The Latest
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Edison CEO: California utilities face credit downgrades without wildfire reforms
With four weeks left in the legislative session, CEO Pedro Pizarro acknowledged the possibility California lawmakers will not pass wildfire liability reforms this year.
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The strategic priorities shaping the future of intelligent utility operations.
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Texas approves AI data center co-location next to wind farm, with curtailment caveats
A final order in the case could offer an early template for other large behind-the-meter loads, requiring rapid curtailment during grid emergencies while limiting participation in demand response programs.
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Under pressure, Entergy looks to mitigate cost of $1.8B Texas gas plant purchase
“We know that Cottonwood isn't the shiniest new plant out there,” Entergy CEO Drew Marsh told analysts. The deal is “increasingly in doubt,” one says.
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DOE mulls changes to Biden-era transformer rule, raising utility concerns
Utility associations supported the 2024 efficiency requirements for distribution transformers and oppose their repeal. The rule may threaten national security, DOE says.
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FirstEnergy data center contracts surge 50% in Q2
Mon Power, a FirstEnergy subsidiary, plans to assess a surcharge on its customers to help finance $2.7 billion in generation it is building in West Virginia, mainly for a data center.
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Opinion
A plug-in solar solution that utilities and lawmakers can agree on
To ensure both household safety and grid reliability, the next wave of plug-in solar state legislation should adopt tiered wattage definitions and export limits, writes CraftStrom CEO Stephan Scherer.
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V2G could deliver 15 times more value than one-way managed EV charging: report
The U.S. fleet of bidirectional-capable electric vehicles is growing, and regulatory reforms could help utilities unlock $7 billion in potential value, according to an E3 analysis.
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California’s carbon-pricing program generated $36.2B for climate initiatives: report
The Cap-and-Invest program deployed $15.5 billion for projects focused on clean air, energy efficiency and emissions reductions. Covered entities, including power plants, are required to surrender a tradeable permit for every metric ton of carbon they emit.
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CMS Energy plans to sell renewable assets to focus on regulated utilities
The Jackson, Michigan-based company said the move would simplify its corporate structure, net about $500 million and set it up to generate nearly all of its earnings from its regulated utilities after 2027.
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30-MW Nebraska microgrid gets a non-lithium battery boost
Lincoln Electric System is energizing a 3-MW/12-MWh zinc-based battery to support the Nebraska state Capitol complex and other critical infrastructure.
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PJM board proposes backstop capacity auction, data center curtailment plans
FERC’s response to the proposals will likely “influence utility capital investment, data center development timelines and the allocation of reliability risks and costs,” ClearView Energy Partners said.
Updated July 28, 2026 -
Deep Dive
Utility profits in the crosshairs amid affordability concerns
As states target utilities’ return on equity, Pepco’s rate case in Maryland, where the consumer advocate is arguing for an ROE cut, is being closely watched.
Updated July 29, 2026 -
CenterPoint says 14 GW likely eligible for Texas’ ‘Batch Zero’ large-load interconnection
The utility expects 50% load growth by the end of 2029, largely driven by data centers navigating Texas’ new large-load interconnection process, company officials said Tuesday.
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NextEra on track to close Dominion merger by late 2027, executives say
The Virginia State Corporation Commission has scheduled the first public hearing on the proposal for this November. Separately, NextEra is also working to sign final agreements with the U.S. and Japan for 9.5 GW of gas-fired “hubs” in Texas and Pennsylvania.
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PG&E says it has 12.7 GW in data center pipeline as it courts smaller loads
The company’s data center pipeline has fluctuated over the past year. Executives attributed the changes to stricter vetting of potential projects and expressed confidence that its efforts to attract the right kind of customer are paying off.
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BNEF chip-based model pegs US data center demand at 207 GW by 2033
A base model anticipates U.S. data center demand of about 118 GW by 2030. As potential demand and proposed data center size both grow, so does the complexity in forecasting, analysts said.
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Opinion
Community solar can bridge California’s energy affordability gap
Regulatory complexities are thwarting innovation and keeping electricity bills for the majority of Californians far too high, writes Ardi Arian, CEO of Renewable America.
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Behind the New York data center pause is legislation that could impact existing facilities
Legislation that’s been put on the back burner while the moratorium is in effect would require large data centers to procure at least a third of their electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and might impact those with water-intensive cooling, analyses show.
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Trump’s ‘vindictive’ use of energy, other grants sparks backlash
The administration nixed $7.6 billion in clean energy grants last year “based solely on the political identity of the grant recipient’s state,” the U.S Department of Energy said in court documents.
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Opinion
States cannot be granted filing rights under Section 205 of the Federal Power Act
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission should reject a proposal that states share “filing rights” with the PJM Interconnection and its transmission owners, former FERC Chairman Joseph Kelliher writes.
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Retrieved from Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
FERC will impose reforms if PJM fails to adopt changes by September, chairman warns
There appears to be broad support for strengthening the independence of the grid operator’s board, possibly by moving to an advisory stakeholder process, and giving states more influence. Some also called for codifying the public interest in PJM’s mission.
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Renewables, storage can meet one-third of US industrial heat demand: report
The UC Berkeley analysis should be welcome news for a manufacturing industry that is heavily reliant on natural gas, with its volatile prices, said Jose Dominguez, one of the report’s authors.
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GE Vernova gas turbine backlog climbs to 116 GW
GE Vernova is taking reservations for 2031 deliveries now, said CEO Scott Strazik. He spoke of an increasingly diverse customer base, including data centers.
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Retrieved from Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
FERC eyes ‘grid-enhancing technology’ incentives: Chairman Swett
Data centers, competition in the transmission sector and PJM Interconnection governance reform were other key topics at the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing.
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DOE’s new power export rule at odds with ‘energy emergency’ findings: Public Citizen
“Any export of power ... necessarily makes that power unavailable to domestic customers,” potentially contributing to inadequate supplies for a region, Public Citizen said.