US electric utilities entering investment ‘super-cycle,’ says Morningstar DBRS

U.S. electric utilities will spend $1.4 trillion from 2025 to 2030, the firm said. They face challenges around data center demand forecasting, rising rates and regulatory lag.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 27, 2025

The week in 5 numbers: The electricity price report everyone is talking about

Plus utility identity fraud, turbine backlogs and more.

By Meris Lutz • Oct. 24, 2025

Explore the Trendline➔

Electricity Supply and Demand

After nearly two decades of flat demand, U.S. electricity consumption reached an all-time high in 2024 and is expected to continue rising. This trendline brings together the best of Utility Dive’s coverage of emerging trends in supply and demand and the decisions being made today that will impact the power system for years to come. 

By Utility Dive staff

Gas reliance will worsen the energy affordability crisis

Utilities and regulators should consider other options before investing in gas plants and making customers pay the inflated price, writes Cassady Craighill, technical education director at GridLab.

By Cassady Craighill • Oct. 23, 2025

NERC president warns of ‘five-alarm fire’ for grid reliability

“The reliability of the power grid remains extremely high, but, paradoxically, the risks to reliability continue to mount,” the North American Electric Reliability Corp.’s Jim Robb told federal regulators.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 22, 2025

FERC rejects NV Energy plan to allow free exit from interconnection study

Geothermal projects have surged to 3.3 GW in NV Energy’s interconnection queue, which grew 30% in the last three months.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 21, 2025

NorthWestern plans ‘large load’ tariff for Montana data centers

Advocates say the utility plans to serve at least three data centers that could scale up to a load of 2,250 MW — nearly twice its current peak. NorthWestern said it is in talks with potential data center customers but has no agreements.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 21, 2025

Residential electricity prices surge ahead of C&I rates: Berkeley Lab

State behind-the-meter policies and renewable portfolio standards appear to increase electricity prices, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory researchers said.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 20, 2025

The week in 5 numbers: DOE backs transmission, Amazon’s dozen nuclear reactors

Plus a group of solar projects in Nevada face uncertainty and California funds offshore wind.

By Meris Lutz • Oct. 17, 2025

DOE releases nuclear fusion road map, aiming for deployment in 2030s

“The exceptional materials degradation caused by large quantities of fusion neutrons is one of the single largest factors limiting the economics and safety of fusion energy,” DOE said.

By Diana DiGangi • Oct. 17, 2025

FERC orders MISO to clarify how merchant projects will be included in transmission planning

Also, the agency aims to issue a colocation decision this year while its staffing has plunged 11%, FERC Chairman David Rosner said Thursday at an open meeting.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 17, 2025

Washington nuclear facility will deploy 12 Amazon-funded SMRs

The plant’s three 320-MW sections will together comprise a 960-MW plant within the space of a few city blocks, Amazon said.

By Diana DiGangi • Oct. 16, 2025

21 Democratic House members press PJM for interconnection reforms

The lawmakers called on the PJM Interconnection to bolster rules for energy storage and grid-enhancing technologies while considering options such as “connect and manage.”

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 16, 2025

How community benefits agreements can reduce project delivery risk

Working with communities to develop energy or other projects can help developers deliver on-time and on-budget, and with a strong foundation of local support.

By Sameera Fazili, Pronita Gupta and Doug Bloch • Oct. 15, 2025

PJM’s market monitor urges FERC to review Amazon data center’s effect on costs, reliability

The issue centers on an unprecedented agreement between PECO Energy and Amazon Data Services that aims to protect utility customers from costs related to a planned data center complex in Pennsylvania.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 15, 2025

FERC approves SPP ‘provisional load’ interconnection review process

With 26.4 GW in large load study requests since 2020, the Southwest Power Pool is developing options for data centers, manufacturing plants and other loads to connect to the grid.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 14, 2025

New York City could face power reliability issues beginning next year: ISO

“The NYISO’s findings should be alarming to residents and serve as another wake up call for the state,” said Gavin Donohue, president of the Independent Power Producers of New York.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 14, 2025

Grid planners and experts on why markets keep choosing renewables

“If natural gas was the cheapest option to meet the peak, the markets would select it,” said Sean Kelly, co-founder and CEO of forecast provider Amperon and a former energy analyst.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 9, 2025

Investor-owned utilities could spend $1.1T between 2025 and 2029: EEI

U.S electricity generation rose 3% in 2024 “and is expected to rise for the foreseeable future,” the Edison Electric Institute said Tuesday.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 9, 2025

Navigating the One Big Beautiful Bill era in US power markets

In today’s volatile climate, success will hinge less on predicting the future and more on preparing for it, say the authors from energy consulting firm E3 in this detailed original analysis of federal policy. 

By Kushal Patel, Gregory Gangelhoff, Tali Perelman and Amber Mahone • Oct. 8, 2025

Investor-owned utilities call for ending ‘overreliance’ on PJM capacity market

“Narrowly focusing on design changes to PJM markets has left customers exposed to reliability risks and cost uncertainty,” the Edison Electric Institute’s Drew Maloney said.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 8, 2025

Groups challenge MISO cost allocation plan for coal power plant

Industrial, business and environmental groups say they should not have to pay to continue running a 1,560-MW, coal-fired power plant that doesn’t benefit them after the DOE ordered it to stay open. 

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 7, 2025

Minnesota PUC approves $6.2B Allete sale to private equity

The deal with Blackrock’s Global Infrastructure Partners and a Canadian pension fund will bring about $200 million in ratepayer benefits, according to Allete.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 6, 2025

Is nuclear the key to powering the data center boom?

To fulfill the promise of an energy renaissance, nuclear resources must overcome complex operational, financial and workforce challenges, writes POWWR Director Nainish Gupta.

By Nainish Gupta • Oct. 3, 2025

The week in 5 numbers: DOE slashes clean energy funding following coal ‘investment’

Plus PJM’s data center woes, record storage deployment and new generation additions.

By Meris Lutz • Oct. 3, 2025

Texas PUC approves Entergy’s 500-kV SETEX transmission project

The Public Utility Commission also selected six projects to receive $381 million from the Texas Energy Fund's Outside ERCOT Grant Program.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 3, 2025