As of September 22, 2026, California and eight Northeastern states sued the Trump administration and offshore wind developers over agreements to buy back roughly a dozen offshore wind leases for about $4 billion. The states argue the administration unlawfully used settlement agreements to cancel leases without following federal offshore leasing procedures and improperly directed taxpayer funds toward ending projects. The latest lawsuits target Invenergy and Bluepoint Wind projects off California, New York and Maine, with the two East Coast agreements alone involving about $1.4 billion in federal payments. Invenergy’s agreement covers four leases, including projects in the New York Bight, Central California and the Gulf of Maine, and would redirect payments toward other domestic energy projects, including natural gas and geothermal development. The states are seeking to invalidate the agreements and prevent similar lease buyouts.
[USA] FERC rejects complaint from Oklo to reinstate project
As of September 24, 2026, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) rejected Oklo’s complaint seeking to restore its 750-MW Virginia project to PJM’s current interconnection study cycle, finding that Oklo had not shown PJM violated its tariff and had not resolved deficiencies in its application. The project combines 150 MW of advanced nuclear, 300 MW of fuel cells and 300 MW of gas generation and could face at least an 18-month delay from missing the current cycle. FERC said Oklo can correct the application and enter the next cycle or use PJM’s expedited interconnection process, while emphasizing that PJM should work more closely with developers as demand grows. The case is also part of a broader dispute over PJM’s reformed interconnection process, with five other complaints pending from developers whose projects were dropped from the current cycle.
[USA] Data center load growth could cause reliability crisis for PJM by 2030
As of September 14, 2026, a Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission-commissioned study found that PJM could fall below its resource adequacy target by 2030 as data center demand grows faster than new generation. [1] In the study’s reference scenario, PJM’s modeled loss-of-load expectation (LOLE) reaches 0.59 in 2030, nearly six times PJM’s 0.1 planning criterion; under a high-load, low-supply scenario, LOLE reaches 13.20, indicating more than 13 days of potential loss-of-load events per year. A scenario with no new data centers was the only one modeled to remain within PJM’s target. The study also projects Pennsylvania’s electricity exports declining from about 91 TWh in 2025 to 38 TWh by 2040 in the reference case, while the high-load, low-supply case turns the state into a net importer by 2040. PJM said demand is growing faster than generation and could compromise reliability over the next five years, while pointing to interconnection reforms, reliability backstop procurement and demand-management measures as ongoing responses.
[USA] States in deregulated power markets can achieve clean energy goals through state-led planning
As of September 16, 2026, the Clean Air Task Force released a report arguing that states in deregulated electricity markets could use state-led planning and procurement to address long-term reliability and clean-energy needs that may not be fully captured by competitive wholesale markets. [1] The report recommends three main approaches: regularly assessing future electricity needs under different scenarios, developing technology-specific roadmaps to identify barriers such as permitting and transmission constraints, and using state-directed procurement to provide greater certainty for projects. It focuses on technologies such as nuclear, geothermal, offshore wind, and long-duration energy storage, which can face long development timelines and high upfront costs. Illinois is highlighted as an emerging example, with its 2026 legislation establishing integrated resource planning through 2045 and requiring an initial plan by November.
[Japan] Petronas and JOGMEC collaborate on LNG for energy security
As of September 11, 2026, Petronas and the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) signed an agreement establishing a framework for future LNG supply arrangements between the two parties. [1] The agreement is intended to provide greater flexibility for future LNG transactions while taking into account Japan’s energy security and Malaysia’s domestic supply needs. JOGMEC, which operates under Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), supports Japan’s access to stable energy and natural resource supplies. The agreement builds on Petronas’ more than four decades of LNG supply relationship with Japan and provides a framework for responding to future changes in LNG demand and supply conditions.
[USA] West Virginia PSC denies delay in NextEra transmission project review
As of September 9, 2026, the West Virginia Public Service Commission rejected a request to delay evidentiary proceedings for NextEra Energy Transmission’s 107.5-mile MidAtlantic Resiliency Link (MARL) transmission project, keeping hearings scheduled for October 26–November 2. [1] PJM selected the 500-kV project in 2023 to address emerging grid needs, but regulators are reviewing questions about the line’s route, its continued need, and the potential effect of a recent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) order strengthening large-load interconnection rules. NextEra agreed to the proposed delay but maintained that MARL remains necessary and should be unaffected by the FERC order because it is a PJM regional transmission expansion project rather than a network upgrade tied to a specific data-center interconnection.
