Author: Graham Foster

Los Angeles County Files Lawsuit Against Southern California Edison for Eaton Fire Damage Los Angeles County has initiated legal action against Southern California Edison (SCE) and its parent company, Edison International, claiming that the utility’s transmission towers ignited the Eaton wildfire last month in Altadena. The lawsuit argues that the fire caused significant damage, estimated in the “hundreds of millions of dollars,” to county properties and infrastructure. It seeks compensation for the restoration of parks, roads, and other public assets, along with costs for cleanup, employee overtime, and lost taxes. This lawsuit is deemed essential for supporting the county’s rebuilding…

The World Bank is being urged by its main shareholder to reconsider its long-standing ban on funding nuclear power projects. This push aims to enhance Western competitiveness against China and Russia in the nuclear energy sector. French Hill, the chair of the House Financial Services Committee, indicated that the new U.S. administration plans to maintain support for nuclear energy funding just as an important decision regarding the ban approaches. In a discussion last month, Hill mentioned that World Bank president Ajay Banga has U.S. backing for potentially lifting the ban, suggesting that the bank is gearing up to support nuclear…

More than half of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2023 have been traced back to just 36 companies involved in fossil fuels and cement production, according to a recent report from the Carbon Majors database. The report highlights a worrying trend, showing that emissions from the largest global oil, gas, coal, and cement companies have increased this year. Notably, 16 out of the 20 biggest polluters are state-owned enterprises. The leading five state-owned emitters—Saudi Aramco, Coal India, CHN Energy, the National Iranian Oil Company, and Jinneng Group—are responsible for almost 20% of all global emissions. On the other hand,…

Waste is an issue across various sectors, but it becomes even more significant when it costs billions each year to manage. This is why UK officials are considering whether changing electricity pricing could help lower these expensive payments made to wind farms forced to shut down. However, one must wonder why this approach wasn’t considered sooner. In just the first two months of 2025, the cost to consumers dealing with Britain’s flawed electricity system surged to over £250 million, a sharp increase of 60% compared to the previous year, according to estimates from Wasted Wind. One of the reasons behind…

On Thursday afternoon, the White House shared that it will pause tariffs on all imports that follow the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) until April 2. This decision also extends to goods from Canada, marking a significant step in overseeing trade relations. The announcement follows a previous exemption for car imports from both Canada and Mexico, aimed at easing disruptions within the automotive supply chain. This initiative acknowledges the importance of manufacturing in the U.S. while facilitating smoother trade between the nations. In a statement from the White House, President Donald Trump noted the adjustments to the tariffs, focusing on the…

The UK government is moving forward with its plan to stop issuing new oil and gas exploration licenses, while remaining open to a practical approach regarding production. This decision has garnered praise from the oil and gas industry. In a recent consultation, the government confirmed its election promise by stating it would no longer grant licenses for exploring new oil and gas fields. This decision, however, has faced criticism from the GMB union, which described it as “madness.” Government officials noted that current global oil and gas production plans do not align with the goals of limiting global warming to…

Venture Global, a rising player in the LNG export market, recently celebrated the $18 billion expansion of its export terminal in Louisiana. Despite the high-profile event attended by senior Trump administration officials, the company’s stock took a major hit, dropping 36% after investors reacted negatively to its unexpected financial results. On Thursday, Energy Secretary Chris Wright praised Venture Global’s CEO Mike Sabel during his speech at the Plaquemines terminal, calling him a “great, bold founding CEO.” However, this praise came as investors were reacting to disappointing reports of slowing sales and lower-than-expected profits. Additionally, the company faced rising construction costs…

Overview: The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has decided to participate in the Southwest Power Pool’s Markets+ for both real-time and day-ahead markets, as outlined in a recently released draft policy. This marks a shift away from a new market that the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) is developing. Although the CAISO’s Extended Day-Ahead Market might present more financial advantages, the BPA believes that the SPP market better suits its needs regarding governance, resource adequacy, green gas accounting, and handling congestion revenue. A final decision on this matter is expected in May. BPA’s draft decision indicates the formation of two linked…

The UK Treasury is planning to reduce funding for GB Energy, as part of the upcoming spending review in June, which poses a significant challenge for Energy Secretary Ed Miliband. GB Energy was created by the Labour government to promote investment in clean energy generation and supply to aid in the decarbonization of the electricity grid. Originally, the company was promised £8.3 billion in taxpayer funding over a five-year period; however, it has only received £100 million so far, which was allocated during the previous October’s budget for the first two years. With growing fiscal pressures and an increasing focus…

Utilities are increasingly finding innovative ways to use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to tackle reliability challenges as the demand for electricity grows. A paper from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) highlights a surge in interest around generative AI models, which has led to vast financial commitments from the U.S. and Europe. This shift is prompting utility companies to explore new opportunities in AI technology. Jeremy Renshaw, Executive Director at EPRI, noted that even utility professionals who were once doubtful about AI are now embracing technologies like cloud computing and drones. The rapid adoption of these tools…