S&P Global Market Intelligence presents the most read stories for the week ended May 18.
1. FERC told transmission, not fuel security, is key to grid resilience
Many stakeholders weighing in on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's "holistic" look at the issue of grid resilience recommended that the effort focus more on beefing up the transmission grid and less on looking for ways to ensure fuel security.
2. Quotes of the quarter: Pipeline execs ponder fate of MLPs
Pipeline bottlenecks in the prolific Permian Basin and the very future of the master limited partnership structure weighed heavily on midstream executives' minds during the recent earnings season.
3. US coal CEO sees 'worst of times' behind sector despite domestic challenges
After living through the "worst of times" in recent years, including a wave of industry bankruptcies, U.S. coal is finding some relief amid improved sector conditions despite some challenges at home, a coal executive told colleagues at an industry event late last week.
4. Market monitor sees wind power boosting SPP's price volatility, congestion costs
The Southwest Power Pool Inc.'s surging wind fleet prompted negative real-time pricing to double in 2017, price volatility to almost double and congestion costs to jump by 70%, a report released May 11 concluded. Expanding transmission could improve the situation, an industry official maintained.
5. DOE releases 5-year strategy to bolster US energy sector cybersecurity
The U.S. Department of Energy on May 14 released a multiyear plan to reduce the risk of energy system disruptions from cyberattacks.
