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☆ PG&E Seeks Approval to Sell Stake in Its Power Operations
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Ivan Penn | More About Ivan Penn | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Pacific Gas & Electric announced plans on Tuesday to sell a minority stake in its power-generation business, part of its strategy to reduce electricity rates, continue wildfire prevention and further develop clean energy. The exclusive deal with the global investment firm KKR is part of PG&E’s plan to transfer its nonnuclear power generation to a newly formed subsidiary, Pacific Generation. The proposals for the subsidiary and the KKR stake require approval by the California Public Utilities Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. KKR, which manages $59 billion in assets, operates a global infrastructure business with expertise in the utility and renewable energy industry. PG&E said in a statement that the investment firm’s access to capital gave it the ability to take a long-term approach in its strategies.

Persons: ” Carolyn Burke Organizations: Gas & Electric, KKR, Pacific, California Public Utilities Commission, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

☆ This investor, mentored by Peter Lynch, hasn't abandoned the 'Mag 7,' but is placing bets on these mid-caps
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

It was under the tutelage of legendary investor Peter Lynch that Sullivan developed the edge that has served him in his career. The numbers Today, Sullivan manages the Putnam Investments Core Equity Fund (PMYYX) , a multicap fund with $4.4 billion in assets that he started in 2010. "The numbers are good," Sullivan said. Ultimately, Sullivan said he's learned a lot from other investors, noting the good stock pickers have had "pretty eclectic" approaches that helped them outperform the market over time. "And I found the good fortune over the decades to be around pretty good stock pickers, pretty good money managers."

Persons: Gerard Sullivan, Peter Lynch, Sullivan, Lynch, hadn't, —, Arthur Yeager, PMYYX, Morningstar, It's, Yeager, Tesla, it's, that's, Rajesh Subramaniam, he's, I'm, That's Organizations: Fidelity, Columbia Business School, Magellan Fund, Putnam Investments, Equity, Pacific Gas & Electric, CMS Energy, Companies, Nvidia, FedEx Locations: Brooklyn, U.S, California, Michigan, Pinterest

☆ Higher-for-longer interest rates favor large companies over their smaller rivals in many ways
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-18 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

High interest rates squeeze companies of all sizes, but that’s especially the case for smaller firms, unlike large companies better equipped to weather the storm. Before the Bell: How do the effects of higher-for-longer interest rates on companies vary by size? I think it might be a stretch to say that M&A activity picks up because of higher interest rates, so instead, it’s that if good businesses are beginning to suffer because of higher interest rates, then they might be more likely to be a target. Gas prices always rise as winter winds down because demand increases and gas stations must switch over to more expensive summer fuel. No matter the cause, rising gas prices are bad news for consumers already frustrated by the cost of living.

Persons: It’s, Bell, Lauren Goodwin, Matt Egan, ”, Patrick De Haan, doesn’t, ” Read, Raphael Bostic, Michelle Bowman, Philip Jefferson, Patrick Harker, Lisa Cook, Neel Kashkari, Christopher Waller Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, DC CNN, Federal Reserve, New York Life Investments, AAA, ’, HSBC, Walmart, Home Depot, Barclays, Caesars Entertainment, Nvidia, Rivian, Fidelity, Marriott, Intuit, Pacific Gas & Electric, Global, Chicago Fed, US Labor Department, National Association of Realtors, Warner Bros ., Icahn Enterprises Locations: Washington, Wingstop, United States

☆ Atmospheric River Storm Leaves Over 600,000 Still Without Power in California
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - More than 600,000 homes and businesses were still without power in California early on Monday, according to data from PowerOutage.us, after an atmospheric river storm pounded the state with heavy rainfall and hurricane-force winds. The storm is the second Pineapple Express weather system, or atmospheric river storm, to hit the state in the past week and arrived just as Los Angeles welcomed celebrities for the music industry's Grammy awards. According to PowerOutage.us, the utility with the most outages was Pacific Gas and Electric Co (PG&E) with over 500,000 customers without power. PG&E is a unit of California energy company PG&E Corp."Since the start of the storm 24 hours ago, PG&E crews have restored more than 565,000 customers who lost power. Approximately 570,000 customers remain out of power," PG&E said on its website.

