Transmission expansion could spur billions in savings, especially in PJM: study

About a dozen inter- and intraregional projects in the Eastern Interconnection could help meet load growth, lower retail electric rates, bolster reliability and support U.S. security, the study found.

By Ethan Howland • Sept. 2, 2026

Wildfire costs loom over California legislative session that passed solar, data center bills

The California Legislature did not vote on a wildfire reform bill during a special session Tuesday, effectively killing the proposal. The bill had implications for electric utilities.

By Diana DiGangi • Updated 13 hours ago

Explore the Trendline➔

Data Centers and the US Grid

A look at how data centers are affecting the U.S. grid today and how new technologies and rate structures could affect that trajectory in the years to come.

By Utility Dive staff

Large loads face reliability requirements under MISO proposal

MISO defines “large loads” as those above 50 MW and “computational loads” as large loads that include at least 25 MW of demand from information technology equipment. The separate classifications will allow MISO to target certain requirements to data centers.

By Ethan Howland • Updated Sept. 1, 2026

California sues Trump administration over offshore wind ‘extortion racket’

The state alleges the Trump administration “abuses its authority” by diminishing the value of offshore wind energy leases before it makes an “unrefusable offer” to developers.

By Diana DiGangi • Aug. 31, 2026

PJM drops Oklo advanced nuclear project from interconnection study cycle

Oklo asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to order the PJM Interconnection to reinstate its 750-MW, mixed-technology project. PJM reportedly told Oklo that it never showed the project could ride through a sudden drop in grid voltage.

By Ethan Howland • Updated Sept. 1, 2026

Property risk in natural resources: The shift from severity to duration

Secondary perils, such as severe convective storms, are becoming a primary driver of earnings volatility.

Aug. 31, 2026

Ohio ratepayer advocate urges FERC to resolve 3-year-old local transmission complaint

Since the complaint was filed, FirstEnergy, AEP and other Ohio utilities have planned more than $4.3 billion in local transmission without adequate oversight, the Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel said.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 28, 2026

Duke Energy Florida asks to punt on rate for large load customers

Duke Energy Florida’s proposal “doesn't attempt to comply with the most basic provisions” of Florida’s new data center law, the state’s public counsel, Walt Trierweiler, said at a hearing.

By Diana DiGangi • Aug. 27, 2026

Data centers can vanish from the grid in seconds; reliability rules need to catch up

The loss of more than 3 GW of data center demand in Virginia shows why policy must address operational behavior, not just costs, writes AIxEnergy.io founder Brandon Owens.

By Brandon Owens • Aug. 25, 2026

US-Canada trade war threatens electricity imports, prices

If Canada opts to reduce or eliminate electricity exports to New England, the impact would be largely financial — at least under typical weather conditions, according to the region's grid operator. A previous 25% tariff in 2025 lasted only a day.

By Robert Walton • Updated Aug. 25, 2026

Commonwealth Fusion Systems aims to complete demonstration reactor with $1B funding round

CEO Bob Mumgaard said the reactor, SPARC, is now “about 80% complete.” Experts remain divided over how soon they believe fusion technology could be commercialized.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 24, 2026

Microsoft, PowerHouse Hillwood dispute data center service agreements

Data center agreements in Wisconsin fail to protect ratepayers, Microsoft says. Separately, PowerHouse Hillwood has accused Exelon’s ComEd of using monopoly power to quash an agreement for an Illinois data center.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 24, 2026

PJM eyes option to jumpstart surplus interconnection pathway

The surplus interconnection process has produced limited results while MISO and SPP are studying about 15 GW and 14 GW, respectively — mostly battery storage. PJM's current rules hinder hybrid projects, observers say.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 21, 2026

Electric co-ops press for repeal of gas power plant emissions rules

“We are anxious to see action on this,” said National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO Jim Matheson. “We all understand that natural gas is the go-to for new generation in this country.”

By Diana DiGangi • Aug. 20, 2026

FERC approves SPP ‘topology optimization’ plan for cutting grid congestion

The Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s power market has saved nearly $100 million this year under a similar approach for topology reconfiguration.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 20, 2026

Pennsylvania dangles permitting carrot for data centers that bring their own power

Under a new permitting framework for loads over 25 MW, applicants that commit to abide by the state’s recently introduced infrastructure development standards for data centers will receive preferential treatment.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 19, 2026

ISO-NE to review ‘asset condition’ transmission projects under proposal filed at FERC

The class of projects, which are chosen and built by transmission owners, mainly to replace aging infrastructure, with limited oversight, have long been a source of complaint by New England states and ratepayer advocates.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 18, 2026

FERC approves MISO cost recovery plan for transmission projects built in PJM

In its decision affecting Exelon and Duke Energy utilities, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rejected calls to require the planned projects to go through a bidding process.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 17, 2026

Dominion ordered to directly assign some transmission costs to data centers

The Virginia State Corporation Commission said it may use an upcoming docket to weigh whether this policy “could or should” also apply to more upstream transmission costs.

By Diana DiGangi • Aug. 12, 2026

PJM eyes data center, crypto reliability requirements after 3.8 GW of load trips offline

The PJM Interconnection is considering setting “ride-through” standards after data centers tripped offline in Northern Virginia on July 22, the latest and largest such event in PJM’s history, the grid operator said.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 12, 2026

Competitive transmission delivers benefits for the AI economy and customers

A group of incumbent utilities asked FERC to suspend competitive bidding for some transmission projects. The responsive filings are in, and the record does more than rebut the complaint — it dismantles it, writes Jim Rossi of Vanderbilt Law School.

By Jim Rossi • Aug. 10, 2026

The utility billing system is preventing rate and program innovation

Utilities are spending billions to modernize the grid, but the system responsible for billing customers is not keeping up, writes GridX Chief Commercial Officer Scott Engstrom.

By Scott Engstrom • Aug. 7, 2026

Texas data center pause puts 20% of US pipeline at risk of delay: BNEF

The longer the moratorium stays in place, the greater the risk to Texas’ data center boom, analysts at Bloomberg NEF said.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 6, 2026

California DER wholesale market participation could grow 2+ GW from CAISO ‘accounting change’: advocate

Behind-the-meter batteries and other aggregated DERs could get another lift from a related rulemaking at the California Public Utilities Commission, but a final ruling is unlikely before next year, a regulatory expert told Utility Dive.

By Brian Martucci • Aug. 5, 2026

$20B in federal climate grants unblocked by appeals court

A divided court rejected the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s attempt to reclaim Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grants “based solely on a policy disagreement” with the Inflation Reduction Act. 

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 5, 2026