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

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

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

Data centers ‘primary reason’ for high PJM capacity prices: market monitor

Load from data centers drove up revenue in the PJM Interconnection’s last capacity auction by $7.3 billion, said Monitoring Analytics. It said it is “misleading” to say market results simply reflect tightening supply and demand.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 2, 2025

Utility conferences to watch in 2026

See our annual list of notable power-sector conferences where industry leaders will share knowledge in a rapidly-changing landscape. 

By Meris Lutz • Oct. 1, 2025

US added more coal capacity than wind in July: FERC

Coal is still in the negative from January through July, with retirements resulting in an overall loss of 40 MW of capacity, the report said.

By Diana DiGangi • Oct. 1, 2025

DOE’s reactor pilot: A turning point for US nuclear energy?

The Department of Energy’s nuclear program could be transformational for the energy sector if even one reactor demonstrates commercial operation safely, writes Foley & Lardner partner Jocelyn Lavallo.

By Jocelyn Lavallo • Oct. 1, 2025

North American energy professionals report slower hiring: AEE survey

North Americans also displayed more skepticism toward their infrastructure, with 83% saying their local grid could not handle rapid electrification within the next 10 years. 

By Diana DiGangi • Sept. 30, 2025

EPA mulls postponing coal plant wastewater compliance, changes to Regional Haze Rule

Extending compliance timelines for EPA’s effluent limitations rules would save between $30 million and $200 million annually, the agency said. Coal waste contains contaminants including mercury, cadmium and arsenic. 

By Robert Walton • Sept. 30, 2025

Democratic House bill would reverse Trump energy policies, bolster RTO oversight

The Trump administration is driving up the cost of electricity by creating barriers to clean energy investment to support higher-cost fossil fuel sectors, Rep. Sean Casten said.

By Ethan Howland • Sept. 30, 2025

DOE announces $625M for ‘beautiful, clean coal’ and gas

The U.S. Department of Energy did not immediately respond to questions about the structure of the funding, including whether it would be made available as loans or grants. 

By Meris Lutz • Sept. 29, 2025

Vistra announces Comanche deal, plan to add 860 MW of natural gas

Vistra has inked a 20-year power purchase agreement for Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant and will expand Permian Basin Power Plant’s capacity from 325 MW to 1,185 MW.

By Diana DiGangi • Sept. 29, 2025

Texas backs NRG’s 721-MW Cedar Bayou gas plant with low-interest loan

It is the third loan finalized under the Texas Energy Fund’s In-ERCOT Generation Loan Program and the second to support an NRG Energy project.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 29, 2025

Pending NRC guidance to streamline advanced reactor maintenance: experts

The fresh approach to “in-service testing” of pumps, valves and dynamic restraints could slash field testing workloads by 75%, a TerraPower engineer said.

By Brian Martucci • Sept. 26, 2025

This week in 5 numbers: Rising demand, rising rates

A wildfire settlement and lengthy transmission timelines are also among the notable numbers in the electric utility sector this week.

By Meris Lutz • Sept. 26, 2025