IOUs work to interconnect 39 GW of data center, manufacturing load: EEI

Duke Energy, Northern Indiana Public Service and Xcel Energy are among the utilities with major data center projects in their service territories, the Edison Electric Institute told federal regulators.

By Ethan Howland • March 13, 2026

DOE offers $1.9B for transmission reconductoring, advanced tech

The SPARK funding opportunity renames the Biden-era Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships program.

By Robert Walton • March 13, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

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

‘Clear warning signs’ as PJM wholesale power costs jump 54% in one year

Also, PJM’s last two base capacity auctions show a growing shortfall compared to its reserve margin targets, according to the grid operator’s market monitor. Prices will continue rising until large data center loads are addressed, it said.

By Ethan Howland • March 13, 2026

PJM is now using ambient-adjusted transmission ratings. Other grid operators will soon follow.

While other grid operators are set to follow suit this year, the Midcontinent and New York grid operators don't plan to adopt the more precise line ratings until 2028.

By Ethan Howland • March 12, 2026

America’s power shortage is a market failure

Early buildout of the U.S. rail system was fragmented, with local projects often failing to connect regions. Grid developers today should pay heed, writes Maria Martinez of the Clean Economy Project.

By Maria Martinez • March 12, 2026

New York needs more time to meet climate goals, Gov. Hochul says

“We just need some breathing room,” said Gov. Kathy Hochul, noting high cost estimates for compliance with the 2030 goal. “My job is dealing in reality. This is the reality I have.”

By Diana DiGangi • March 12, 2026

Germany’s RWE plans nearly $20B US investment, including gas peakers

RWE had put U.S. investment decisions on hold, in part due to tariff uncertainty, but officials credit the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year with jump-starting its plans to build fossil plants.

By Robert Walton • March 12, 2026

4 affordability solutions states and utilities can implement now

States can take steps to drive electricity cost savings more quickly as well as pursue long-term reform, write Allison Clements, a former member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and Lori Bird of the WRI Polsky Energy Center.

By Allison Clements and Lori Bird • March 11, 2026

FERC approves ComEd data center transmission agreements

FERC Chairman Swett and Commissioner LaCerte pushed back on concerns over inadequate review of ratepayer impacts: “The Commission will always reject a rate that seriously harms the consuming public.”

By Ethan Howland • March 11, 2026

As Trump tariff refund process takes shape, importers remain uncertain

Shippers face legal risks, unclear timelines and system gaps as they navigate a potentially complex rollout of tariff refund procedures.

By Antone Gonsalves • March 10, 2026

NERC overstates reliability risks in long-term assessment: Grid Strategies

The North American Electric Reliability Corp.’s analysis uses low generation and interregional power flow assumptions but a high demand forecast, including from data centers, the consulting firm said.

By Ethan Howland • Updated March 11, 2026

EPA properly awarded $1.5B of now-terminated grants, inspector general says

Among the 80 impacted awardees were dozens of energy projects, including energy efficient housing retrofits and weatherization, solar, storage, microgrid and workforce development programs. 

By Jacob Wallace • March 9, 2026

MISO, SPP eye 500-kV cross-border projects to bolster reliability, save money

The proposed interregional projects would increase transfer capacity across the southern seam between the Midcontinent Independent System Operator and the Southwest Power Pool.

By Ethan Howland • March 9, 2026

2026 fire season off to ominous start after relatively mild 2025

Total acres burned fell in 2025, but the Eaton and Palisades fires were hugely destructive and raise questions about the future of California's Wildfire Fund, one expert says.

By Emma Penrod • March 6, 2026

Washington, California and Québec collaborate on linking carbon markets

The three jurisdictions released a draft agreement this week that would add Washington to the largest carbon emissions trading market in North America.

By Zoya Mirza • March 6, 2026

AI is outpacing America’s power grid. Nuclear must become a national priority.

Nuclear power can scale with the needs of AI, writes Amentum’s Mark Whitney. Companies and communities relying on renewables will risk outages, higher costs and missed opportunities.

By Mark Whitney • March 5, 2026

Tariff refunds: Court provides first step with liquidation order

The Court of International Trade on Wednesday directed Customs and Border Protection to remove defunct tariffs when finalizing non-liquidated entries.

By Phil Neuffer , Antone Gonsalves • March 5, 2026

PJM market monitor opposes Maryland power plant sale to data center company

TeraWulf’s plan to buy a power plant from GenOn faces opposition at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as hyperscalers at White House meeting pledge to bring their own generation.

By Ethan Howland • March 5, 2026

Utilities lack tools to guard power grid from drone attacks

Power grid asset owners and operators have growing concern around their ability to protect critical assets from drone attacks as the U.S. government warns energy companies to prepare for possible Iranian retaliation.

By Robert Walton • March 5, 2026

EPA delays greenhouse gas reporting as it moves to shut down program

Covered entities for the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program will not be required to submit 2025 emissions data until October. By then, the agency may have repealed the requirement.

By Jacob Wallace • March 4, 2026

Coal plant DOE ordered to stay online unlikely to run given ‘flush’ power supplies: CEO

The Department of Energy claimed “emergency” conditions in the Pacific Northwest required TransAlta to continue running Washington’s last coal plant past its planned retirement. The company plans to convert it to run on gas.

By Ethan Howland • March 4, 2026

Local control with reasonable county ordinances can support renewable energy deployment

The right regulations and permitting processes can help facilitate renewable resources facing county-level opposition, writes Claire Burch, a Clean Energy Leadership Institute 2025 fellow.

By Claire Burch • March 4, 2026

Tariffs drove construction input prices up to start 2026

January’s cost increases amounted to a “blistering” annualized rate of 7.1% for nonresidential input prices, according to Associated Builders and Contractors. Copper was up 80% year over year, iron and steel 58% and switchgear 67%.

By Sebastian Obando • March 3, 2026

Addressing utility payment delinquencies amid rising energy burden

Rising payment delinquencies are putting pressure on utility revenue cycles. Utilities are adopting preventive strategies to stabilize cash flow and support customers.

March 2, 2026

Virginia, Indiana lawmakers pass surplus interconnection bills

Using existing surplus interconnection, such as at rarely-used peaker plants, can get generation and storage resources online faster and more cheaply than seeking new interconnection rights. PJM lags behind other grid operators in pursuing this. 

By Ethan Howland • Updated March 3, 2026