Institute of Public Utilities at Michigan State University

NERC president warns of ‘five-alarm fire’ for grid reliability “The reliability of the power grid remains extremely high, but, paradoxically, the risks to reliability continue to mount,” the North American Electric Reliability Corp.’s Jim Robb told federal regula...

"...policies affecting resource and fuel development, load development, the ability to site and permit needed infrastructure and an 'escalating toxic soup' of physical and cybersecurity risks." 2/2
www.utilitydive.com/news/data-ce...

NERC president warns of ‘five-alarm fire’ for grid reliability “The reliability of the power grid remains extremely high, but, paradoxically, the risks to reliability continue to mount,” the North American Electric Reliability Corp.’s Jim Robb told federal regula...

"According to Robb, grid reliability challenges include dwindling resource adequacy with weakening reliability services, extreme weather, interdependency with natural gas and other sectors, especially telecommunications..." 1/2
www.utilitydive.com/news/data-ce...

ISO New England launches cluster study of 26 battery, wind and solar projects The projects have a combined summer rated capacity of about 8 GW. The transitional cluster study is the first under a new review framework and is expected to be completed in August 2026.

"The review includes 21 battery energy storage projects, two solar and three wind projects, with most of the interconnection requests in Massachusetts..." Among the wind projects is a proposed 1200 MW of offshore wind farm.

www.utilitydive.com/news/iso-new...

Ag, clean water, or data centers. Someone’s gonna be forced to make a choice pretty soon.

Mark your calendars for the next IPU professional education course in public utilities regulation: Cost Allocation and Rate Design.
Attendees may choose from sessions on natural gas, electricity, and/or water - discounts for attending multiple sessions. Register at the link below. 👇

This Texas Town Is an Energy Powerhouse. It’s Running Out of Water. A severe drought has Corpus Christi scrambling to meet growing demand from companies like Exxon and Tesla that have invested billions of dollars in the region.

🎁Gift link: "A crippling drought is depleting its reservoirs, and the city expects it won’t be able to meet the area’s water demand in as soon as 18 months. In addition to industrial users, the water utility serves more than 500,000 people in seven counties."
www.wsj.com/us-news/clim...

At today's Advanced Regulatory Accounting and Auditing course, we'll be covering rate case auditing and the treatment of income taxes.

Groups challenge MISO cost allocation plan for coal power plant Industrial, business and environmental groups say they should not have to pay to continue running a 1,560-MW, coal-fired power plant that doesn’t benefit them after the DOE ordered it to stay open.

The US Dept. of Energy ordered the Michigan utility to keep its coal plant open despite its planned retirement in May 2025, citing an "energy emergency." But who is going to pay for it?
www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-do...

Existential Politics A new way to tackle the real politics of climate change through asset revaluation

Today is the day!!! Existential Politics is out in the world!

Read about why we’re doing climate policy wrong (too focused on measuring emissions) & what we should do instead (focus on $$ to constrain fossil asset owners & expand green asset owners). Just in time for #COP30.

There is still time to register for the IPU Advanced Regulatory Accounting & Auditing class starting tomorrow (10/7).
*Increase your knowledge, skills, and abilities in regulatory rate case accounting and auditing
*Earn continuing professional education credits
*Network with utility professionals 👇

There is still time to register for the IPU Advanced Regulatory Accounting & Auditing class starting tomorrow (10/7).
*Increase your knowledge, skills, and abilities in regulatory rate case accounting and auditing
*Earn continuing professional education credits
*Network with utility professionals 👇

Solar array at former landfill to power Grand Rapids city operations by 2027 The solar array will generate electricity to power the city's traffic signals, streetlights and municipal buildings during daylight hours.

Excited to see this project coming together after many years of planning!
www.mlive.com/news/grand-r...

Private equity firm to buy all Consumers Energy dams in Michigan for $13 The Michigan utility says the sale will preserve the dams and their upstream impoundments while saving its customers money.

Private equity firm to buy all Consumers Energy dams in Michigan for $13

www.mlive.com/environment/...

Halting Revolution Wind could be a disaster for New England’s grid If Trump kills the now-frozen offshore wind project, utility customers will pay more money for dirtier and less reliable electricity.

