[Japan] Japan-Germany Summit Meeting and announcement

As of October 28, 2026, Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae held a Japan-Germany Summit Meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to issue a joint statement and declaration on Japan-Germany cooperation. [1] The partnership centers on bilateral cooperation in advanced technologies, such as nuclear fusion and hydrogen, through greater public-private coordination. [2] Companies like Kyoto Fusioneering, Helical fusion, and Fujikura subsequently announced new agreements to cooperate on various aspects of fusion development and commercialization. For Germany, this is a continuation of several fusion energy developments, such as the Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation’s milestone-based fusion program. The two leaders also discussed advancing coordination to host an AI Summit in Japan and strengthening supply chain resilience and diversifying sources of critical mineral supply. They underscored that collaboration in advanced technologies, including space and fusion energy, is a key pillar of bilateral ties.

[1] https://www.mofa.go.jp/erp/erp_2/de/pageite_000001_01890.html?

[2] https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/germany-and-japan-strengthen-fusion-energy-cooperation/

[USA] Exelon and Invenergy seek capacity market changes of PJM and MISO

As of November 4, 2026, Exelon and Invenergy Transmission had filed separate complaints with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) seeking changes to the capacity markets operated by PJM and the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO). [1] Exelon asked FERC to replace PJM's current three-year-ahead capacity auction schedule with a “prompt” auction held approximately two months before the delivery year, arguing that shorter lead times would allow procurement decisions to better reflect changing electricity demand forecasts and resource availability. [2] Separately, Invenergy argued that MISO counts the capacity provided by merchant high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission lines when calculating its procurement needs but does not allow their owners to receive capacity payments. Invenergy contends that this limits the commercial viability of merchant transmission projects, including its proposed 5-GW Grain Belt Express, which could provide more than 1,800 MW of accredited capacity. Both complaints remain pending before FERC.

[1] https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?_sp=92451edb-066e-47f9-8b61-5b5595943270.1793993509355&accession_number=20261103-5191&optimized=false&sid=aa67df7a-f38f-4597-b78c-b5d1d3812692

[2] https://www.ferc.gov/complaints/pending-complaints

[USA] Trump signs executive order restricting foreign grid components

As of October 9, 2026, the deadline for industry comments on Trump's executive order declaring a national emergency over foreign threats to the U.S. bulk power system had passed. The order authorizes the Department of Energy (DOE) to restrict the installation of foreign-produced grid equipment. [1] This includes transformers, inverters, battery storage systems, and associated software and maintenance services that could pose “undue risk” to national security through intentional sabotage or supply chain disruption. [2] DOE asked industry stakeholders to weigh in in September, and the responses showed broad support for the order's intent, with concerns about its implementation. They mentioned that security standards for software that enables remote access can be more important than the country of origin, since flaws in any system can be exploited by anyone, anywhere. Many also advocated for a phased approach to introducing more compliance rules to allow some vendors to “prequalify” as trustworthy. The US already faces shortages of transformers and substations, and further restrictions on imports could increase procurement costs, extend equipment lead times, and delay grid expansion. The DOE has until December 24, 2026, to publish the rules.

[1] https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/08/declaring-a-national-emergency-to-secure-the-united-states-bulk-power-system/?_sp=92451edb-066e-47f9-8b61-5b5595943270.1793990678718

[2] https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LOugCpM0fsOUF2HPeCZ15AgRu0zerWIxhnWjJqYuhPk/edit?_sp=92451edb-066e-47f9-8b61-5b5595943270.1793993034682&gid=1026376053#gid=1026376053

[USA] PJM urges FERC to dismiss Monongahela Power complaint

As of October 6, 2026, Monongahela Power (Mon Power), a FirstEnergy subsidiary, filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) seeking to recover $145 million in costs incurred during Winter Storm Fern in January and February. [1] The utility alleges that PJM's advance scheduling of gas-fired generators, intended to secure fuel and ensure sufficient generation during the storm, may have violated market rules and contributed to higher costs for Mon Power. [2] The utility said its lower-cost coal-fired plants were repeatedly dispatched at minimum output levels while more expensive gas generation was scheduled in advance. PJM has urged FERC to dismiss the complaint, arguing that downed transmission lines on Mon Power's system were the primary cause of the price differences. Independent power producers also oppose the requested retroactive market adjustments, warning that reopening settled market outcomes could undermine investment certainty and discourage generators from taking steps to maintain reliability during future emergencies. The dispute raises broader questions about how grid operators balance emergency reliability measures with market efficiency and cost allocation during extreme weather.

