News

Texas news station KBTX News 3 reports that the U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $360 million in funding for United member company Pattern Energy's Southern Spirit transmission project, which aims to connect the ERCOT grid to other U.S. power grids. The station interviewed Matthew Boms of the Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance, who highlighted the project's potential to lower consumer energy prices and improve overall reliability and efficiency for the Texas energy market.

Utility Dive reports on the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative (WWGPI) draft Step 2 proposal that would create an independent organization to oversee the Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) and pending Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM), which are run by the California Independent System Operator. The article quotes United's Brian Turner, a member of the WWGPI Launch Committee, saying that this independent organization could evolve to offer a full range of regional transmission organization services. 

CBS 21 reports on a press conference held at the Pennsylvania State Capitol where state legislators and clean energy advocates came together to discuss the benefits of electric school buses and push for the passing of House Bill 1542, which would establish a statewide electric school bus grant program. The article quotes United's Nick Bibby who spoke to the cost savings for school districts that utilize electric buses.

This summer, Rhode Island passed the 2024 Energy Storage Systems Act and joined the many Northeast states making storage a key part of their energy transition strategy. Solar Power World spoke with United's Kat Burnham about the legislation and the growing momentum behind New England's energy storage advocacy.

San Antonio Express-News reports on the growing Texas battery energy storage boom, but some Hill County residents are worried that new battery storage sites will be noisy, increase the risk of fire, and cause environmental damage. The article quotes Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance's (United's state affiliate) Matthew Boms, who spoke to the importance of battery storage sites in the state.

NewsData reports on the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative (WWGPI) draft Step 2 proposal. The draft Step 2 proposal includes several components: regional organization (RO) scope and function, formation of the RO, governance of the RO, public-interest protections, and the stakeholder process. The article quotes United's Brian Turner, a member of the WWGPI Launch Committee, saying that this proposal represents a significant step toward improving electricity markets in the West and addressing long-standing barriers.

Renewable Energy World reports that California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed SB 1006 into law, requiring utilities to evaluate grid enhancing technologies (GETs) as often as every two years in transmission planning. The article quotes United's Edson Perez,who stated that the bill incentivizes the state to find the best ways to deploy these technologies across California’s utilities.

Utility Dive covers United's September 2024 webinar about expanding VPPs in the U.S., which was moderated by United’s Chloe Holden and featured panelists from member companies Ford, PowerFlex, and EnergyHub. The article showcases United's advocacy work to overcome barriers to scaling VPPs across the country.

Amid rising energy demands, The New York Times reports that America's biggest oil-producing state, Texas, is increasingly turning to solar power and battery storage to see it through extreme weather over the years. The article quotes Matthew Boms of Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance (United's state affiliate), who speaks to Texas' renewable energy potential.

The Nevada Independent reports on the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada's (PUCN) unanimous vote that denies NV Energy to raise the basic service charge for its Northern Nevada customers by 175 percent, instead awarding the utility just a fraction of its requested amount. The article quotes United's Emilie Olson, who praised the PUCN's decision to implement a modest rate increase, highlighting its commitment to consumer affordability and protection for Northern Nevadan ratepayers.