Ameren plans Missouri gas plant with 400-MW battery storage

The Big Hollow Energy Center will be Ameren’s first large-scale battery facility, but the utility’s long-range plans call for installing 1.8 GW of energy storage by 2042.

FERC rejects MISO, SPP plan to broaden scope of interregional transmission planning

One dissenting commissioner said regulators "should not stand in the way of simple solutions" that would improve study accuracy.

‘Growing reliability concerns’ top North Carolina regulator’s large load conference

The North Carolina Utilities Commission has asked utilities to weigh in on whether new tariffs should be developed for some or all customers above a certain demand threshold as load forecasts grow.

California budget leaves grid reliability programs in limbo, advocates say

State legislators and the governor deferred decisions about the state’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and voter-approved climate bonds to later in the year.

Trump signs budget bill slashing clean energy tax credits

President Donald Trump promised additional executive branch restrictions on wind, solar and EV projects in exchange for Freedom Caucus members' support of the bill, Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said.

Updated July 7, 2025

Base Power, GVEC partner on 2-MW Texas VPP

Batteries will provide residential customers with power if there is a blackout while allowing GVEC to offer ancillary services and manage transmission costs.

Airloom Energy to pilot novel wind power tech at Wyoming site

The shorter, more compact turbine design will be cheaper to produce, faster to deploy, more suitable for height-restricted areas and less likely to trigger local opposition, the Laramie-based company says.

Whatever happens with the IRA, energy storage is here to stay

The electric grid needs flexibility, speed and stability. Energy storage offers all three.

Federal agencies, including FERC and DOE, revoke environmental review rules

The agencies eliminated all references to consider climate change, environmental justice and other key environmental issues in their permit reviews, Earthjustice said.

New Jersey seeks 1 GW of transmission-scale storage

The Garden State’s solicitation is part of a plan to have 2 GW of storage by 2030.

SPP secures funding for second phase of Markets+ development

So far, eight power entities have signed on to funding agreements detailing how market implementation costs will be recovered.

Groups decry Senate’s elimination of building efficiency deduction

The Section 179D Energy Efficient Commercial Building Deduction has grown into a major incentive for owners to retrofit their properties, supporters say.  

How AI can improve utility storm response with increased reliability, lower ratepayer costs

With extreme weather increasing, AI can make storm response more efficient and effective for utilities, ratepayers, vendors, regulators and the various governments involved.

Senate passes megabill that curbs IRA tax credits, drops wind and solar tax

The amended bill also offers an exception to the onerous “placed in service” deadline of 2027 for projects that begin construction within a year of its passage.

State utility regulators urge FERC to slash ROE transmission incentive

Limiting the 0.5% extra return on equity to three years — or ending it — could lower utility income by millions annually, the utilities say.

Trump attacks on NRC independence pose health, safety risks

The exodus of key personnel at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will jeopardize its ability to oversee the nuclear power fleet and slow the licensing of new facilities to a crawl.

Utility conferences to watch in 2025

We’ve updated our list for the second half of the year with events on energy efficiency, load management and more.

Updated June 27, 2025

Affordability a ‘formidable challenge’ as load shifts to tech, industrial customers: ICF

The consulting agency expects electricity prices to rise as much as 25% in some regions through 2030 due to necessary grid expansion, wildfire hardening and other infrastructure projects.

Senate proposes harsh tax on renewables

Former Trump senior adviser Elon Musk on Saturday said the Senate’s latest draft of the bill “gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.”

FERC’s Christie calls for dispatchable resources after grid operators come ‘close to the edge’

“You never know about the next time, and there's going to be a next time,” Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Mark Christie said about grid operators' ability to avoid blackouts this week.

How regulators can protect hydrogen customers while enabling innovation

By asking key questions, regulators can distinguish between fruitful and wasteful hydrogen projects. And by taking a holistic view and engaging with others, they can bring stability to the industry.

New York Gov. Hochul hints at ‘fleet-style approach’ to nuclear deployments

A truly “competitive process” for siting the new nuclear capacity in New York would look beyond the three existing nuclear plants Constellation Energy owns near Lake Ontario, one analyst said.

Electrical manufacturers publish ‘digital substation’ standards

“There are interoperability questions and there's a need for technical guidance for utilities interested in installing these ... self healing grid technologies,” NEMA Senior Vice President Patrick Hughes said.

Can oil and gas solve the AI power dilemma?

The convergence between oil, technology and utilities reflects a profound structural shift — energy and computing are no longer parallel industries but mutually dependent pillars of modern innovation.

Senate negotiating IRA tax credits, aims to vote on budget bill Friday

Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said there is “work being done” on the residential solar tax credit, which the House and the Senate Finance Committee voted to eliminate.