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Fleet managers not sold on EVs, but they’re getting there: survey

Insufficient options for larger trucks and nervousness about range and charging options are holding back adoption, says EV services company Mitra. About a third of states have adopted zero-emission fleet requirements, including some for private organizations.

FERC tees up June decision on data center interconnection reform

Other open meeting takeaways: Chairman Swett is “perplexed” on PJM backstop auction, the agency rejected a renewable developer’s $44-million waiver request, and zombie dockets die.

US renewable power purchase agreements reach record prices: LevelTen

Industry analysts say the Iran war and impending tax credit expiration have not yet played a major role in rising power purchase agreement prices.

PECO withdraws $510M in rate hike proposals over affordability concerns

“We recognize that Pennsylvanians are struggling with basic necessities like gas, food, and energy and have decided to withdraw our proposal,” said David Vahos, president and CEO of the Exelon subsidiary.

Congress presses DOE’s Wright on Energy Star, permitting reform

Energy Secretary Chris Wright didn’t offer plans for DOE’s full takeover of the Energy Star program. He agreed to work with Congress on methane rules and permitting reform.

FERC orders American Efficient to pay $1.1B for ‘brazen fraud’

“American Efficient’s years-long fraud profoundly disrupted the organized capacity markets and ultimately increased costs for ordinary Americans,” FERC Chairman Laura Swett said.

Updated April 17, 2026

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.

ERCOT says Texas demand could quadruple but cautions forecast may be inflated

The forecast is “preliminary,” said grid officials, who may request changes to the analysis. It is based on ERCOT forecasting, as well as utilities working directly with large load customers.

Colorado legislature sends ‘advanced transmission technology’ bill to governor

The bill requires Xcel Energy, Black Hills and Tri-State to assess the potential for grid-enhancing technologies to bolster the bulk power system, reduce wildfires and increase interstate power flows. Other states are following suit.

Suniva announces 4.5-GW solar cell facility in South Carolina

Expanding U.S. solar cell manufacturing capacity targets an “important bottleneck," Keith Adams, Deloitte’s U.S. renewable energy leader, said in an email to Utility Dive.

Wright defends actions on coal plants, funding cuts in testy House hearing

When pressed, the energy secretary said that money for home energy efficiency rebate programs, which has been frozen since last year, would “probably” be released in a “few weeks.”

Maryland regulators weigh investor-owned utilities’ flexible load proposals

Public Service Commission staff characterized the proposals as a good start but said they needed “additional clarity” to ensure reliable, measurable and well-located grid benefits.

Why reforming rooftop solar and battery permitting belongs on every state affordability agenda

The hurdles that stop families from installing home energy upgrades are firmly within the control of state governments, writes Permit Power founder Nick Josefowitz.

Utility investment plans jump 21%, further threatening affordability: PowerLines

“It’s like a gold rush,” said Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Executive Director Stephen Smith. Utilities are proposing investments to meet load growth that at times is “pure speculation,” he said.

Distributed batteries get legislative, utility lift in California

SB 913 would designate residential batteries as resource adequacy capacity. Ava Community Energy’s SmartHome Battery program creates incentives for residential battery-sharing.

Regulators approve Georgia Power’s BYO clean resources plan for large loads

Eligible projects can be located in other states as long as they can deliver power to Georgia Power under an approved interconnection framework, Jamie Barber of the Georgia Public Service Commission told Utility Dive.

An outdated FERC policy is undermining the White House’s ratepayer protection pledge

FERC should revisit its transmission pricing policy and require utilities to assign the full costs of service to power-hungry data centers, writes Harvard’s Ari Peskoe.

Maryland General Assembly passes rate relief measure to lower utility bills by $150/year

The bill reflects growing concerns among U.S. regulators and policymakers about the level of utility spending and how that affects affordability, an equity analyst said.

FERC approves market rules for Champlain Hudson transmission project

The $6-billion, 1,250-MW merchant transmission line is set to begin delivering hydropower from Canada to New York City in May. FERC’s decision will allow NYISO to integrate the project’s physical reservation model with the ISO’s financial reservation system.

The need for speed: FERC must exempt transmission projects from regulatory bottlenecks

Order 1000 has failed to deliver savings and has instead driven higher costs for customers, writes Purvi Patel at ITC Holdings.

Iran war impacts on oil prices spiked construction stress, increased abandonments

Construction saw a 22.8% surge in project abandonments month over month in March, according to ConstructConnect. Other analyses have found commercial construction weakening outside the data center boom.

Solar generation to rise 17% this summer: EIA

The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s most recent short-term outlook highlights renewable energy’s growing grid penetration, particularly during the summer.

PJM proposes adding 14.9 GW with bilateral contracts, central procurement

In the first part of a two-phase plan, the grid operator would help match buyers, including data centers and other large loads, with sellers of new generation. States and utilities may seek to lower the procurement target over affordability concerns.

Vineyard Wind sues to force GE Renewables to complete work on 800-MW offshore project

The GE Vernova subsidiary is threatening to walk over a payment dispute. The developers say their contract allows them to withhold payment to offset costs incurred by the supplier’s defective blades, which they put at $853 million.

Utilities are failing to connect with customers on affordability. Data can help bridge the gap.

There are five ways utilities can leverage payment history, usage and other data to hone their customer outreach to improve trust and outcomes, writes Richard Yost, a principal at YSG.