Public Citizen challenges cost recovery for $546M PSE&G transmission project

A $6.6 million settlement between Public Service Electric and Gas and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission indicates costs from the project were imprudent, Public Citizen said.

Xcel defends storage ownership in distributed capacity pilot

The Minnesota utility floated modifications to its Capacity*Connect proposal, but it maintained it should own the batteries as it builds out the program. Stakeholders argued for more competition.

America’s new power barons: Who will rule the AI-grade megawatt megasector?

The winning model will be hybrid: gas for firmness, renewables for optics and cost, and storage for stability, writes NOVUS Energy Advisors’ Emily Easley.

Tariffs push construction input prices higher

The latest PPI report presents “plenty of cause for concern,” according to Associated Builders and Contractors. Switchgear, switchboard and industrial controls equipment was up 11.1% from last year; copper wire and cable were up 11.7% and unprocessed energy materials were down 4.9%.

Appeals court vacates FERC decision on PJM capacity results for Delmarva zone

The court ordered the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to revisit a complaint over $183 million in “anomalous” capacity costs for parts of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.

Illinois AG files objections to ComEd data center agreements at FERC

The agreements are based on payment models in which the offtaker promises to pay a minimum and post security if its usage does not match its commitment. The state argues this does not guarantee enough revenue to cover the transmission costs.

SolarMax Technologies to deploy three utility-scale BESS projects in Texas, Puerto Rico

The combined 400-MW/1-GWh deployments advance a strategic shift toward larger commercial installations amid regulatory and policy changes, the company has said.

New York Gov. Hochul expands nuclear aspirations to 8-GW fleet

On Tuesday, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul called for adding 5 GW of nuclear capacity to the state’s 3.4-GW fleet. The state’s new energy plan cast nuclear as key to its reliability and decarbonization goals. 

Updated Jan. 14, 2026

Why winning the AI race requires systems intelligence, not just electric capacity

The future won’t belong to the nations with the most generating capacity, but to those with the best grid coordination, writes Evan Caron, co-founder of Montauk Capital.

Trump administration clarifies scope of tariff refunds ahead of Supreme Court ruling

Government lawyers said in a separate case that if the Supreme Court determines IEEPA tariffs to be illegal and orders refunds, the administration would make reimbursements for all levies instituted under the statute.

Trump administration unlawfully cut clean energy grants, court rules

The decision is a victory for St. Paul, Minnesota, and a coalition of energy and environmental groups that sued the U.S. Department of Energy after it canceled $7.5 billion in financial awards.

EPA final rule on NOx limits emphasizes cost savings to turbine owners

The agency did not assess the economic impacts of better health from reducing nitrogen oxide in setting the new standard, which is nearly 90% less stringent than the Biden-era proposal.

Judge grants (another) injunction to offshore developer amid Trump’s war on wind

Some analysts predicted a similar outcome on Jan. 16 in a separate case that would allow Dominion to continue construction on its 2.6-GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project.

America’s energy innovation crossroads: Why federal investment matters now

Meeting the United States’ energy challenges will require a federal investment of $25 billion for Department of Energy R&D by 2030, writes Clean Tomorrow Senior Director of Policy Evan Chapman.

Senate bill exempts fully isolated large loads from FERC, DOE regulation

The bill affecting data centers and other energy-intensive sectors may face opposition from utilities who see it as a threat to their revenue, according to one industry expert who called it “good for the public” and “extremely confident developers.”

5 takeaways from Xcel CEO Bob Frenzel’s talk at the Minneapolis Fed

Supply chains are “actually degrading” while competition for engineering, construction and procurement services from hyperscalers is driving up costs for utilities, Frenzel said. 

Building security into energy infrastructure by design is lower cost and more effective

Data centers and their energy partners would be wise to ramp up cybersecurity efforts to match the pace of development, writes Leo Simonovich of Siemens Energy.

Emboldened Virginia Democrats focus on clean energy, affordability

Their proposals include bills intended to increase renewables and energy storage, expand utility efficiency programs and improve load forecasting.

Illinois sets 3-GW energy storage target, requires utilities to develop virtual power plants

Electricity bills in Illinois rose 15% last year. A new law aims to reduce energy costs by incentivizing new resources, expanding solar and growing efficiency programs.

Trump pulls US from key climate treaty, 65 other global organizations

The U.S. will exit the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and several other global bodies focused on climate, energy and sustainable development.

The week in 5 numbers: data centers drive load growth in PJM, Texas

In non-data center news, offshore wind farms say they're losing millions a day and the government won't divulge the national security concerns behind a construction freeze.

Meta inks nuclear deals for up to 6.6 GW from Oklo, Vistra, TerraPower

The agreements invest in future deliveries of advanced nuclear technology while also procuring power from existing plants and uprates.

MISO selects AEP-Berkshire JV to build $1.2B, 765-kV transmission project

The Midcontinent Independent System Operator also tapped Viridon to build a $350 million project in Wisconsin on the strength of the developer’s cost containment commitments.

Modern rate design needed to meet Northeast, Mid-Atlantic grid challenges: NEEP

Seasonal rates and opt-out time-of-use plans are among the reforms that can find success without major technology or infrastructure upgrades, the energy-efficiency group said.

4 of 5 offshore wind farms challenge Trump administration stop work order

The December stop work order is estimated to be costing the projects anywhere from $1 million to $5 million per day.

Updated Jan. 8, 2026