'In the measured world of grid operators, warnings like these are ​“unprecedented,” said Abe Silverman, an attorney, energy consultant,&research scholar @JHU. But so is the threat of the federal government smashing a cornerstone of a region’s energy mix, he said.

www.canarymedia.com/articles/off...

Join us for IPU's Accounting and Ratemaking Course:
Sept. 9-11, 2025
Introduces the concepts of public utility accounting, financing, cost allocation, & rate design to public utility commissioners, professional staff, consumer & environmental advocates, utility personnel, & other stakeholders. 👇

Notoriously-not-green operator of New England’s electric grid warns that the trumps move to halt an (already 80% completed) offshore #renewable #wind farm *will reduce reliability of the grid* 🤔

“Delaying the project will increase risks” it said:
thehill.com/policy/energ...

Join the IPU Accounting & Ratemaking Course!
Sept. 9-11, 2025
The course introduces the concepts of public utility accounting, financing, cost allocation, & rate design to public utility commissioners, professional staff, consumer & environmental advocates, utility personnel, &other stakeholders.

Join the IPU Accounting & Ratemaking Course!
Sept. 9-11, 2025
The course introduces the concepts of public utility accounting, financing, cost allocation, & rate design to public utility commissioners, professional staff, consumer & environmental advocates, utility personnel, &other stakeholders.

Electricity prices in California's investor-owned utilities (IOUs) and community choice aggregator (CCA) territories have more than doubled in a decade, after accounting for inflation.

What are these power providers spending the increased revenues on?

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

"Expenses related to operating two, 380-MW oil- and gas-fired units at Constellation’s Eddystone plant in Pennsylvania will be spread across the PJM Interconnection’s footprint..." 2/2

FERC approves cost allocation paths for power plants DOE ordered to run past shutdown dates The decisions affect Consumers Energy and Constellation Energy, as well as ratepayers in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator and PJM Interconnection footprints.

"The costs of keeping the 1,560-MW, coal-fired J.H. Campbell plant in Michigan online will be shared across the Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s northern and central regions, under FERC’s decision..." 1/2

🥵 "But then come August, that devil in cargo shorts..." Brilliant!
#EnergySky 🔌💡

Day 4 of our Annual Regulatory Studies Program: Fundamentals Course features another day of expert instruction. Today's topics:
*Federal Energy Regulation 🔌
*Environmental Reg of Utilities 🏭
*Regulatory Alternatives ↔️
*Regulatory Interdependence & Ethics 😇
##EnergySky 🔌💡💧

It's Day 3 at the IPU Annual Regulatory Studies Program! Today we welcome Steve Kihm & Patrick Sullivan to introduce us to Finance Fundamentals of Regulation, Danny Kermode to cover Financial Accounting and Reporting, and Jenifer Bosco & Breneta Haynes on Utility Consumer Rights & Protections.

Trump admin cancels $156M Michigan solar program as coal plant decision looms - Bridge Michigan Michigan has already committed nearly $14 million of the federal funds to support projects from Escanaba to Detroit. State officials left the door open to a potential lawsuit.

"The Trump administration has canceled $156 million in federal grants that were supposed to help low-income Michiganders install solar panels, a development that could prompt a legal challenge from the state." #EnergySky 🔌💡
bridgemi.com/michigan-gov...

Today's Regulatory Studies Program features the Economic Fundamentals of Regulation with Dr. Geoff Marke and the Legal Fundamentals of Regulation with Harvey Reiter. 🔌💡💧

The IPU Annual Regulatory Studies Program: Fundamentals Course starts today! On deck today we have Dr. Janice Beecher with an introduction about "why we regulate, followed by a panel discussion comparing utility regulation across sectors. 🔌💡💧
www.canr.msu.edu/ipu/programs...

Yes, IPU's programs are open to anyone. Please contact us at ipu@msu.edu or visit our website (www.canr.msu.edu/ipu/index) for more information.

IPU's Annual Regulatory Studies Program - Fundamentals Course begins next week! Join fellow utility commissioners & staff for engaging sessions on core concepts in utility regulation & networking opportunities. The course is live on Zoom 8/11-15. See link below for program details & registration.

IPU's Annual Regulatory Studies Program - Fundamentals Course begins next week! Join fellow utility commissioners & staff for engaging sessions on core concepts in utility regulation & networking opportunities. The course is live on Zoom 8/11-15. See link below for program details & registration.