Data center buildouts slowed late last year

“Power and electrical equipment is still the main driver of construction delays,” said Gordon Dolven, CBRE data center research director.

By Matt Ashare • March 25, 2026

Pepco Holdings CEO talks rising demand, affordability and PJM market reforms

Adding power supplies in PJM — including utility-owned generation — is one way to address affordability challenges, says Pepco Holdings CEO Tyler Anthony.

By Ethan Howland • March 25, 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

Maryland ratepayer advocate calls for greater transmission oversight as costs rise

Costs to customers in the state could reach $5.4 billion for transmission built from 2031 through 2035, compared with $7.1 billion spread over the previous 20 years, according to the advocate.

By Ethan Howland • March 24, 2026

Better grid utilization could save customers $170B: Brattle report

However, the report’s lead author said that “we need regulatory models that reward utilities for pursuing this opportunity.”

By Brian Martucci • March 23, 2026

DOE taps SoftBank arm to develop 9.2 GW of gas generation in Ohio

SB Energy, a subsidiary of Japan’s SoftBank Group, is also investing $4.2 billion with AEP Ohio to upgrade and build new transmission lines in Southern Ohio.

By Robert Walton • March 20, 2026

FERC rejects RWE complaint over PJM interconnection practices

The agency also slashed New England’s transmission return on equity and said it would allow two Indiana utilities to spread costs stemming from DOE emergency orders keeping coal plants online across MISO’s northern and central regions.

By Ethan Howland • March 20, 2026

To strengthen power reliability in extreme weather, diversify grid resources

More expensive, less reliable power need not be our unavoidable fate, writes NextGen Energy CEO Kimberly Johnston.

By Kimberly Johnston • March 18, 2026

Democratic House bill aims to overturn Trump electricity policies

The bill, backed by 122 House members, would reinstate clean energy tax credits and grants while aiming to speed grid interconnection to an expanded transmission system.

By Ethan Howland • March 18, 2026

As data centers go off-grid, utilities face new cost and planning risks

Industry disclosures suggest that by the end of the decade, a meaningful share of new data center capacity could be partially or fully self-supplied, write Brandon Owens and Morgan Bazilian.

By Brandon Owens and Morgan Bazilian • March 17, 2026

FERC approves SPP merger of interconnection, transmission planning

“This proposal will get transmission built smarter and connect new generation faster,” said David Rosner, a member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

By Ethan Howland • March 17, 2026

Mass. governor orders state to pursue 15 GW of resources, including storage, VPPs

The executive order also calls for a review of existing gas and oil storage capacity and utilization, including how the Everett LNG import terminal helps meet the region’s energy needs.

By Robert Walton • March 17, 2026

Data center demand spike could drive 79% ERCOT price hike in 2027: EIA

In a high-demand scenario, data centers could drive 2025-2027 annual load growth 15% higher in Texas and 4.7% higher in PJM Interconnection, the Energy Information Administration said.

By Robert Walton • March 16, 2026

5 things you need to know about advanced conductors

A closer look at the technology reshaping transmission.

By Jason Huang, CEO, TS Conductor • March 16, 2026

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

‘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 • Updated March 14, 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

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

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

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

When a buried marker starts talking back: Why RFID matters for marking + mapping underground utilities

The dirt keeps secrets, RFID-enabled markers carry the story of what’s below.

March 9, 2026

Drone attack simulation exposed a grid vulnerability, utilities say

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

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