Proposed FERC price cap settlement will intensify looming electric capacity crisis

Artificially deflating PJM's capacity prices by lowering the price cap does nothing to fix the grid operator’s power-supply problems and could lead to blackouts.

By Anthony “Tony” Campbell • March 10, 2025

Utilities may subsidize data center growth by shifting costs to other ratepayers: Harvard Law paper

“The public faces significant risks that utilities will … profit from new data centers by making major investments and then shifting costs to their captive ratepayers,” the report’s authors said.

By Ethan Howland • March 10, 2025

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

IRA funding freeze has put ‘many’ clean energy projects on pause

The uncertainty created by the funding freeze has affected projects at “various stages of development,” a clean energy executive said on a recent press call.

By Lamar Johnson • March 7, 2025

Avista, PG&E, Ameren AI demonstrations show great potential – but are other utilities ready?

New artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms can optimize complexities across the power system if utilities and regulators can make data more accessible — and protect it, experts say.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 7, 2025

Bonneville opts to join SPP’s Markets+ day-ahead market over CAISO alternative

BPA’s draft decision sets the stage for having two intertwined day-ahead markets across the West with complex seams between them.

By Ethan Howland • March 7, 2025

Trump extends tariff pause to all USMCA goods

Imports from Mexico and Canada that are compliant with the trade deal will not be subject to tariffs until April 2.

By Philip Neuffer • March 6, 2025

Basin Electric urges Congress to support clean energy tax credits

Inflation Reduction Act tax credits support energy infrastructure needed to meet rising demand for electricity, an Iowa Republican said during a House hearing.

By Ethan Howland • March 6, 2025

DOE approves LNG export permit extension for Golden Pass

The extension, for a project owned by QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil, is the third LNG-related decision DOE has issued since President Trump took office.

By Robert Walton • March 6, 2025

Will Trump tariffs delay utility transmission, power plant plans?

FirstEnergy and other utilities warn they could be hurt by tariffs, but analysts see little immediate effect on utility capital expenditure plans.

By Ethan Howland • March 5, 2025

For transmission planning, FERC Order 1920 is our dragon

Instead of repealing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Order 100 to improve transmission planning, the focus should be on making Order 1920 as strong as possible.

By Claire Wayner • March 4, 2025

Striking true or overreaching? How a new executive order clouds FERC’s decisional authority

The agency's independence and credibility depend on careful adherence to the law, not alignment with shifting executive priorities, according to Lyle Larson, a partner at Balch & Bingham.

By Lyle Larson • March 4, 2025

EPA $20B funding freeze leaves ‘green bank’ nonprofits unable to pay bills

The Climate United Fund, which received a $6.97 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grant, will soon become unable to make payroll or disburse funding to its contracted borrowers, said a spokesperson.

By Diana DiGangi • March 4, 2025

PPL’s Kentucky utilities propose 1.3 GW of gas, 400 MW of storage to meet data center load

The $3.7 billion plan comes as Kentucky Utilities and Louisville Gas and Electric expect their annual electric sales to jump nearly 50% by 2032.

By Ethan Howland • March 3, 2025

New England, New York grid operators prepare to collect millions in tariffs on Canadian electricity

Whether the tariffs going into effect Tuesday apply to electricity imports — and what role the ISOs must play in collecting them — is unclear, they told the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, but they need to be prepared.

By Robert Walton • March 3, 2025

10 years of grid modernization: Major progress, stubborn challenges

Improving energy affordability and grid reliability can guide the way on modernizing the grid for tomorrow’s challenges, according to Grid Forward’s Bryce Yonker.

By Bryce Yonker • Feb. 28, 2025

FirstEnergy’s 5-year data center pipeline doubles to 3 GW

FirstEnergy shares fell nearly 10.5% in trading on Thursday after the company effectively lowered its earnings outlook, according to Jefferies analysts.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 28, 2025

IRA tax credit repeal would drive up electricity prices, system costs: reports

Sharply lower deployments of new generating resources could lead to power shortfalls, studies commissioned by a conservative environmental nonprofit and an electricity buyers group found.

By Brian Martucci • Feb. 27, 2025

New generation is a ‘better approach’ to energy security than interregional transmission: ERCOT

Texas can add new resources “significantly faster” than interregional transmission can be brought online, Electric Reliability Council of Texas officials said Wednesday.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 27, 2025

Grid equipment manufacturers anticipate 2% annual US load growth through 2050

Federal policy and incentives will play a key role in meeting the demand, according to National Electrical Manufacturers Association CEO Debra Phillips.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 26, 2025

PSE&G large load pipeline jumps to 4.7 GW as nuclear offtake talks continue: CEO LaRossa

At the same time, Ralph LaRossa said the future of PJM’s capacity market is unclear. “I don't know if there is a PJM market anymore,” he said Tuesday.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 26, 2025

What if Bruce Lee had set federal transmission policy?

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission could help unlock transmission development in three steps, including by repealing its Order 1000 on transmission planning. Enter the Dragon!

By Vincent Duane and Caitlin Shields • Feb. 25, 2025

NERC interregional transfer capability study lacks detail to drive transmission upgrades: EIPC

The Eastern Interconnection Planning Collaborative urged the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to set metrics that could be used to determine whether more transmission is needed between regions.

By Ethan Howland • Feb. 25, 2025

Trump’s National Energy Dominance Council should appoint a ‘hydropower czar’

Federal hydropower can help meet load growth, onshore manufacturing of key defense components and help address burdensome regulations.

By Charles Yang • Feb. 25, 2025

Are utility demand response program costs outstripping their benefits in California?

California Public Utilities Commission policy has been pushing customers to choose utility-run supply-side DR programs over third-party options that face pressure to keep costs low.

By Collin Smith • Feb. 24, 2025

Zeldin begins remaking EPA amid workforce changes

Federal officials are beginning to implement executive orders related to workforce reduction. The administration also announced antitrust and climate updates.

By Jacob Wallace • Feb. 24, 2025