Utilities
California Town Looks to Rebuild After Wildfire, but No Clear Path Forward
Paradise, California, burned to the ground last year, and the town’s recovery has begun. But questions remain about the measures that should be put into place to prevent another disaster.
It's Time to Map and Share Data on Underground Infrastructure
A call for cities like New York to accurately map, model, and share information on underground water and utility infrastructure for public benefit.
PG&E Promises to Keep the Lights on After Declaring Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
Pacific Gas and Electric has declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the face of "actual and potential" liability.
California's Largest Utility Files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
PG&E announced that it is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, facing $30 billion in liability after two years of catastrophic wildfires in the state of California.
Judge: D.C. Metro Does, In Fact, Own Its Facilities
An internet company can't just stop paying for the use of underground transit facilities when it decides the subway company doesn't have the right to charge for the access.
The 'Worst-Connected Cities' in the United States
Here are the cities where residents are the least likely to have a broadband Internet connection in their home.
Wanted: An Electrical Grid That Looks Like the Internet
All the coal industry's money has not been able to stem the growth of renewable energy and distributed generation. For the electricity grid, the future is already here.
Report: How Do Local Water Utilities Measure Up?
With the federal funding situation uncertain, water utilities are left in widely varying financial positions. Comparing local utilities across six metrics paints a grim picture.
A Little Help Explaining the Stormwater Utility Concept
American Rivers has created a toolkit for implementing stormwater utilityies
The Winners and Losers of Utility Rates
An example from St. Louis County shows one way that sprawl is subsidized by areas closer to the regional center.
What Does the Connected Home Mean for Energy Policy?
As cities look to the Internet of Things to reimagine urban infrastructure, one hope is that real-time data collection will help increase energy efficiency at the regional level. Where do homes outfitted with a network of smart devices fit in?
New York's Visionary Model of Utilities Reform
Utilities profit from building more power plants—a flawed model for a diminishing natural monopoly.
$1.2 Billion 'Energy Strong' Project Construction Making Life Difficult in New Jersey
A complex infrastructure investment project to build resilience into the energy grid is snarling traffic in North and Central New Jersey.
The End of the Era of Cheap Water
In many places around the country, the price of water is increasing, quickly. While the reasons for the increase vary depending on the location, common to the issue is the ability of planning to either help or hinder the problem.
How To: Smarter Infrastructure Investments
In the next few decades, U.S. governments and businesses are predicted to spend trillions of dollars on infrastructure. This is the reality. The question is: how do we get smart about these investments?
Not-So-Bright Future for Utility-Scale Solar Projects
Construction and permitting for large solar facilities like those located in the desert at the border of California and Nevada is nearly non-existent. Uncertainty over expiring tax credits is only partly to blame.
Smart Meters Spill Your Secrets and Utilities Respond
The millions of smart meters and grid sensors in operation across North America are providing a flood of information that utilities are still struggling to process. But changes in operations are already emerging, and potential uses grow by the day.
Powering L.A.'s Future Without Breaking the Bank
Through determined investment, L.A. is on track to generate a third of its power from renewables by 2020. Varun Sivaram, formerly Mayor Villaraigosa's senior advisor on energy and water policy, explains how the city must modernize its power system.
As Natural Gas Prices Rise, Utilities Turn Toward Coal
An Ohio utility is switching to coal due to the rising price of natural gas, illustrating how sensitive fuel prices are to utilities. However, when it comes to building new plants - natural gas has the advantage due to coal's higher capital costs.
Why Developers are Getting Into Energy Efficiency and Power Generation
As utilities and energy companies move towards distributed power, building owners, businesses, and developers are seeing the possibilities.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