[USA] Google, Xcel, and utilities support MISO large-load proposal
As of September 9, 2026, Google, Xcel Energy, and other utilities and clean-energy groups supported the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO)’s proposed “Zero Injection Generator Interconnection Agreement,” which would create a 90-day review process for generation projects that serve large loads at the same substation and voltage level, including colocated data centers, when the generation has little or no transmission-system impact. [1] The proposal would limit eligible generation to the amount of load it serves and generally prohibit network upgrades beyond the substation, while MISO develops additional processes for large-load additions. Google supported the proposal but asked MISO to expand it to configurations where generation and load are connected through two substations. Environmental groups opposed the proposal, arguing that insufficient safeguards could shift costs to existing customers and create reliability concerns.
[Japan] Hitachi and Bloom Energy collaborate to target data center power gap in Japan
As of September 1, 2026, Hitachi and Bloom Energy announced a collaboration to deploy on-site fuel cell power systems for data centers and industrial facilities in Japan. [1] The companies are targeting growing electricity demand from AI-driven data center expansion as well as energy-intensive industries such as semiconductor manufacturing. The systems would generate electricity near the point of consumption, reducing reliance on existing grid capacity and potentially allowing facilities to add power without waiting for grid infrastructure expansions. The companies previously tested Bloom’s fuel cells with Hitachi’s control systems at Hitachi’s Omika Works in Ibaraki, demonstrating remote control of power output and monitoring of system operations. The fuel cells can operate on natural gas, biogas, or hydrogen, with emissions depending on the fuel used. Hitachi and Bloom said the systems could also provide backup power and improve energy resilience for industrial facilities.
[1] https://www.hitachi.com/content/dam/hitachi/global/en/press/files/2026/09/260901b.pdf
[USA] Trump signs executive order to block certain foreign-made equipment from grid
As of August 26, 2026, Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency and restricting certain transactions involving foreign-made equipment to the bulk power system, including transformers, batteries, inverters, and associated software and digital products. The order also considers the replacement of installed equipment, allowing the Secretary of Energy to “impose conditions on the continued use, operation, maintenance, servicing, or updating of foreign-manufactured or operated bulk-power system electric equipment acquired or installed before the date of this order.” The EO focuses on “transactions involving foreign nationals that pose an undue risk of sabotage, unauthorized access, or other disruption,” according to a fact sheet, and is aimed at non-distribution level equipment.
[1] https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/08/declaring-a-national-emergency-to-secure-the-united-states-bulk-power-system/?_sp=d2526746-0731-43ab-8856-607debe38a73.1788365429182
[USA} MISO proposes reliability requirements for large loads
As of August 18, 2026, the Midcontinent System Operator (MISO) proposed a set of requirements for large loads to connect to the grid, including ramping and ride-through specifications. [1] The framework, known as “interconnection reliability requirements,” is intended to improve MISO’s visibility into large load characteristics and behavior, support reliable planning and operational decision-making, and establish technically justified expectations that are proportional to the reliability risk. The proposal is part of MISO’s response to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) show-cause orders requiring major grid operators to define rules that meet criteria for adding data centers and other large loads to the grid. MISO has announced that it plans to make more proposals by November. MISO’s proposal defines large loads as those larger than 50 MW and “computational loads” as those larger than 25 MW of demand from information technology equipment, such as servers, storage, and networking hardware.
[Japan] Japan diversifying crude supply and supporting pipelines to bypass Hormuz
As of August 26, 2026, Japan announced measures to strengthen energy security by diversifying crude oil supplies and supporting Middle Eastern pipeline projects that could provide routes that bypass the Strait of Hormuz. [1] About 94% of Japan’s crude oil imports came from the Middle East in 2025, making disruptions to the region and the Strait of Hormuz a significant supply risk. The government plans to provide financial support for bypass pipelines through JOGMEC and is considering measures to help companies manage the higher costs of sourcing oil through alternative routes. Other measures under consideration include reinsurance for oil tankers and additional naphtha reserves, as well as greater use of nuclear power and renewables. The government is expected to finalize specific measures and related legislation by the end of the year.
