Why Texas’ backup plan is a warning sign for grid operations nationwide

We need new power lines and generators, but they won’t arrive in time to handle surging demand. What we can do now is operate smarter with software-based operational intelligence to reduce curtailment, ease congestion and lower consumer costs.

By Georg Rute • Aug. 14, 2025

Duke expands demand response programs in South Carolina, citing new law, heat waves

Duke is not the only utility emphasizing efficiency and demand response as the country sets new records for energy usage and peak demand.

By Meris Lutz • Aug. 13, 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

Multidirectional flows of power and information are the grid’s future

In the frenzy to meet rising energy demand, utilities and others often overlook the value of power system innovations, industry participants say.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 12, 2025

PJM launches fast-track push to set rules for adding data centers

Amid surging data center development, PJM stakeholders will explore options for adding large loads to the grid without threatening reliability. PJM aims to file a proposal at FERC by the end of the year.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 12, 2025

3 Arizona utilities set peak demand records last week

After years of stagnant demand growth, rising electricity consumption is showing up on the U.S. power grid.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 12, 2025

Why utilities must rethink natural gas procurement for a high-demand future

Electric utilities are grappling with the reality that the past is not prologue when it comes to electricity demand.

Aug. 11, 2025

$8.8B energy efficiency rebate program on hold in most states, underway in some

David Terry, president of the National Association of State Energy Officials, said he has been “repeatedly” assured that obligated funds will be disbursed.

By Diana DiGangi • Updated Aug. 6, 2025

Lawmakers in House and Senate move to maintain Energy Star

The Trump administration’s fiscal year 2026 budget request, which it released in early May, eliminated all funding for the Atmospheric Protection Program, which administers Energy Star. 

By Robert Freedman • Aug. 6, 2025

Inclusive by design: A new model for expanding energy engagement

See how data-driven design is reshaping energy access for underserved communities.

By Brian McKee • Aug. 4, 2025

The grid’s hidden asset is your customers. The FCC just unlocked access to them.

Learn how to take advantage of unlocked customer access to scale demand response programs, encourage peak load reductions, and make the grid more resilient.

By Mary Sprayregen • Aug. 4, 2025

Aggregations and data centers: If a resource shows up when the grid is straining, make it count.

Allow AI data centers to participate in grid stress management, and the capital will flow to the solutions that enable flexible, grid-supportive outcomes.

By Arushi Sharma Frank • July 31, 2025

Data center flexibility can save money but may come with higher emissions: MIT

In Texas, where renewable energy is booming, data center emissions fell by up to 40% in the MIT modeling of flexible data center workloads. In other regions, however, emissions rose.

By Robert Walton • July 30, 2025

Nvidia addresses AI peak power demand, spikes in new rack-scale systems

One engineer called it a “moderate big deal,” given Nvidia’s dominance, but “not transformative.”

By Meris Lutz • July 30, 2025

DTE Energy in talks with data centers for 7 GW of new load

Data centers are providing upside to the company’s long-term plan, potentially requiring investment in energy storage and generation, company officials said Tuesday.

By Robert Walton • July 29, 2025

Demand response programs improving, but customers remain wary: report

One provider said demand response events increased 173% from 2021 to 2024, but the average enrolled device participated in only 2% more events.

By Brian Martucci • July 28, 2025

Data centers seek flexible power solutions for resilience, sustainability

Flexible battery- or generator-based solutions can help data centers power up faster, reduce grid impacts and keep their owners’ sustainability goals within reach, experts say.

By Brian Martucci • July 25, 2025

US electricity demand to grow 2.5% annually through 2035: BofA Institute

Building electrification, data centers, industrial growth and electric vehicles are among the factors contributing to growth, according to the prediction.

By Robert Walton • July 24, 2025

Microgrid ‘energy parks’ could ease strain from rising power demand, report says

Several such sites are already in the works, including the $1 billion Meitner Project in Texas, which is developing wind, solar and hydrogen resources.

By Diana DiGangi • July 23, 2025

Ionna tops 3K contracted battery charging bays with new partnership

The Wawa convenience store chain is the latest company to join the automaker-led joint venture aimed at expanding EV charging infrastructure.

By Larry Avila • July 22, 2025

Texas must balance speedy data center buildout with risk of stranded costs: stakeholders

All loads should pay for a portion of transmission, “regardless of whether they're co-located or have behind the meter generation,” said Clif Lange, general manager of South Texas Electric Cooperative.

By Robert Walton • July 22, 2025

Schneider Electric launches platform to boost supply chain decarbonization

The new Zeigo Hub will allow companies to engage suppliers of all sizes, track and manage emissions, and accelerate progress toward their net-zero goals, the company said.

By Zoya Mirza • July 18, 2025

Virtual power plants helped save the grid during heat dome

It costs far less — and takes less time — to aggregate existing customer-sited resources than it does to build new dispatchable generation or storage. “Light bulbs are starting to go off,” said one expert.

By Brian Martucci • July 16, 2025

So you’re thinking about buying an electric school bus

From working with a utility to choosing a charger, five insights to improve the decision-making.

By Linda Margison, Ryan Henderson and Linda Stevens • July 16, 2025

Georgia Power’s new IRP keeps coal plants online to serve data centers

The integrated resource plan approved by regulators on Tuesday also calls for up to 4,000 MW of renewable resources by 2035 and more than 1,500 MW of storage.

By Robert Walton • July 16, 2025

Google Cloud to pour more than $25B into AI infrastructure across PJM

The investment will expand the hyperscaler’s data center footprint across the largest U.S. power grid over the next two years.

By Matt Ashare • July 15, 2025