Proposed FERC price cap settlement will intensify looming electric capacity crisis

Artificially deflating PJM's capacity prices by lowering the price cap does nothing to fix the grid operator’s power-supply problems and could lead to blackouts.

By Anthony “Tony” Campbell • March 10, 2025

Hitachi Energy commits $250M to address transformer shortage

Electricity demand associated with artificial intelligence and data center development mean “the need for transformers has surged beyond initial projections,” Hitachi Energy said.

By Robert Walton • March 10, 2025

Explore the Trendline➔

Grid Resiliency

Utilities and grid operators are facing increasing threats from climate change as well as cyber and physical attacks, and are deploying a variety of responses to meet the rising challenges.

By Utility Dive staff

Utilities may subsidize data center growth by shifting costs to other ratepayers: Harvard Law paper

“The public faces significant risks that utilities will … profit from new data centers by making major investments and then shifting costs to their captive ratepayers,” the report’s authors said.

By Ethan Howland • March 10, 2025

IRA funding freeze has put ‘many’ clean energy projects on pause

The uncertainty created by the funding freeze has affected projects at “various stages of development,” a clean energy executive said on a recent press call.

By Lamar Johnson • March 7, 2025

Avista, PG&E, Ameren AI demonstrations show great potential – but are other utilities ready?

New artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms can optimize complexities across the power system if utilities and regulators can make data more accessible — and protect it, experts say.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 7, 2025

Bonneville opts to join SPP’s Markets+ day-ahead market over CAISO alternative

BPA’s draft decision sets the stage for having two intertwined day-ahead markets across the West with complex seams between them.

By Ethan Howland • March 7, 2025

Trump extends tariff pause to all USMCA goods

Imports from Mexico and Canada that are compliant with the trade deal will not be subject to tariffs until April 2.

By Philip Neuffer • March 6, 2025

Basin Electric urges Congress to support clean energy tax credits

Inflation Reduction Act tax credits support energy infrastructure needed to meet rising demand for electricity, an Iowa Republican said during a House hearing.

By Ethan Howland • March 6, 2025

LA County sues Southern California Edison for Eaton Fire damages

Court documents allege “clear evidence” that the fire was caused by SCE, which LA County says failed to de-energize all of its equipment despite warnings of extreme wind.

By Emma Penrod • March 6, 2025

Will Trump tariffs delay utility transmission, power plant plans?

FirstEnergy and other utilities warn they could be hurt by tariffs, but analysts see little immediate effect on utility capital expenditure plans.

By Ethan Howland • March 5, 2025

For transmission planning, FERC Order 1920 is our dragon

Instead of repealing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Order 100 to improve transmission planning, the focus should be on making Order 1920 as strong as possible.

By Claire Wayner • March 4, 2025

Striking true or overreaching? How a new executive order clouds FERC’s decisional authority

The agency's independence and credibility depend on careful adherence to the law, not alignment with shifting executive priorities, according to Lyle Larson, a partner at Balch & Bingham.

By Lyle Larson • March 4, 2025

New England, New York grid operators prepare to collect millions in tariffs on Canadian electricity

Whether the tariffs going into effect Tuesday apply to electricity imports — and what role the ISOs must play in collecting them — is unclear, they told the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, but they need to be prepared.

By Robert Walton • March 3, 2025

FirstEnergy’s 5-year data center pipeline doubles to 3 GW

FirstEnergy shares fell nearly 10.5% in trading on Thursday after the company effectively lowered its earnings outlook, according to Jefferies analysts.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 28, 2025

New generation is a ‘better approach’ to energy security than interregional transmission: ERCOT

Texas can add new resources “significantly faster” than interregional transmission can be brought online, Electric Reliability Council of Texas officials said Wednesday.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 27, 2025

PJM board approves $6.7B transmission expansion plan

The plan includes a $4.6 billion regional transmission backbone to be built by American Electric Power, Dominion Energy and FirstEnergy.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 27, 2025

What if Bruce Lee had set federal transmission policy?

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission could help unlock transmission development in three steps, including by repealing its Order 1000 on transmission planning. Enter the Dragon!

By Vincent Duane and Caitlin Shields • Feb. 25, 2025

Fortress backs behind-the-meter gas turbines to support AI hyperscalers

New APR Energy plans to deploy 100 MW of mobile gas turbines in support of an unnamed data center hyperscaler, and more similar deals are on the way, officials said.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 25, 2025

NERC interregional transfer capability study lacks detail to drive transmission upgrades: EIPC

The Eastern Interconnection Planning Collaborative urged the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to set metrics that could be used to determine whether more transmission is needed between regions.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 25, 2025

US governors press for infrastructure permitting reform

The governors also aim to ensure that the federal government meets its obligations for federally funded projects, the National Governors Association said.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 24, 2025

Is your utility prepared for these 3 energy trends in 2025?

The energy sector is undergoing significant transformations in 2025. Is your utility prepared?

Feb. 24, 2025

FERC launches colocation review, plus 6 other open meeting takeaways

Final colocation rules aren’t likely until 2026, creating uncertainty for Vistra, Talen Energy and other independent power producers, Capstone analysts said.

By Ethan Howland • Updated Feb. 21, 2025

Indiana regulators approve ‘large load’ interconnection rules

The decision affirms a pact offered by Indiana Michigan Power, Amazon Data Services, Google, Microsoft, the Indiana ratepayer advocate and Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 20, 2025

How to reduce large load speculation? Standardize the interconnection process.

We can haphazardly continue down the path of a fragmented and increasingly untenable approach to large load-side interconnection, or we can introduce rational standardization to the process.

By Peter Freed and Allison Clements • Feb. 19, 2025

Achieving energy dominance without leaving small customers behind

Addressing load growth must be done in a way that ensures rate stability for all and avoids an energy system that houses haves and have nots.

By Ray Gifford and Matt Larson • Feb. 18, 2025