Persons: PowerOutage.us, Gavin Newsom, Harshit Verma, Brijesh Patel, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Reuters, Pacific Gas and Electric Co, E Corp, The U.S, National, California's Locations: California, PowerOutage.us, Angeles, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, The, Bengaluru

☆ Katherine Blunt — Reporter at The Wall Street Journal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Katherine Blunt | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Katherine BluntKatherine Blunt has covered power, renewable energy and utilities for The Wall Street Journal since 2018 and is based in San Francisco. Much of her work has focused on wildfires, drought and other challenges facing utilities in the West. Her coverage of PG&E was a finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting and earned a Gerald Loeb award, the highest honor in business reporting. She is the author of “California Burning: The Fall of Pacific Gas and Electric and What it Means for America’s Power Grid.” Prior to joining the Journal, Katherine was a business reporter at the Houston Chronicle. Before that, she covered transportation for the San Antonio Express-News.

Persons: Katherine Blunt Katherine Blunt, Gerald Loeb, Katherine Organizations: Wall Street, National, “, Pacific Gas and, Houston Chronicle, San Antonio Express Locations: San Francisco, West, “ California

☆ California regulator allows PG&E rate hike for wildfire mitigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The state's biggest utility, PG&E, serves more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. The APD set the 2023 revenue requirement at $13.52 billion, reflecting an 11% increase from 2022. According to the regulator, customers would see an increase of $32.62 on their bills, compared with PG&E's request of $38.73. One of the main wildfire mitigation efforts PG&E has been undertaking is undergrounding, or burying power lines. This lessens the need for public safety power shutoffs — a last resort during dry, windy conditions to reduce the risk of sparking a wildfire.

Persons: Seher, Shilpi Majumdar Organizations: California Public Utilities Commission, Pacific Gas, E, Thomson Locations: Northern, Central California, powerlines, Bengaluru

But consumer advocacy groups complained, arguing PG&E could save ratepayers money and still reduce wildfire risk by putting a protective covering over the power lines instead of burying them. Commissioners decided to let PG&E bury 1,230 miles (1,979 kilometers) of power lines, which would be $1.7 billion cheaper than PG&E's proposal. For low-income customers who qualify for discounted rates, PG&E said typical monthly bills will increase by $21.50 next year, followed by a $3 per month increase in 2025 before decreasing by $5.50 per month in 2026. The turning point for PG&E came in 2018 when a windstorm knocked down one of its power lines in the Sierra Nevada foothills that started a wildfire. The company has pledged to bury 10,000 miles (16,093 kilometers) of power lines over the next decade.

Persons: ”, John Reynolds, Patti Poppe, undergrounding powerlines, Gavin Newsom, ratepayers, Darcie Houck, Cheryl Maynard Organizations: Pacific Gas & Electric, California Public Utilities Commission, Reform Network, E, Democratic Gov, & $ Locations: SACRAMENTO, Calif, California, Sierra Nevada

☆ Why burying power lines is an effective, but very expensive way to prevent wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( Katie Brigham | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Five years ago, PG&E's equipment sparked the deadly Camp Fire, which destroyed the town of Paradise, California, and killed 85 people. But just a year later, in the same county, PG&E's equipment started another catastrophic fire, prompting the utility to announce its extensive undergrounding plan. The utility has undergrounded 350 miles of power lines so far this year, and more than 600 miles since 2021. While Martin says moving power lines underground reduces ignition risk by 98%, it comes at a steep cost. The bill would be footed by PG&E's customers, who already face some of the highest rates in the nation.

Persons: Jamie Martin, Martin, Katy Morsony, Morsony, Daniel Kirschen, Kirschen Organizations: Pacific Gas and, undergrounding, California Public Utilities Commission, Reform, University of Washington Locations: California, Maui, Paradise , California

Most of the nation's power lines are above ground because its cheaper to do it that way. But more utilities have been burying power lines in response to bigger and more destructive natural disasters. That fire was started by lightening, not PG&E's power lines, but it is a reminder of the lasting damage that wildfires can cause. The Public Utilities Commission is considering two other plans that would include both burying power lines and using protective coverings. While burying power lines is the most effective way to prevent wildfires, it is not a quick fix.

