$3.1B annual cost estimated for fossil fuel plants DOE won’t allow to retire

One coal plant owner told the SEC it spent $29 million in the first 38 days of an Energy Department order to keep it online.

By Ethan Howland • Updated Aug. 18, 2025

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

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Reliability

A curated selection of recent stories that explore advances in policy and technology to address reliability, as well as the reliability risks the U.S. power system is facing.

By Utility Dive staff

3 Arizona utilities set peak demand records

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

By Robert Walton • Aug. 12, 2025

FERC’s Christie steps down, leaving agency with three members

The White House plans to name Commissioner David Rosner, a Democrat, as interim chairman, according to reports. One former FERC official speculated that the administration wants a majority that will support colocating data centers at power plants.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 11, 2025

How to avoid the utility software money pit

Utilities are overspending on software that underdelivers. Learn why flashy DERMS deals fail, and how smarter procurement can protect the grid and ratepayers.

By Dr. Sasan Mokhtari, President & CEO, OATI • Aug. 11, 2025

The hybrid advantage: Why flywheel-battery systems are grid stability’s best-kept secret

Hybrid flywheel-battery systems extend battery life while delivering instant grid response.

By Nate Walkingshaw, CEO and co-founder of Torus • Aug. 11, 2025

AI could cut disaster infrastructure losses by 15%, new research finds

Artificial intelligence applications like predictive maintenance and digital twins can help keep the power on and the roads open during natural disasters — and save $70 billion in infrastructure losses by 2050, according to a Deloitte Global report.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 8, 2025

Why utilities should bring water into the data center energy conversation

For utilities, this is not only about supporting customer growth but also about protecting grid integrity and infrastructure investments in an increasingly resource-constrained environment.

By Pete Elliott and Richard Tribble • Aug. 7, 2025

We at PJM need realistic solutions, not politics, to take on energy challenges

Some public narratives have presented an inaccurate picture of the PJM Interconnection’s role in cost-effectively keeping the lights on. Here are the facts.

By Aftab Khan • Aug. 6, 2025

The weather is changing. Here’s how utilities can adapt.

The Climate READi framework can help energy companies prioritize investments and adapt the evolving electric system to the climate of the future.

By Morgan Scott • Aug. 1, 2025

PPL Electric ‘advanced-stage’ data center pipeline grows 32%, to 14 GW

PPL supports legislation in Pennsylvania that would allow utilities to own power plants, CEO Vince Sorgi said.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 1, 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

DOE allows Talen to run oil-fired unit above limits to avoid outages amid heat wave

The unit is one of several owned by Talen Energy that were slated to retire in May of this year, before the company reached a “reliability-must-run” agreement to delay their shuttering to 2029. 

By Ethan Howland • July 29, 2025

From chaos to clarity: How utilities can speed storm recovery with real‑time storm intelligence

From hurricanes to ice storms to derechos, utilities need smarter storm tech to restore power safely, efficiently and with greater precision.

July 28, 2025

FERC orders changes to PJM’s grid interconnection process, plus 3 other open meeting takeaways

Required changes include cost allocation for network upgrades, consideration of grid-enhancing technologies and energy storage modeling.

By Ethan Howland • July 25, 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

Energy Department’s flawed grid study props up expensive, zombie power plants

The most effective way to maintain grid reliability is to let planners plan, markets work and utilities build the resources they’ve already identified as the most affordable path forward.

By Matthias Fripp and Brendan Pierpont • July 24, 2025

FERC approves MISO, SPP fast-track interconnection reviews

Gas-fired power plants will likely make up most of the projects selected for the expedited reviews, according to ClearView Energy Partners.

By Ethan Howland • Updated July 24, 2025

PJM capacity prices set another record with 22% jump

The Trump administration will likely seize on the auction results to justify keeping thermal power plants, namely coal, in PJM from retiring, according to analysts with Capstone.

By Ethan Howland • July 23, 2025

Electric utilities will invest more than $1.1T by 2030 to meet demand growth: EEI

The electric utility sector’s capital expenditures “are higher than any other sector in the U.S. economy,” Edison Electric Institute President and CEO Drew Maloney said.

By Robert Walton • July 23, 2025

Booming solar and storage are propping up Puerto Rico’s grid this summer

What started as a modest pilot program is now the first virtual power plant of its kind in the region, advocates say.

By Meris Lutz • 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

Making ghosts visible: Software for detecting EVs plugged into the grid

Sense announces new software, EV Analytics, for vehicle detection and charging insights.

By Nancy Riley, SVP of Product at Sense • July 21, 2025