[1] https://www.cas.go.jp/jp/seisaku/gx_jikkou_kaigi/index.html
[USA] ERCOT to complete data center audit by December
As of August 26, 2026, ERCOT plans to audit roughly 300 proposed data centers with 75 MW or more by December 10, 2026, a step needed for its “Batch Zero” process to continue and for large-load interconnections to resume. [1] ERCOT will also conduct community impact reviews of data centers and crypto facilities with 25 MW or more of capacity, following Texas Gov. [2] Greg Abbott’s directive to scrutinize their electricity and water use and potential impacts on communities and public resources. The scale of proposed demand is substantial: ERCOT’s interconnection queue totals about 474 GW, with roughly 90% of requests associated with data centers. However, much of the queue may be speculative or duplicative, making the audit important for determining which projects are likely to actually connect and should be incorporated into ERCOT’s long-term load forecasts and reliability planning. The delays could push back those broader planning efforts.
[1] https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-directs-comprehensive-data-center-audit
[2] https://www.ercot.com/services/rq/large-load-integration
[USA] Energy trade tensions escalates between US and Canada
As of August 26, 2026, the escalating US-Canada trade dispute is threatening to disrupt electricity trade between the two countries and could raise power prices in parts of the US. [1] Canada is expected to announce retaliatory tariffs on US goods after President Donald Trump’s 50% tariffs on about $20 billion ($27.6 billion CAD) of Canadian goods took effect. [2] Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney have discussed a potential 25% tariff on electricity exports to the US, while Ontario has also considered restricting electricity exports in response. In 2025, Canada exported 32.7 TWh of electricity to the U.S., compared with 22.1 TWh of imports from the US, underscoring the importance of the cross-border relationship. While grid operators do not expect reduced Canadian imports to cause major reliability problems under normal conditions, losing Canadian power could increase reliance on more expensive generation and put upward pressure on electricity prices, particularly during periods of extreme weather.
[1] https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/5c358f51-bc8c-4565-854d-9d2e35e6b178
[Japan] Energy Fuels qualifies rare earths for Japanese magnet manufacturer
As of August 19, 2026, Energy Fuels announced that its terbium oxide, a heavy rare earth used to improve the performance and heat resistance of high-strength permanent magnets, has passed qualification for commercial use by one of Japan’s largest permanent-magnet manufacturers. [1] According to Energy Fuels, the approval is significant because terbium is a relatively scarce and strategically important material, and these magnets are used in technologies including EVs, robotics, advanced electronics, aerospace and defense. It also gives Energy Fuels another validated customer as it works to build a non-Chinese supply chain for rare earth materials. The company has already qualified its neodymium-praseodymium and dysprosium products with customers and is pursuing acquisitions that would expand its capabilities from rare-earth processing into magnet production. Energy Fuels believes that for Japan, the development supports broader efforts to diversify critical-mineral supplies away from China, which currently dominates much of the global rare-earth processing and permanent-magnet industry. Energy Fuels intends to make progress toward establishing a more diversified U.S.- and Japan-linked supply chain for the materials needed in advanced manufacturing and clean-energy technologies.
[USA] FERC approves MISO cost allocation framework for transmission projects
As of August 14, 2026, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved a cost allocation framework for transmission projects from the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) built in the PJM Interconnection’s footprint. [1] Under the framework, Exelon’s Commonwealth Edison will build one group of projects worth almost $904 million, and Duke Ohio is set to build $5.3 million in projects. FERC rejected calls for requiring the projects to undergo competitive solicitations. FERC commissioners Judy Chang and David Rosner stated that MISO’s proposal emphasizes the importance of interregional transmission, citing how in certain cases, the most cost-effective solutions for one region’s system needs could include transmission upgrades in another region’s footprint.
[USA] DOE cancels 3 proposed National Interest Electric Transmission corridors
As of August 12, 2026, the US Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it will not move forward with the designation of 3 proposed National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (NIETC) that the Biden administration selected for review in 2024. [1] The release stated that the corridors were selected to advance that administration’s “Green New Scam” agenda. [2] Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated that transmission policy must “serve the American people, not special interests or a climate-alarmist agenda.” The release alleged that the current designation framework proved ineffective in strengthening grid reliability and reducing electricity costs. The 3 canceled corridors include the Lake Erie-Canada corridor, the Southwestern Grid Connector Corridor, and the Tribal Energy Access corridor. While Wright said the current designation framework had proven ineffective, DOE’s National Transmission Needs Study from July said that NIETC designation enables DOE and FERC to use valuable federal financing and permitting tools to speed up construction or modification of transmission facilities within a NIETC.