Persons: —, “ We’re, ”, Patti Poppe, “, Gavin Newsom, Poppe, ” Poppe, Critics, Ken Cook, It’s, Matt Baker, ” Baker, we’ve, we’re, Feyla McLeod Organizations: Gas &, California Public Utilities Commission, Gov, Florida Power, Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas &, Associated Press, Environmental, Public Utilities Commission, Reform Network, Office, California, E's, PG Locations: Calif, California, Florida, Southern California, San, Sacramento, San Francisco, Poppe, Paradise, Southern, Northern California

☆ California regulator proposes $45 mln penalty for PG&E over 2021 Dixie fire
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A firefighter continues to hold the line of the Dixie Fire near Taylorsville, California, U.S., August 10, 2021. REUTERS/David Swanson/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 10 (Reuters) - The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on Monday proposed a $45 million shareholder-funded penalty against Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) for its connections to the destructive 2021 Dixie wildfire. The proposed penalty, pending CPUC Commissioner's approval, consists of a $2.5 million fine to the California General Fund, $2.5 million payment to tribes impacted by the fire for remediation, and $40 million for capital expenditures to transition records to electronic format. CPUC enforcement staff is recommending this penalty under an Administrative Consent Order (ACO) and Agreement, as per a release on the state regulator's website. Reporting by Anjana Anil and Swati Verma in Bengaluru; editing by Miral FahmyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: David Swanson, Anjana Anil, Swati Verma, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, California Public Utilities Commission, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, California General Fund, Thomson Locations: Taylorsville , California, U.S, California, Bengaluru

☆ Southeast Asia is set to drive up demand for natural gas — it’s where ‘all the action’ will be
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Southeast Asian countries are expected to be key demand drivers for the LNG market by 2030, industry watchers say. However, Europe's demand for LNG is expected to recede in a few years. Tony Regan, the Asia-Pacific gas lead from NexantECA, an energy and refining advisory, expects LNG demand from Europe to peak in 2027, before falling in 2030. "This is where I think all the action is actually going to be: Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia," said Regan. So that's going to create a strong pull on energy from Vietnam," said Regan.

Persons: Tony Regan, Regan Organizations: LNG Locations: Europe, Ukraine, Asia, NexantECA, Southeast Asia, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Environmental groups called on federal regulators Thursday to immediately shut down one of two reactors at California’s last nuclear power plant until tests can be conducted on critical machinery they believe could fail and cause a catastrophe. “We will not sit idly by while PG&E cuts corners on Unit 1’s safety,” Hallie Templeton, legal director for Friends of the Earth, said in a statement. Friends of the Earth, a longtime critic of plant safety, was a central player in negotiating the 2016 closing agreement. He noted that unlike most other reactor safety components, the pressure vessel has no independent backup system that can be called upon if it should crack or fracture and lose essential cooling water. According to the NRC, embrittlement occurs as a result of reactor operation when neutrons from the nuclear fuel irradiate the steel plates and welds used to construct the reactor vessel.

Persons: Peace, “, ” Hallie Templeton, Suzanne Hosn, ” Hosn, Gavin Newsom, Digby Macdonald, ”, Macdonald, ” Macdonald, Critics, Newsom, it’s Organizations: ANGELES, —, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Pacific Gas &, Democratic, University of California, NRC Locations: Los Angeles, San Francisco, California, Washington, Berkeley

[1/4] A helicopter makes a water drop over the Bobcat Fire burning near Mount Wilson in the Angeles National Forest, near Los Angeles, U.S., September 23, 2020. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 1 (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Friday sued Southern California Edison, accusing the Edison International (EIX.N) unit of negligence that caused the 2020 Bobcat Fire, which burned close to 180 square miles (466 sq km) in one of the largest wildfires ever in Los Angeles County. It is common for utilities to be sued over wildfire damage, though many lawsuits are filed privately. The case is U.S. v Southern California Edison Co et al, U.S. District Court, Central District of California, No. Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mario Anzuoni, Reggie Kumar, Jonathan Stempel, Jonathan Oatis, Sandra Maler Organizations: Angeles National Forest, REUTERS, U.S, Friday, Southern California Edison, Edison International, SCE, Service, underwood, Pacific Gas &, Court, District of, Thomson Locations: Mount Wilson, Los Angeles , U.S, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, San Gabriel, California, U.S, District, District of California, New York

The suits allege that downed power lines operated by the company contributed to the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. The wildfire risk posed by aboveground power lines is well documented. Lives lost, billions in damagesThe Maui fires have killed at least 115 people with hundreds still missing. But Mitchell said insulating aboveground power lines with a protective covering is also an effective solution that is cheaper and can be rolled out more quickly. There is also technology coming to market that can de-energize power lines automatically when there's a problem, he said.

