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

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

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 By then, the agency may have repealed the requirement.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 from the Oklahoma Renewable Energy Council.

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

CARB approves California’s climate disclosure regulations

The California Air Resources Board, tasked with enforcing the state’s climate disclosure laws, will require companies to report Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by August this year.

By Lamar Johnson • March 2, 2026

PJM proposes fast-track interconnection plan, capacity auction price collar

The PJM Interconnection says it is taking steps to bring new generation online as fast as possible while protecting ratepayers from high capacity prices.

By Ethan Howland • March 2, 2026

From labor to components, America must bring grid modernization home

If the U.S. does not reshore every layer of the grid, it will never be able to power the AI economy it intends to lead, writes Peak Nano CEO Jim Welsh.

By Jim Welsh • March 2, 2026

Public takeover of Tucson Electric Power would cost $4B, Brattle finds

A city-run utility would increase electric bills by $5.8 billion over 20 years, according to a study commissioned by the utility. “No one believes TEP’s accounting,” public power proponents countered.

By Robert Walton • March 2, 2026

California orders utilities to add 6 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2032

“Eligible new resources must be either zero-emitting or otherwise eligible under the [renewables portfolio standard] program,” according to the California Public Utility Commission order.

By Diana DiGangi • Feb. 27, 2026

Efficiency first: A fast track to capacity in the era of hyperscalers

Prioritizing demand-side management before committing billions to new infrastructure mitigates risks for utilities and their customers, according to a pair of efficiency experts.

By Paige Knutsen and Erin Kempster • Feb. 27, 2026

PSEG sees investment opportunity as NJ eyes adding in-state generation

A bill was introduced this week in the New Jersey Legislature that would require a solicitation for gas-fired generation.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 27, 2026

House passes bills to weaken DOE’s appliance efficiency program, repeal home rebates

Consumer advocates lamented the votes. “Efficiency rules are incredibly popular because they save families money on their utility bills,” said Dylan Jaff at Consumer Reports.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 26, 2026

More interregional transmission could save consumers billions: study

However, East Coast generators would see reduced revenue, giving them an incentive to oppose new transmission lines, researchers said.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 26, 2026

PJM proposes behind-the-meter reforms in data center colocation effort

The planned reform threatens the economic viability of new combined heat and power generation at industrial facilities in the PJM Interconnection, according to trade groups.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 24, 2026

The false promise of cheap and reliable coal

Colorado’s youngest coal-fired generating unit will not produce power, or savings, anytime soon. The problems with Comanche Unit 3 highlight the hazards of relying on coal, write clean energy advocates Anna Adamsson and Leslie Glustrom.

By Anna Adamsson and Leslie Glustrom • Feb. 24, 2026

The electricity paradox: Driving affordability means infrastructure investment

Energy abundance, AI competitiveness and consumer affordability are not in conflict, but the power sector needs to show that growth can lower bills, not raise them, write Ray Gifford and Matt Larson from Wilkinson Barker Knauer. 

By Ray Gifford and Matt Larson • Feb. 23, 2026

New Jersey regulators take first step to reform electric utility business model

Performance-based ratemaking, multiyear rate plans and lower utility returns are all options the Board of Public Utilities plans to consider. It recently approved hiring a consultant to assist a potential overhaul.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 23, 2026