines and other infrastructure […]

People in Phoenix seek relief from boiling temperatures at the Wet-N-Wild Water Park. Regulators say the western United States is at an elevated risk for seeing some shortages of electricity this summer as above normal temperatures are expected. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)

With summer coming fast, regulator issues electric reliability warning

BY: - May 19, 2023

As much as two thirds of North America could face shortages of electricity this summer in the event of severe and protracted heat, according to the regulator in charge of setting and enforcing standards for the electric grid.  “Increased, rapid deployment of wind, solar and batteries have made a positive impact,” said Mark Olson, manager […]

The nation’s biggest electric capacity market needs fixing, critics say

BY: - March 20, 2023

The nation’s largest grid operator is warning it might not have enough electric generation in the future to guarantee reliability.  And it comes as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission convenes a forum on the multibillion-dollar capacity market PJM operates to ensure there’s enough power to meet demand even during grid emergencies, such as during Winter […]

LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA - AUGUST 27: Utility employees work on downed power lines after Hurricane Laura passed through the area on August 27, 2020 in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Laura made landfall in low-lying Louisiana with a top wind speed of 150 mph, putting it among the most powerful storms ever to strike the U.S. The expected catastrophic storm surge however wound up being 9-12 feet, far from the worst forecast of 15-20 feet, though still destructive. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Affordable, reliable and sustainable: report compares utility performance 

BY: - January 23, 2023

A nationwide comparison of electric utility performance by an Illinois consumer advocacy group found that customers in states that are heavily reliant on fuel oil and natural gas, as in the Northeast and South, tend to pay more than those with larger amounts of carbon-free generation, among other findings.  The report by the Illinois-based Citizens […]

Smoke rises from a coal-fired power plant in Romeoville, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Report says many utilities are slow-walking clean energy goals

BY: - October 5, 2022

DENVER — A report released this week by the Sierra Club faults dozens of utilities that provide a major chunk of U.S. electric generation for failing to speed up their decarbonization efforts.  “For the sake of our communities and planet, we must do everything in our power to create a clean, renewable electric grid by […]