Persons: Mike Blake, Fitch, Berkshire Hathaway's, Paul Starita, They're, Singleton Schreiber, Alexandra von Meier, von Meier, Marshall, Michael Dougherty, Bob Frenzel, Xcel, Berkshire Hathaway, PacifiCorp, aboveground, Scott Aaronson, Aaronson, Joseph Mitchell, Mitchell Organizations: Reuters Electric, Hawaiian Electric, National Weather Service, Hawaii Electric, . Pacific Gas & Electric, PG, Xcel Energy, U.S . Forest Service, University of California, Moody's, Fitch, Electric, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Explosives, Xcel, Marshall Fire, Marshall, Boulder, Labor, Fire, American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE, The Edison Electric Institute, California Public Utilities Commission Locations: Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, U.S, Maui County, Hurricane, California, Berkshire, Berkshire Hathaway's PacifiCorp, Oregon, Colorado, Berkeley, Minnesota, Boulder County, Paradise, Golden

☆ Maui government files lawsuit, accuses Hawaiian electric company of causing Lahaina wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Maui County is seeking damages from HECO that may total tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, according to John Fiske, an attorney representing the county in the lawsuit. “Our primary focus in the wake of this unimaginable tragedy has been to do everything we can to support not just the people of Maui, but also Maui County. We are very disappointed that Maui County chose this litigious path while the investigation is still unfolding,” a spokesperson from Hawaiian Electric told CNN in a statement. Hawaiian Electric Company is a for-profit company that serves 95% of Hawaii’s customer base and trades on the New York Stock Exchange. This isn’t the first time a utility company has been blamed for its alleged role in a powerful wildfire in recent years.

Persons: “ inexcusably, John Fiske, “, ” Jim Kelly, Fiske, ”, CNN’s Anna, Maja Rappard, Natasha Chen, Afshar Organizations: CNN, Hawaiian Electric Company, National Weather Service, Watch, Hawaiian Electric, New York Stock Exchange, Pacific Gas Locations: Maui County, HECO, Maui, Hawaiian, California, Lahaina, Kula, Olinda

☆ Has climate change made utilities a risky bet? What income investors need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The wildfires in Maui are just the latest example of severe weather and the peril facing utilities. However, investors can pick up about 4% yield on stocks that have dividends that are considered safe, which makes them attractive to investors seeking income. Climate change's impact Climate change is altering not only the Earth's temperature, but also precipitation patterns, said Zachary Zobel, risk associate director at Woodwell Climate Research Center. Climate change could impact utilities in other areas, like sustaining damage during hurricanes and floods. "You don't have to just rely on just one sector to get dividend income," said Cheng.

Persons: hasn't, Michael Lonegan, Neil Kalton, Kalton, Zachary Zobel, Zobel, Berkshire Hathaway, PacificCorp, Wells Fargo's Kalton, it's, Marguerita Cheng, Cheng, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric, Electric, NBC News, Evercore ISI, Wall Street, Wells, Wells Fargo Securities, FEMA, Woodwell Climate Research Center, Gas & Electric, Blue, Global, CNBC, & $ Locations: Maui, Lahaina, Wells Fargo, California, Berkshire

☆ Hawaiian Electric’s stock plunges again after S&P downgrades its credit rating
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Hawaiian Electric Industries’ stock plummeted another 10% Tuesday after S&P Global downgraded the company’s credit rating to junk. In a statement, S&P Global said the wildfires have placed the company at a higher risk, and that it there is a potential for further credit downgrades. More lawsuits could arise, further jeopardizing the company’s credit rating depending on how successful the plaintiffs are. S&P said that the class action lawsuits could increase risk for the company and deteriorate its credit quality. S&P also placed HEI and its entities on CreditWatch with negative implications, which means the utility’s credit rating could be further downgraded in the near future.

