“As feds focus on baseload, grid modernization is sweeping the country” according to Herman Trabish’s feature story in today’s Utility Dive.
“Fifty States of Grid Modernization,” a 2017 policy update from the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center reports on a trend of actions that are state-initiated. Autumn Proudlove is lead author of the report. The most common grid modernization action is advanced metering infrastructure (AMI). Others include legislation or regulation that addresses smart grid, utility business model or rate reforms, or expand access to distributed energy resources.
So, never mind that FERC is proposing to provide “cost recovery to merchant coal and nuclear plants that keep 90 days of fuel supply onsite.” There is demonstrated movement towards grid modernization with energy storage nationwide.