EPA’s tougher soot standard upheld in court

The D.C. Circuit rejected a challenge from states and industry groups, leaving the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for fine particulate matter, including from power plants, in place as litigation over implementation continues.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 1, 2026

New Jersey lawmakers send data center tariff bill to governor

The bill applies to new and existing data centers of at least 50 MW and aims to shield other ratepayers from costs associated with the AI boom.

By Meris Lutz • July 1, 2026

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

California delays emissions reporting deadline by 3 months

The California Air Resources Board said it will delay the compliance deadline for California’s SB 253 — the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act — and propose “limited changes.”

By Lamar Johnson • June 30, 2026

Sen. King urges FERC to reject $67B NextEra-Dominion merger

NextEra Energy’s efforts to kill the New England Clean Energy Connect transmission project is a sign of how the combined utility could stifle competition and harm consumers, the Maine senator said.

By Ethan Howland • June 30, 2026

Virginia defines agrivoltaics, expanding opportunities for solar

Agrivoltaic projects must “ensure flexibility for farmers to adapt to market conditions and support operational needs,” according to the law.

By Diana DiGangi • June 29, 2026

PJM opposes waiver for $2B gas-fired plant in fast-track interconnection review

Gas turbine backlogs prompted Advanced Power Services to seek changes to its project in PJM’s fast-track Reliability Resource Initiative interconnection review, but the grid operator said granting such a waiver would be unfair to other developers.

By Ethan Howland • Updated June 30, 2026

Data centers are ready to negotiate flexibility for speed

Hyperscalers want their data centers online and utilities want to provide interconnections, but experts say both are still looking for common operating guidelines.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 26, 2026

California to sue Trump administration over offshore wind buybacks

The lease cancellations “are causing ongoing harm” to California, which has “invested more than $100 million to support the development of wind energy,” the state’s attorney general said.

By Diana DiGangi • June 25, 2026

DOE emergency orders are incurring additional costs. What are the benefits?

Some of the generating units have operated during tight grid conditions and may have contributed to reliability. Keeping them running costs about $550 million a year, the Sierra Club says.

By Ethan Howland • June 25, 2026

A month into EDAM, the data already shows two very different grids

The new Western day-ahead market is starting to show where resource mixes, operating constraints and carbon policies create fundamentally different economic outcomes.

By Tapas Peshin • June 25, 2026

DOE offers $17.5B in loans to help build 10 large nuclear reactors

Dominion Energy, DTE Energy, WEC Energy Group, Public Service Enterprise Group and Entergy Corp. are among the utilities positioned to benefit, according to Capstone.

By Robert Walton • June 24, 2026

Grid operators making ‘significant progress’ on generator interconnection reform: AEU

However, there isn’t yet evidence that interconnection requests are being processed more quickly, according to Advanced Energy United.

By Ethan Howland • June 24, 2026

Power plants under DOE emergency orders are producing way less energy than before

The Department of Energy ordered six power plants to delay their retirements last year. Two of them produced zero electricity in the first quarter in 2026, and another one is now offline for repairs.

By Ethan Howland • June 23, 2026

GETs, demand response can ease near-term data center electricity price pressure: report

Data centers could use up to 15% of all U.S. electricity by 2030, up from 5% in 2024, Berkeley Lab researchers said in a separate analysis.

By Ethan Howland • June 23, 2026

Texas, facing 438 GW queue, approves initial large-load interconnection process

The first projects to navigate the process will be called “Batch Zero." The Electric Reliability Council of Texas says its large-load queue is almost 90% data centers.

By Robert Walton • June 22, 2026

6 takeaways from FERC’s data center interconnection decision

If RTOs fail to address large-load concerns identified by FERC, the agency will dictate the solutions, per FERC’s David LaCerte. “I say this not as a threat, but as a statement of duty,” he said.

By Ethan Howland • June 22, 2026

How AI fits in the energy development workflow

Energy's AI adoption is low. The developers pulling ahead know which workflows to automate.

By Kyle Baranko, Head of Product • June 22, 2026

Rate cases are strategy: Redefining how utilities drive regulatory outcomes

Approaching the utility rate case with data, strategy and diligence enables favorable outcomes and strengthens credibility.

By Josh Kmiec • June 22, 2026

Trump administration buys out 4 more offshore wind leases for $765M

Invenergy will redirect the funds toward natural gas plants in Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri as well as geothermal projects, the U.S. Department of the Interior said.

By Diana DiGangi • June 18, 2026

DOJ intervenes on behalf of xAI in data center gas turbine lawsuit

The Department of Defense said the xAI data center powered by the gas plant is critical to national security, revealing Grok was used to fire thousands of missiles in the Iran war.

By Diana DiGangi • June 18, 2026

Maryland lawmakers back data center transmission cost complaint at FERC

The PJM Interconnection improperly makes ratepayers pay for data center-driven transmission projects that don’t benefit them, according to Maryland's ratepayer advocate.

By Ethan Howland • June 18, 2026

Dominion Energy, Santee Cooper receive state approval for $5B gas project

The South Carolina Public Service Commission dismissed calls from the Sierra Club to impose a cost cap on the Canadys project or require the utilities to commit to retiring coal-fired units.

By Ethan Howland • June 16, 2026

Utility sector outlook deteriorates on affordability concerns: Fitch

Utilities are expected to make $240 billion in capital expenditures this year, but political and regulatory pressure could put timely cost recovery at risk, the ratings agency said.

By Ethan Howland • June 15, 2026

DOE extends TransAlta Centralia Unit 2 emergency order

The U.S. Department of Energy on Friday said the order to keep the last coal plant in Washington state online is needed to help meet peak summer demand.

By Robert Walton • June 15, 2026

AI load growth is changing the utility business model

Large-load demand is transforming utility strategy, regulation, and investment.

By Betsy Soehren Jones, Partner, Energy & Utilities Practice Lead for AI, Cyber, and Data, West Monroe • June 15, 2026