Persons: ”, ” Moody’s, Moody’s, HEI “, Jim Kelly, ” Kelly, HEI, Josh Green Organizations: New, New York CNN, Hawaiian Electric Industries, P Global, Hawaiian Electric, Pacific Gas and, Electric, CNN, Hawaii Gov, HEI Locations: New York, California, Hawaii, Maui, Lahaina, Hawaii’s, HEI

Many wildfires in the United States occur when poles owned by utilities or other structures carrying power lines are blown down, or when branches or other objects land on power lines and cause them to produce high-energy flashes of electricity that can start fires. Image Nearly a week after the wildfire tore through Lahaina, state and local officials have not determined a cause for the blaze. Like most other utilities, Hawaiian Electric operates under the scrutiny of public commissioners who have to approve its spending plans. Power lines have caused catastrophic wildfires in California in recent years, prompting lawsuits that have led to multibillion-dollar payouts by the state’s utilities. Hawaiian Electric in a regulatory filing last year detailed measures aimed at reducing the risk of its equipment causing fires.

Persons: Hurricane Dora, “, ”, James Frantz, Frantz, There’s, Max Whittaker, Shahriar Pourreza, Shelee Kimura, ” Ms, Kimura, Pourreza, Michael Wara, Philip Cheung, Bob Marshall, Jim Kelly, Ken Pimlott, Anne Lopez, Mr, Wara, Kellen Browning, John Keefe, Susan C, Beachy, Alain Delaquérière Organizations: Wildfire, National Weather Service, Frantz Law, Hawaiian Electric, The New York Times, Guggenheim Securities, Maui Electric, Pacific Gas, Pacific Gas and Electric, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Pacific Disaster Center, Stanford University, The New York Times Lightning, Western, NASA, Whisker Labs, Labs, California Department of Forestry, Stanford, U.S . Energy Information Administration Locations: Lahaina, West Maui, Maui, California, United States, Northern California, Paradise, Hawaii, Western United States, Maui County, Germantown, Md, San Francisco

☆ Hawaiian Electric stock plunges 40% after lawsuit alleges it failed to shut power off ahead of the Maui wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The suit alleges that Hawaiian Electric Industries “chose not to deenergize their power lines during the High Wind Watch and Red Flag Warning conditions for Maui before the Lahaina Fire started,” despite knowing the risks of sparking a fire in those conditions. The company and subsidiaries “also chose not to deenergize their power lines after they knew some poles and lines had fallen and were in contact with the vegetation or the ground,” the suit alleges. He added that Hawaiian Electric does not have a formal shut-off program in place, and precautionary shut-offs have to be arranged with first responders. Despite this, Hawaiian Electric (HE) did not enforce a public safety power shutoff, a temporary pause of service to certain areas due to increased fire risk. These included an $11 billion insurance settlement, as well as $1 billion paid to affected local governments.

Persons: ”, “, Jim Kelly, ” Kelly, CoreLogic, Josh Green, Hawaii’s, – CNN’s Andy Rose Organizations: New, New York CNN, Electric Industries “, Hawaiian Electric, CNN, Hawaii Gov, National Weather Service, Western Fire Chiefs Association, Electric, Pacific Gas and Locations: New York, Maui, Lahaina, Hawaii, Honolulu, California

A utility pole on Friday that had been damaged in the high winds this week in Lahaina, Hawaii. But Hawaiian Electric, the state’s largest utility and the parent company of the power provider on Maui, made wildfire prevention its lowest priority in a state regulatory filing in April. In fact, the utility had no plan to cut power to prevent further ignitions even after flames began consuming the island. The recent devastation on Maui served as a reminder that climate-driven disaster can strike anywhere. “From what we’ve learned, we believe the Lahaina fires could have been prevented had proper safety precautions been taken,” said Gerald Singleton, one lawyer who issued a release about potential lawsuits.

Persons: ”, Jennifer Potter, Potter, Jim Kelly, we’ve, Gerald Singleton, Nicole Lowen, Ms, ” Ms, “ Organizations: Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, Pacific Gas & Electric, San Diego Gas &, Hawaiian Electric, Energy, Hawaii State Legislature Locations: Lahaina , Hawaii, Maui, California, Lahaina, “, Hawaii

☆ Billionaire investor Loeb cuts bearish bets to avoid short squeezes
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Nell Mackenzie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SALT brings together public policy officials, capital allocators, and hedge fund managers to discuss financial markets. REUTERS/Steve MarcusLONDON, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Billionaire investor Daniel Loeb has reduced the size of short bets on single named companies to limit the vulnerability of his hedge fund, Third Point, to short squeezes, he said in a letter on Tuesday. "The short-selling environment is much more challenging than it has been historically," said Loeb in the letter. Almost half of Loeb's net long exposure includes companies that will benefit from developments in artificial intelligence, the letter said. Elsewhere at Third Point, Loeb's corporate credit team returned a net 8.7% for the quarter after market instability in the March banking crisis created opportunities for the fund, Loeb said.

