Combined NextEra-Dominion would have 130-GW large-load pipeline

Analysts said the deal, which could create the largest regulated electric utility in the world, marks a shift back toward an integrated utility model. The combined business would be “anchored by a more than 80% regulated business mix,” the companies said.

By Robert Walton • May 18, 2026

2026 Q1 roundup: Utilities divided on data centers as affordability looms large

Physics, policy and politics are beginning to constrain some of the electric utility industry’s highest aspirations for data center-driven growth, Utility Dive learned in first quarter earnings calls.

By Meris Lutz • May 13, 2026

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Top 5 Stories from Utility Dive

Power demand is rising amid dramatic shifts in federal energy policy, but technology and markets continue to push the grid toward cleaner, more distributed resources. 

By Utility Dive staff

Fluence Energy signs master supply agreements with two ‘major’ hyperscalers

The agreements came earlier than expected and represented “significant progress” on the company’s “emerging data center thesis," said Jefferies analyst Julien Dumoulin-Smith.

By Brian Martucci • May 12, 2026

Con Edison to spend $29B shoring up NYC area grid as electrification rises

New York City and its suburbs are not seeing an influx of data centers like other parts of the country, but building and transportation electrification is driving gradual demand growth.

By Brian Martucci • May 12, 2026

Constellation Energy enters 5 GW of nuclear, gas, battery capacity in PJM queue

Some potential data center customers are pausing decision-making in the PJM Interconnection to see how the grid operator’s colocation and backstop auction rules shake out, company officials said.

By Ethan Howland • May 12, 2026

Vistra adds 4.5 GW of capacity in line with ‘reasonable’ forecasts for PJM, ERCOT

“While these views remain below many third-party forecasts and ISO projections, they reflect what we believe to be the pace of physical development,” Vistra CEO Jim Burke said of the company’s load growth projections.

By Diana DiGangi • May 11, 2026

PPL ‘advanced’ data center pipeline grows to 28.3 GW in Pennsylvania

A PPL-Blackstone joint venture is securing gas turbines for power plants that would serve data centers, company officials said.

By Ethan Howland • May 11, 2026

Sunrun saw steep sales drop in Q1 with end of solar tax credit, tariffs

The company says it remains “the nation’s largest distributed power plant operator,” with about 4.3 GWh of networked storage capacity as of March 31 — a 50% increase year over year. It aims to have 10 GWh of dispatchable capacity by the end of 2028.

By Brian Martucci • May 8, 2026

Evergy expects retail sales to rise up to 8% annually on data center growth

In response, Evergy has increased its planned gas-fired generation in Missouri to 4.7 GW. Separately, it slashed its long-term renewable energy plans more than 90%.

By Ethan Howland • May 8, 2026

NRG close to completing 415-MW gas plant backed by Texas Energy Fund

The independent power producer has another 1.1 GW of state-supported gas projects set to come online this decade as it also works to integrate 13 GW of gas-generation assets acquired from LS Power.

By Brian Martucci • May 7, 2026

Exelon lowers utility spending to ease electric affordability issues

Exelon is shifting its spending away from utility operations while boosting planned transmission expenditures, company officials said during an earnings call on Wednesday.

By Ethan Howland • May 7, 2026

PSEG CEO: Nuclear outlook for New Jersey improves on lifting of moratorium

Nuclear power plants won’t be built, however, without long-term federal financial support and hyperscaler offtake agreements, said Ralph LaRossa, Public Service Enterprise Group CEO.

By Ethan Howland • May 6, 2026

Xcel Energy: Google deal sets template for large load tariff strategy

CEO Bob Frenzel also said Xcel is doubling down on its renewables strategy. “We believe that these large customers are absolutely committed to [the] long-term sustainability of their own product,” he said.

By Emma Penrod • May 6, 2026

Duke Energy added 2.7 GW of contracted data centers in Q1

The additions bring the company’s total executed agreements with data centers to 7.6 GW, “nearly two-thirds of which are already under construction,” President and CEO Harry Sideris said. Duke’s $103-billion capital plan remained unchanged from 2025.

By Robert Walton • May 6, 2026

AEP eyes exit from PJM, SPP over slow generation interconnection

American Electric Power’s review of its market options comes amid a surge in customer demand across its multistate footprint. Its utilities have contracts for 63 GW of new large load by 2030.

By Ethan Howland • May 6, 2026

‘Energy security’ drives Schneider Electric growth: CEO

Revenue jumped in part due to the AI boom, while geopolitical uncertainty boosted the outlook for electrified, digitized building systems, executives said on the company’s first-quarter earnings call. 

By Brian Martucci • May 5, 2026

Dominion upbeat on offshore wind as cost estimate eases, sales rise

CEO Robert Blue said the 2.6-GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind farm, which began producing some electricity in March, should be fully operational by 2027 and generate approximately $5 billion in fuel savings over 10 years. The utility’s fuel and other energy-related costs jumped 67% in Q1.

By Brian Martucci • May 4, 2026

Without wildfire reform, California utilities could see credit impacts: Edison International

CEO Pedro Pizarro called for a return to the cost-of-service model for California's regulated utilities during a company earnings call.

By Emma Penrod • May 1, 2026

DTE sees up to 8.4 GW data center opportunity

The utility will supply a 1.4-GW Oracle data center under construction now, and it has submitted contracts to regulators for a 1-GW Google project also in the works.

By Robert Walton • May 1, 2026

FirstEnergy opposes key part of PJM data center backstop procurement plan

The PJM Interconnection’s planned backstop auction is flawed, said CEO Brian Tierney. Separately, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said his administration will oppose rate hike requests that fail to meet affordability criteria.

By Ethan Howland • April 30, 2026

Wildfires weigh on PG&E as California sees modest large load demand

California must spread the word that it is “open for business,” CEO Patti Poppe said of recent interactions with data center developers. The California Energy Commission forecasts 1.8 GW of new data center load in CAISO by 2030.

By Emma Penrod • April 30, 2026

Industrial loads boost Consumers Energy’s sales as coal plant emergency order costs rise

At least one analyst on Tuesday’s earnings call raised concerns about Consumers’ regulatory strategy after DTE Energy said it may pause future rate hike requests if its current request is approved.

By Brian Martucci • April 28, 2026

NextEra contracted 4 GW of new generation projects in Q1

NextEra Energy Resources signed contracts for 1.3 GW of battery storage in the first quarter and expects to build 43 GW of battery storage by the end of 2032.

By Emma Penrod • April 27, 2026

DTE proposes $474M Michigan electric rate hike

The utility also made a conditional promise to freeze rate hikes for two years if its request is approved. State legislators are weighing a proposal to increase the minimum time between rate cases from one to three years.

By Robert Walton • April 24, 2026

GE Vernova gas turbine backlog hits 100 GW as prices rise

“The dollar-per-kilowatt growth is going to be very healthy in the second quarter of this year,” CEO Scott Strazik said of turbine sales. The company also saw big jumps in orders for grid and wind power equipment.

By Brian Martucci • April 23, 2026