Leaders of public power utilities across the U.S. recently detailed how their utilities were prepared to successfully respond and adapt to a myriad of challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The U.S. solar market installed 3.6 gigawatts (GW) of new solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in the first quarter of 2020, representing its largest first quarter ever in the U.S.

Working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a lifesaver, but it has also brought new threats. Working from home allows people to minimize social interaction, which limits and slows the spread of COVID-19. But, as highlighted in a recent alert from NERC, the power industry “is in a period of heightened cyber risk due to a large contingent of industry employees working remotely.”

The California Community Choice Association expressed disappointment in a California Public Utilities Commission decision that designates Pacific Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison as central buyers to procure local, multi-year resource adequacy.

Independent power producer Broad Reach Power plans to build 15 utility-scale battery storage plants totaling 150 megawatts (MW) in areas near Houston and Odessa, Texas.

The American Public Power Association and several utility and nuclear industry stakeholders recently urged the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee to include legislation that would accelerate the commercialization of a new generation of nuclear reactors in the fiscal year (FY) 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).