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  Hyperscalers didn’t set out to be power companies. The grid left them no choice.

  The power gap left hyperscalers with no alternative but to take on utility-scale obligations and lock up gigawatts of generation, writes Peak Nano CMO Shaun Walsh.

  Shaun Walsh • May 28, 2026

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  What the streaming wars can teach utilities about the AI data center boom

  Utilities can avoid making the same mistakes major studios made in the Netflix era, but only if they view the AI boom as a systemwide modernization challenge rather than an overflowing queue of individual projects, writes Abbey O’Brien at Ulteig.

  Abbey O’Brien • May 27, 2026

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  How Illinois’ energy policy blueprint can address affordability, reliability

  By betting on efficiency, storage, long-term energy planning and grid flexibility, the Illinois’ Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act offers a blueprint for the state’s energy future, Vote Solar’s John Delurey writes.

  John Delurey • May 26, 2026

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  Puerto Rico’s power grid is ‘suspended between two realities,’ top utility regulator says

  Affordability, reliability and the need to restore public confidence almost a decade after Hurricane Maria are top concerns, writes PREB Chairman Edison Avilés.

  Edison Avilés • May 22, 2026

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  Nuclear fuel is the weak link in US energy security: Centrus CMO

  America must rebuild its nuclear fuel supply chain to reduce geopolitical risk, writes Centrus Energy CMO John Donelson. “No one company can do it alone.”

  John Donelson • May 21, 2026

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  Common‑sense state action can unlock a geothermal revolution in Utah and beyond

  Pairing geothermal with accelerated transmission development and stronger regional coordination can help the West access its gigawatt-scale geothermal potential, write Clean Air Task Force colleagues.

  Ann Garth and Dan West • May 20, 2026

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  High winter heating bills aren’t going away unless state policymakers act

  States can help consumers switch to high-efficiency electric appliances by lowering the up-front costs and minimizing ongoing operational costs, writes Kate Shonk, policy principal at Advanced Energy United.

  Kate Shonk • May 19, 2026

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  How utilities can avoid data overload and turn maintenance data into action

  Data collection can feel meaningless when utilities lack the tools to turn that data into improved performance or efficiency, writes Ariel Santamaria from Advanced Technology Services.

  Ariel Santamaria • May 15, 2026

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  Security beyond CIP: When ‘low impact’ doesn’t mean low risk

  Today’s power grid was built to handle an outage at a major facility. But there is a growing risk from many smaller resources failing at once, writes Anirban Ghosh at Black & Veatch.

  Anirban “Sunny” Ghosh • May 14, 2026

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  Why is the US walking away from energy efficiency?

  Policymakers should set strong energy efficiency standards and reinstate tax incentives for households and businesses to make upgrades, writes Ben Evans at the U.S. Green Building Council.

  Ben Evans • May 13, 2026

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  Making AI work for utilities means treating technology as a partner, not a replacement

  In an era when reliability indices directly shape regulatory ratings, AI's predictive capability becomes a measurable operational asset, but only when people know how to use it, writes Sean Burri, a Dominion Energy infrastructure engineer.

  Sean Burri • May 12, 2026

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  Competitive power markets have delivered. Abandoning them would be a mistake.

  Electricity markets are not perfect, but they remain one of the most powerful tools we have for delivering reliable, affordable power at scale, writes former FERC Commissioner Nora Mead Brownell.

  Nora Brownell • May 11, 2026

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  Why procurement has become a grid reliability issue: ULE Group

  Critical grid work becomes harder for utilities to keep on budget when schedules are repeatedly disrupted by missing or delayed equipment, writes ULE Group President Danielle Pirrone.

  Danielle Pirrone • May 8, 2026

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  Competitive markets are best for virtual power plants, consumers

  If allowed, utilities will prioritize infrastructure they own over rapid expansion of rooftop solar and other decentralized energy resources, writes Shannon Anderson of Solar United Neighbors, who argues for enabling private-sector VPP participation.

  Shannon Anderson • May 7, 2026

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  America’s load growth moment is a chance to scale distributed energy

  The fastest approach to expand the grid is via the distribution system, using front-of-meter storage to precisely target substations and feeders that need relief, writes Jigar Shah of Deploy Action.

  Jigar Shah • May 5, 2026

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  The AI electric grid calls for a mixed‑fleet transmission strategy

  In the AI-era planning environment, hybridization is not a compromise — it is the engineering approach best aligned with real world system needs, timelines and locational realities, writes NYISO planning engineer Anees Jeddy.

  Anees Jeddy • May 4, 2026

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  Congress should fix the nuclear investment tax credit

  A bipartisan bill would restructure the credit to pass its full value on to ratepayers from day one, cutting the sticker price of new nuclear projects by 30% to 50%, writes Samuel Thernstrom at the Energy Innovation Reform Project.

  Samuel Thernstrom • April 30, 2026

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  Capacity cost explosion: What PJM’s $80B bill means for the AI buildout

  To avoid an era of grid instability, electric-sector stakeholders must fast-track replacement generation, deploy grid-enhancing technologies and pass permitting reform, writes EnerKnol’s Shahid Mahdi.

  Shahid Mahdi • April 29, 2026

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  Americans deserve facts, not fearmongering, about their electric bills

  Policymakers must remove barriers to new infrastructure and allow competitive power markets to function properly, writes Todd Snitchler, CEO of the Electric Power Supply Association.

  Todd Snitchler • April 28, 2026

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  AI data centers are upending utility load planning

  Utilities need planning frameworks to account for uncertain load profiles, while developers must be clear about how their facilities perform, writes Mark Knipfer at Integrated Environmental Solutions.  

  Mark Knipfer • April 24, 2026

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  In New Jersey, we’re leading by example, tackling energy affordability head-on

  Christine Guhl-Sadovy, president of the Board of Public Utilities, says the BPU is expediting solar and storage while advocating for structural market and cost recovery reforms at the state, regional and federal levels.

  Christine Guhl-Sadovy • April 23, 2026

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  Alaska’s energy challenges require a national response

  Alaska energy modernization should be treated as a national infrastructure priority, writes Northwest Public Power Association CEO Kurt Miller.

  Kurt Miller • April 22, 2026

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  Minnesota got one thing right on distributed storage — but it missed the bigger opportunity

  Xcel Energy’s 200-MW, ratepayer-funded battery pilot is not the right model to encourage broad adoption, writes Coalition for Community Solar Access CEO Jeff Cramer.

  Jeff Cramer • April 21, 2026

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  La Plata Electric CEO: Why Western utilities are moving toward regional markets

  Following its transition into the Southwest Power Pool, LPEA expects an immediate reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of roughly 20%, along with reduced wholesale power costs, writes Chris Hansen.

  Chris Hansen • April 20, 2026

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  After 2 years, ratepayer pain and political fallout from Georgia’s nuclear plant Vogtle

  Texas built 36 GW of solar and storage in four years, for about $36 billion. Georgia built 2 GW of nuclear in 15 years at the same cost, writes Patty Durand, founder of Georgians for Affordable Energy.

  Patty Durand • April 17, 2026

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