Persons: Daniel S, Loeb, Steve Marcus LONDON, Daniel Loeb, Ferguson, Nell Mackenzie, Amanda Cooper Organizations: Third, REUTERS, Pacific Gas and, Microsoft, HK, Offshore Fund, Web Services, Google, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, allocators

☆ Pacific Gas and Electric says it can meet California power demand this summer
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 21 (Reuters) - Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) on Friday said it is prepared to meet increased electricity demand in California this summer with new energy supply amid an ongoing heat waveThe company said it is bringing online new resources like battery energy storage, including an additional 700 megawatts (MW) than it had last summer. At the time, PG&E said it had just 6.5 MW of battery energy storage connected to the power grid. By September, it expects to have 1,700 MW online, or enough to meet the demand of 1.2 million homes at once, it said. PG&E said it is modifying programs that offer financial incentives for residential and business customers who reduce energy use during peak demand. PG&E also said it expects to have adequate hydropower to help meet peak summer demand periods.

Persons: Ashitha, Deepa Babington Organizations: Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Thomson Locations: California, Bengaluru

☆ I'm Ford's global director of sustainability, and I think adopting electric vehicles could strengthen, not strain, the power grid
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Cynthia Williams | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

While the answer isn't simple, Ford is introducing solutions to turn this grid anxiety into grid confidence. The power of V2GWe are working on turning every Ford EV into a virtual power plant that can be part of a collective power-grid solution. This solution could help mitigate energy shortfalls during peak usage hours when the power grid would be strained. Ford's collaborations with Duke Energy and Pacific Gas and Electric are great examples of how V2G technology can revolutionize the way we consume and distribute energy. We're doing our part at Ford to make these solutions realities — for both the power grid and our customers.

Persons: We've, we've, We're, Cynthia Williams Organizations: Service, Ford Motor Co, Associated Press, Ford EV, Virtual Power Plant Partnership, Ford, Duke Energy, Pacific Gas, EV

☆ Why the electric vehicle boom could put a major strain on the U.S. power grid
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Katie Brigham | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Over half of all new cars sold in the U.S. by 2030 are expected to be electric vehicles. That could put a major strain on our nation's electric grid, an aging system built for a world that runs on fossil fuels. Major grid infrastructure needsCharging electric vehicles is quite electricity intensive. Larger electric vehicles such as the Ford F-150 Lightning would generally use more electricity than a central AC unit in a large home. The utility is tied to a four-year funding cycle for grid infrastructure upgrades, and its last funding request was in 2021.

Persons: That's, we've, Rob Gramlich, Gramlich, Lydia Krefta, Krefta, David Paul Morris, Aram Shumavon, Shumavon, we're, Sen, Joe Manchin, Joe Biden, Tesla Organizations: Rapid Energy, Princeton University, Grid, California Public Utilities Commission, EV, Tesla, Ford, Workers, Power Services, Pacific Gas & Electric, Bloomberg, Getty, Nissan Leaf, Ford Motor Company Locations: U.S, California, Northern, Central California, Healdsburg , California

☆ California's electricity bills could soon be based on how much you make — and some people are furious
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Brad Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A California law would set a sliding scale for electricity bills based on a household's income. It doesn't totally take out of the equation how much power each household uses: Part of each bill will still be based on that. But each bill also will have "fixed charges" that will be set based on income. Cities like Los Angeles need to build out their electric system to deal with increased demand. "This makes it cheaper to use electricity to operate electric cars or appliances," the NRDC argues — something that could become key in stoking demand for EVs.

Persons: that's, —, you've, Erik Von Weber, That's, they've, it's Organizations: Service, Privacy, Washington Post, California Public Utilities Commission, Pacific Gas & Electric San Diego Gas & Electric Southern Cal, Edison, The Washington Post, Getty, Natural Resources Defense Council Locations: California, Los Angeles, San Diego, Eureka

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