[2] https://www.energy.gov/documents/national-transmission-needs-study-draft-july-2026
[Japan] NextEra Energy, US Department of Commerce, and Government of Japan reach funding milestone for agreement
As of August 12, 2026, NextEra Energy announced agreements with the US Department of Commerce and the Government of Japan to fund the development and operation of up to 10 GW of natural gas-powered generation in Texas and Pennsylvania. [1] The announcement follows President Donald Trump’s approval of the projects, which were selected for Japan’s $550 billion investment commitment to the US as part of the US-Japan trade agreement. This releases the first tranche of funding for the two projects, which will be used for various development activities, such as down payments on long-lead equipment, procurement and construction contractors, etc. These funds are expected to enable NextEra to deliver large-scale power infrastructure. NextEra is continuing to work on project development with federal, state, and local stakeholders, with initial resources expected to come online as early as the end of 2028.
[1] https://www.investor.nexteraenergy.com/news-and-events/news-releases/2026/08-12-2026-211611676
[USA] PJM reviews large load reliability requirements after load trips offline
As of August 11, 2026, PJM is evaluating potential alterations to interconnection reliability requirements for computational loads, such as data centers and crypto-mining facilities. [1] The grid operator intends to consider ride-through standards and other requirements after almost 3,800 MW of data center load tripped offline unexpectedly in Virginia – the largest such event in PJM’s history. [2] It was triggered by a fault on a 230-kV line in Dominion Energy’s zone, causing a high imbalance between generation and load and large swings in voltage and frequency. Once the fault was removed from the system, data centers in the Dominion Energy zone disconnected from the grid, causing the spikes in voltage. This is when the first load drop of 2,970 MW took place. When the first large loads transferred to backup generation, the loss of the loads caused high system voltage disturbances, which resulted in a second wave of 1,099 MW of data centers disconnected. PJM recovered the Balancing Authority Area Control Error Limit – a measure of the imbalance between sources and uses of power – within 9 minutes, and then dispatched reactive power sources to lower the system’s voltage. The issue was discussed at an August 6, 2026, PJM Operating Committee meeting, where PJM staff asserted that data centers may be too sensitive to grid conditions. As a result, PJM is evaluating the possibility of expanding reliability requirements, with consideration for existing and future ride-through standards and practices.
[Japan] Japan revised economic outlook for next fiscal year
As of July 30, 2026, Japan's government lowered its real GDP growth forecast for fiscal year 2026 from 1.3% to 0.9%, citing higher energy costs stemming from the Middle East conflict. [1] The revised outlook reflects the economic impact of rising oil and natural gas prices on households and businesses, although the government maintained that the economy is expected to continue a moderate recovery supported by private consumption, business investment, and wage growth. The government also raised its inflation forecast, expecting higher import and energy costs to keep price pressures elevated despite fuel subsidies. Officials said risks remain from continued geopolitical uncertainty and volatile energy markets, but projected that real wages would continue improving as inflation gradually moderates. For the energy sector, the downgrade highlights Japan's continued exposure to imported fossil fuels and the broader economic consequences of energy price shocks. Higher fuel costs are expected to weigh on economic growth while reinforcing the importance of improving energy security and diversifying domestic electricity supply.
[USA] Court blocks Trump administration freeze on wind energy
As of August 7, 2026, a federal judge in Oregon ordered the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to resume national security reviews for onshore wind projects, blocking the Trump administration's indefinite freeze on the permitting process. [1] The injunction came after renewable energy groups argued the DoD had unlawfully halted required reviews, delaying more than 100 wind projects across 25 states representing an estimated $47 billion in investment and 120,000 jobs. The ruling restores a key step in the development pipeline for new wind projects by requiring the DoD to restart reviewing whether proposed projects pose national security risks. While the decision does not automatically approve projects, it allows permitting to move forward after months of uncertainty. The court also found the freeze had already caused billions of dollars in economic harm and threatened developers' ability to qualify for federal tax credits tied to construction timelines. By restarting the review process, the ruling provides greater certainty for wind developers and could help bring additional electricity supply online.