3 principles to make AI data centers good grid citizens

Developed intentionally, AI data centers can help create a more resilient and affordable electric system, write officials from Heron Power, NVIDIA, Invenergy and Emerald AI.

By Drew Baglino, Vlad Troy, Michael Polsky and Varun Sivaram • Sept. 1, 2026

Wildfire costs loom over California legislative session that passed solar, data center bills

The California Legislature did not vote on a wildfire reform bill during a special session Tuesday, effectively killing the proposal. The bill had implications for electric utilities.

By Diana DiGangi • Updated Sept. 2, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

Data Centers and the US Grid

A look at how data centers are affecting the U.S. grid today and how new technologies and rate structures could affect that trajectory in the years to come.

By Utility Dive staff

Ohio ratepayer advocate urges FERC to resolve 3-year-old local transmission complaint

Since the complaint was filed, FirstEnergy, AEP and other Ohio utilities have planned more than $4.3 billion in local transmission without adequate oversight, the Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel said.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 28, 2026

Trump declares emergency, moves to block some foreign-made equipment from grid

Grid equipment manufacturers say more clarity will be needed, particularly around rules for software and digital products where the country of origin may be difficult to determine.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 27, 2026

Data center load made up 9% of PJM wholesale costs so far in 2026: market monitor

Overall wholesale power costs in the PJM Interconnection jumped 46% to $56.7 billion so far this year, driven by rising energy and capacity costs, per the grid operator’s market monitor.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 27, 2026

US-Canada trade war threatens electricity imports, prices

If Canada opts to reduce or eliminate electricity exports to New England, the impact would be largely financial — at least under typical weather conditions, according to the region's grid operator. A previous 25% tariff in 2025 lasted only a day.

By Robert Walton • Updated Aug. 25, 2026

Bills rise when utilities use conflicting forecasts to drive gas and electric investment

Integrated planning can lower costs to ratepayers by reducing duplicative spending, and New York could lead the way, write experts at Current Energy Group and Advanced Energy United.

By Brad Cebulko and Sarah Steinberg • Aug. 24, 2026

Commonwealth Fusion Systems aims to complete demonstration reactor with $1B funding round

CEO Bob Mumgaard said the reactor, SPARC, is now “about 80% complete.” Experts remain divided over how soon they believe fusion technology could be commercialized.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 24, 2026

Microsoft, PowerHouse Hillwood dispute data center service agreements

Data center agreements in Wisconsin fail to protect ratepayers, Microsoft says. Separately, PowerHouse Hillwood has accused Exelon’s ComEd of using monopoly power to quash an agreement for an Illinois data center.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 24, 2026

FERC approves SPP ‘topology optimization’ plan for cutting grid congestion

The Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s power market has saved nearly $100 million this year under a similar approach for topology reconfiguration.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 20, 2026

The Western energy market must shift as power flows evolve, say experts

The WECC-1 RAS “does not consider south-to-north flows, and frankly, it is something I'm worried about,” said Bonneville Power Administration system dispatcher Chris Sanford during a Western Market Seams workshop.

By Diana DiGangi • Aug. 19, 2026

Pennsylvania dangles permitting carrot for data centers that bring their own power

Under a new permitting framework for loads over 25 MW, applicants that commit to abide by the state’s recently introduced infrastructure development standards for data centers will receive preferential treatment.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 19, 2026

CAISO’s load-balancing EDAM math doesn’t add up, says CPUC staff

The California Public Utilities Commission’s Energy Division staff asked the California Independent System Operator to publish methodology explaining discrepancies in its public Extended Day-Ahead Market data.

By Diana DiGangi • Aug. 18, 2026

ISO-NE to review ‘asset condition’ transmission projects under proposal filed at FERC

The class of projects, which are chosen and built by transmission owners, mainly to replace aging infrastructure, with limited oversight, have long been a source of complaint by New England states and ratepayer advocates.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 18, 2026

DOE cancels 3 national transmission corridors, citing ‘Green New Scam’

The agency previously said the projects would provide resource adequacy support to the PJM Interconnection, bolster transmission between the Southwest Power Pool and WestConnect regions, and address a lack of high-voltage transmission in tribal areas.

By Diana DiGangi • Aug. 17, 2026

FERC approves MISO cost recovery plan for transmission projects built in PJM

In its decision affecting Exelon and Duke Energy utilities, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rejected calls to require the planned projects to go through a bidding process.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 17, 2026

2026 Q2 roundup: Utilities emphasize project execution and ratepayer protections

Executives tried to show they can secure the equipment needed to meet rising demand without shifting costs to existing customers as politicians take aim at data centers ahead of the midterm elections.

By Meris Lutz • Aug. 17, 2026

When the capital plan outgrows engineering capacity

When teams spend less time managing internal processes, they can spend more time advancing projects.

Aug. 17, 2026

Quantum computing is coming fast. Are utilities ready?

“The load profile is different from anything utilities have planned for before,” said Aparna Prabhakar, chief strategy and sustainability officer, energy management, for Schneider Electric.

By Herman K. Trabish • Updated Aug. 28, 2026

WSP capitalizes on surging US power infrastructure construction

Power now accounts for as much as 40% of the company’s revenue, CEO Alexandre L’Heureux said during a second-quarter earnings call.

By Keith Loria • Aug. 14, 2026

Software-based initiative could unlock up to 20% more bulk capacity: OATI

OATI seeks federal funding for widespread deployment of dynamic line rating software, near-real-time inter-regional coordination and AI-enhanced resource dispatch — none of which requires new poles or wires, the company says.

By Brian Martucci • Aug. 13, 2026

ConEd plans 28 new substations by 2035

The New York-based utility company is pursuing growth through electrification, in alignment with city and state climate policies, it said last week.

By Brian Martucci • Aug. 12, 2026

Dominion ordered to directly assign some transmission costs to data centers

The Virginia State Corporation Commission said it may use an upcoming docket to weigh whether this policy “could or should” also apply to more upstream transmission costs.

By Diana DiGangi • Aug. 12, 2026

Xcel asks Colorado Supreme Court to facilitate wind farm interconnection

In June, a district court judge rejected PSCo’s effort to acquire roughly 550 feet of easement via eminent domain to connect two nearly complete wind farms totaling more than 1 GW. The utility says the project delays are harming ratepayers.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 12, 2026

The US infrastructure buildout needs more than capital

The country is not short on infrastructure ambition; what it risks running short on is orchestration, writes Daryl Walcroft, PwC's capital projects and infrastructure leader.

By Daryl Walcroft • Aug. 11, 2026