What’s on the mind of EEI conference attendees? Labor, AI, affordability and more.

Utility Dive talked to registrants before the conference to hear how industry changes are impacting their work.

By Meris Lutz • June 2, 2026

Eversource project ‘epitomizes’ flawed transmission reviews: New England states

New England “severely lacks” oversight of asset condition projects like Eversource Energy’s X-178 transmission project, the New England States Committee on Electricity told FERC.

By Ethan Howland • June 2, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

Grid Resiliency

The risk from natural disasters like hurricanes, wildfires and heat waves is compounded by rising demand for power that threatens to put additional strain on the grid, as well as cyber and physical attacks on critical infrastructure.

By Utility Dive staff

Load growth can help modernize grid, but cost-shift risks are significant: Concentric

On-site generation can be an interim solution as projects await full grid interconnection, but “widespread reliance on off‑grid systems is not a durable path forward,” Concentric said in a new report.

By Diana DiGangi • June 1, 2026

Once you secure SPARK funds for transmission development, what comes next?

The success of DOE’s SPARK initiative will depend on how prepared organizations are to execute once the funding arrives, writes Al Eliasen, Spatial Business Systems CEO.

By Al Eliasen • May 29, 2026

MISO pushes back on utility complaint over competitive transmission bidding

The grid operator stopped short of taking a position on the complaint itself. States and consumer advocates oppose it, while at least one major data center company supports it.

By Ethan Howland • May 28, 2026

What the streaming wars can teach utilities about the AI data center boom

Utilities can avoid making the same mistakes major studios made in the Netflix era, but only if they view the AI boom as a systemwide modernization challenge rather than an overflowing queue of individual projects, writes Abbey O’Brien at Ulteig.

By Abbey O’Brien • May 27, 2026

CAISO recommends 38 transmission projects costing around $6.7B

More than half of the projects are driven by forecasted load growth, marking an evolution in transmission planning from an emphasis on accessing low-cost renewables to “now also reliably meeting growing customer demand,” CAISO said.

By Diana DiGangi • May 26, 2026

New Mexico regulators approve SPS’ $9B, gas-heavy resource plan

The approved portfolio includes about 3.8 GW of new capacity, anchored by 2,088 MW of gas generation, along with 1,100 MW of wind, 189 MW of solar and 472 MW/1.9 GWh of battery storage.

By Marlene Wilden • May 26, 2026

Competitive transmission projects come online faster than incumbent projects in 4 regions: R Street

Completed competitive transmission projects are also about 30% less expensive than comparable incumbent utility projects, according to a report from the think tank. 

By Ethan Howland • May 26, 2026

Defensibility by design: What FERC Order 1920 requires

FERC 1920 requires rigorous long-term planning, transforming how planning activities produce results.

May 26, 2026

Puerto Rico’s power grid is ‘suspended between two realities,’ top utility regulator says

Affordability, reliability and the need to restore public confidence almost a decade after Hurricane Maria are top concerns, writes PREB Chairman Edison Avilés.

By Edison Avilés • May 22, 2026

FERC Commissioner Chang is ‘not thinking about’ breaking up PJM

“I'm interested in the successful continued operation of PJM, but definitely I want to help them get through this period,” FERC Commissioner Judy Chang told Utility Dive. She called the proposed NextEra-Dominion merger “interesting.”

By Diana DiGangi • May 21, 2026

Common‑sense state action can unlock a geothermal revolution in Utah and beyond

Pairing geothermal with accelerated transmission development and stronger regional coordination can help the West access its gigawatt-scale geothermal potential, write Clean Air Task Force colleagues.

By Ann Garth and Dan West • May 20, 2026

PJM gets emergency approval to curtail data centers, large loads during hot weather

Under the Department of Energy order, the PJM Interconnection can curtail power to data centers with backup generation as a last resort before instituting rolling blackouts.

By Ethan Howland • May 19, 2026

Combined NextEra-Dominion would have 130-GW large-load pipeline

Analysts said the deal, which could create the largest regulated electric utility in the world, marks a shift back toward an integrated utility model. The combined business would be “anchored by a more than 80% regulated business mix,” the companies said.

By Robert Walton • May 18, 2026

Pennsylvania releases ‘first-of-its-kind’ large-load model tariff

The guidelines call for utilities to charge large-load customers for upgrades that “would not have been needed ‘but for’ the interconnection” of that customer, “irrespective of whether other customers will benefit” from the infrastructure.

By Meris Lutz • Updated May 18, 2026

How utilities can avoid data overload and turn maintenance data into action

Data collection can feel meaningless when utilities lack the tools to turn that data into improved performance or efficiency, writes Ariel Santamaria from Advanced Technology Services.

By Ariel Santamaria • May 15, 2026

FERC declines to stay $1.5B in refunds New England transmission owners owe to customers

“In order to support a stay, the movant must substantiate that irreparable injury is ‘likely’ to occur. Bare allegations of what is likely to occur do not suffice,” the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said in its decision. 

By Meris Lutz • Updated May 18, 2026

Commercial electricity use will likely surpass residential in 2027: EIA

Meanwhile, residential prices have been growing in all regions of the United States, “and we expect this trend to continue,” the U.S. Energy Information Administration said.

By Robert Walton • May 15, 2026

Eversource misclassified $385M transmission project to avoid scrutiny: ratepayer complaint

The complaint at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission comes amid growing concern about electric affordability and calls for stricter vetting of local transmission projects.

By Ethan Howland • May 14, 2026

US annual electricity consumption to grow 55% by 2050: NEMA

The group representing electrical equipment manufacturers expects data center energy consumption to grow 300% over the next 10 years.

By Robert Walton • May 13, 2026

PJM may be ‘too big to function’: FERC Chairman Swett

Each of the 13 states in PJM, and the District of Columbia, have “fundamentally different regulatory structures, resource portfolios and politics,” FERC Chairman Laura Swett said. FERC will host a conference in July to identify potential reforms to PJM’s governance structure.

By Ethan Howland • May 13, 2026

2026 Q1 roundup: Utilities divided on data centers as affordability looms large

Physics, policy and politics are beginning to constrain some of the electric utility industry’s highest aspirations for data center-driven growth, Utility Dive learned in first quarter earnings calls.

By Meris Lutz • May 13, 2026

Con Edison to spend $29B shoring up NYC area grid as electrification rises

New York City and its suburbs are not seeing an influx of data centers like other parts of the country, but building and transportation electrification is driving gradual demand growth.

By Brian Martucci • May 12, 2026

Why procurement has become a grid reliability issue: ULE Group

Critical grid work becomes harder for utilities to keep on budget when schedules are repeatedly disrupted by missing or delayed equipment, writes ULE Group President Danielle Pirrone.

By Danielle Pirrone • May 8, 2026