The Latest
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Courtesy of Fervo Energy
Fervo-Google geothermal deal underscores baseload power scarcity, analysts say
Key risks remain, however, including “first-of-a-kind execution,” interconnection bottlenecks, capital intensity and competing technology paths, according to a research note from financial services company William Blair.
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Transmission expansion could spur billions in savings, especially in PJM: study
About a dozen inter- and intraregional projects in the Eastern Interconnection could help meet load growth, lower retail electric rates, bolster reliability and support U.S. security, the study found.
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Courtesy of Meta
Large loads face reliability requirements under MISO proposal
MISO defines “large loads” as those above 50 MW and “computational loads” as large loads that include at least 25 MW of demand from information technology equipment. The separate classifications will allow MISO to target certain requirements to data centers.
Updated Sept. 1, 2026 -
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Wildfire costs loom over California legislative session that passed solar, data center bills
The California Legislature did not vote on a wildfire reform bill during a special session Tuesday, effectively killing the proposal. The bill had implications for electric utilities.
Updated Sept. 2, 2026 -
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Opinion3 principles to make AI data centers good grid citizens
Developed intentionally, AI data centers can help create a more resilient and affordable electric system, write officials from Heron Power, NVIDIA, Invenergy and Emerald AI.
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PJM drops Oklo advanced nuclear project from interconnection study cycle
Oklo asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to order the PJM Interconnection to reinstate its 750-MW, mixed-technology project. PJM reportedly told Oklo that it never showed the project could ride through a sudden drop in grid voltage.
Updated Sept. 1, 2026 -
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Stakeholders square off over proposed DOE appliance program changes
Manufacturers say the changes would create a more predictable process to set appliance standards but should not “apply retroactively to standards already finalized.” Efficiency advocates say potential energy savings will be lost.
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California sues Trump administration over offshore wind ‘extortion racket’
The state alleges the Trump administration “abuses its authority” by diminishing the value of offshore wind energy leases before it makes an “unrefusable offer” to developers.
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Courtesy of FirstEnergy
Ohio ratepayer advocate urges FERC to resolve 3-year-old local transmission complaint
Since the complaint was filed, FirstEnergy, AEP and other Ohio utilities have planned more than $4.3 billion in local transmission without adequate oversight, the Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel said.
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Federal authorities disrupt China-backed hacking operation targeting US critical infrastructure
Compromised IoT devices were used in a yearslong campaign against key sectors and federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Energy and power companies, according to court records.
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Courtesy of Fervo Energy
Long-term enhanced geothermal test begins in Utah
The test will study “unknown variables required to ensure long term EGS production remains commercially viable,” said Kristie McLin, principal investigator at the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy.
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Trump declares emergency, moves to block some foreign-made equipment from grid
Grid equipment manufacturers say more clarity will be needed, particularly around rules for software and digital products where the country of origin may be difficult to determine.
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Diana DiGangi/Utility Dive
Data center load made up 9% of PJM wholesale costs so far in 2026: market monitor
Overall wholesale power costs in the PJM Interconnection jumped 46% to $56.7 billion so far this year, driven by rising energy and capacity costs, per the grid operator’s market monitor.
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US Army selects 5 companies to deploy microreactors at military installations
The $2.2B in federal funding is intended to boost the sites’ resilience and the commercial viability of next-generation nuclear power.
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Joe Raedle via Getty Images
Duke Energy Florida asks to punt on rate for large load customers
Duke Energy Florida’s proposal “doesn't attempt to comply with the most basic provisions” of Florida’s new data center law, the state’s public counsel, Walt Trierweiler, said at a hearing.
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Trump’s energy policy could cost US 540 GW of renewables, says NRDC
“We lose more than half of everything that we expected to be able to build with the combination of market forces and proactive policy,” said Amanda Levin, NRDC’s director of policy analysis.
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Nevada ‘misses an opportunity’ in performance-based DER tariffs: advocate
The new demand response frameworks bring the state in line with other pay-for-performance virtual power plants while keeping NV Energy in the driver’s seat.
Updated Aug. 28, 2026 -
Courtesy of Harbert Management Corporation
Harbert acquires cogenerating heat, power plant in Georgia
In addition to acting as a peaker plant for Georgia Power under a long-term power purchase agreement, Mid-Georgia Cogen also supplies thermal output to an adjacent Frito-Lay manufacturing facility for frying and cooking food.
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Mario Tama via Getty Images
New Jersey seeks 150 MW of behind-the-meter storage to support VPP
The comparatively modest maximum annual incentive of $200/kW over 10 years reflects the “private resilience value of residential energy storage systems,” state regulators said.
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Evelyn Hockstein via Getty Images
US-Canada trade war threatens electricity imports, prices
If Canada opts to reduce or eliminate electricity exports to New England, the impact would be largely financial — at least under typical weather conditions, according to the region's grid operator. A previous 25% tariff in 2025 lasted only a day.
Updated Aug. 25, 2026 -
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OpinionDrones are the next big security challenge for critical infrastructure
The same capabilities that make drones operationally valuable for utilities also make them effective tools for threat actors, writes SkySafe Chief Revenue Officer Melissa Swisher.
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Courtesy of Microsoft
Microsoft, PowerHouse Hillwood dispute data center service agreements
Data center agreements in Wisconsin fail to protect ratepayers, Microsoft says. Separately, PowerHouse Hillwood has accused Exelon’s ComEd of using monopoly power to quash an agreement for an Illinois data center.
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PacifiCorp to suspend California energy efficiency programs under proposed settlement
The programs have “historically not provided cost-effectiveness benefits to ratepayers and, indeed, show a decline in performance in recent years,” said the California Public Utilities Commission’s Public Advocates Office.
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OpinionData centers can vanish from the grid in seconds; reliability rules need to catch up
The loss of more than 3 GW of data center demand in Virginia shows why policy must address operational behavior, not just costs, writes AIxEnergy.io founder Brandon Owens.
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Permission granted by Commonwealth Fusion Systems
Commonwealth Fusion Systems aims to complete demonstration reactor with $1B funding round
CEO Bob Mumgaard said the reactor, SPARC, is now “about 80% complete.” Experts remain divided over how soon they believe fusion technology could be commercialized.