[1] https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?_sp=92451edb-066e-47f9-8b61-5b5595943270.1793390037146&accession_number=20261006-5055&optimized=false&sid=fd89c772-392c-48a0-aedb-a178e33cb61b

[2] https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?_sp=92451edb-066e-47f9-8b61-5b5595943270.1793390059369&accession_number=20261026-5103&optimized=false&sid=fd89c772-392c-48a0-aedb-a178e33cb61b

[USA] MISO penalties for nonperforming demand-side resources approved by FERC

As of October 23, 2026, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) largely accepted a proposal for stricter non-performance penalties on demand-side resources in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s (MISO) market. The new framework will take effect by June 1 2027, and will apply to Load Modifying Resources (LMR), which are demand response and behind-the-meter generation assets that receive capacity payments for agreeing to respond to MISO orders during grid emergencies. [1] This new framework is the latest in a series of FERC-approved changes to MISO’s rules in the wake of several enforcement cases involving the grid operator’s demand response program. The changes intend to discourage underperformance and fraudulent participation, especially since LMRs accounted for about 9.4% of MISO’s planning resources in the summer season. FERC commissioners Judy Chang and David Rosner cautioned that excessive penalties could discourage otherwise reliable demand-side resources from participating, potentially causing the cost of maintaining resource adequacy to increase.

[1] https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?_sp=92451edb-066e-47f9-8b61-5b5595943270.1793386416581&accession_number=20261023-3123&optimized=false&sid=2a7edb19-87d5-49d0-be1c-247bb70048c0

[USA] DOJ files motion to revoke offshore wind permits, jeopardizing permitting bill

As of October 13, 2026, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed motions in federal courts asking judges to revoke the Department of the Interior’s Biden administration-era approvals of the construction and operation plans for offshore wind projects. [1] This includes the 2.2 GW Maryland Offshore Wind project, 2.6 GW New England Wind, and 700-MW Revolution Wind. [2] The motions have implications for the agreement on permitting reform in the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act, which was unveiled in September. [3] One provision of the bill aims to prevent federal agencies from biasedly favoring certain resources. The deal to advance legislation was reached after President Donald Trump told Democratic lawmakers that wind and solar projects would be given better treatment in the bill. Tony Irish, a former Interior Department associate solicitor, said they “upend not only the settled expectations of Congress with regard to their permitting deal, but those of producers of energy of all forms.’

[1] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68164402/green-oceans-v-united-states-department-of-the-interior/?page=2

[2] https://www.mass.gov/doc/new-england-wind-amicus/download

[3] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69311769/mayor-and-city-council-of-ocean-city-maryland-v-united-states-department/?page=2

[USA] Google expands virtual power plant agreement to include more than 1 GW

Google is advancing its efforts to contract distributed capacity to meet its power needs within the PJM Interconnection, with the inclusion of 1,070 MW to an initial 100-MW virtual power plant agreement with Voltus. In the agreement, Google will pay Voltus to aggregate distributed resources such as batteries, smart thermostats, on-site generation, and industrial process adjustments that can reduce energy use, from residential, commercial, and industrial customers. When the grid is strained, Voltus will offer the combined resources into PJM’s market. The VPP is expected to reach full capacity over three to four years and operate under contract with Google through 2040. The expansion comes as PJM faces growing electricity demand from data centers and tightening reliability margins; demand-response revenue in the market rose 240% from 2024 to 2025, reaching approximately $524 million. The agreement illustrates how large electricity consumers can fund distributed resources to help address capacity shortages, potentially reducing reliance on new centralized generation and easing pressure on electricity costs.

[1] https://www.voltus.co/press/google-voltus-1gw?_sp=92451edb-066e-47f9-8b61-5b5595943270.1792777518350

[Japan] 130 companies ratify joint statement at US-Japan Business Conference

As of October 8, 2026, the US-Japan Business Council and the Japan-US Business Council held the 63rd US-Japan Business Conference under the theme of “Allied for Growth: Driving the Next Era of the US-Japan Economic Partnership.” At the final session of the event, 130 US and Japanese companies ratified a joint statement, calling upon both countries’ governments to build on the strong commercial momentum by accelerating mutual investment, expanding cooperation on AI and advanced technologies, strengthening resilient and trusted global supply chains, and advancing regulatory harmonization and permitting reforms that support sustainable economic growth. [1] The joint statement includes 5 sectoral annexes, including digital economy, energy and infrastructure, financial services, healthcare innovation, and travel, tourism, and transportation. [2] In the energy and infrastructure joint statement, the councils recommend that the governments continue bilateral public-private coordination on energy security; enhance US-Japan cooperation to strengthen supply-chain resilience; expand nuclear power deployment; strengthen critical mineral deployment and resilience; strengthen cybersecurity of critical power infrastructure; establish fair cost-allocation mechanisms for electricity demand growth; and secure and develop the skilled technician workforce needed for reliable energy, and more.

[1] https://www.uschamber.com/international/joint-statement-of-the-63rd-u-s-japan-business-conference

[2] https://50705538.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/50705538/63rd%20U.S.-Japan%20Biz%20Con_Energy%20&%20Infrastructure%20Joint%20Statement.pdf

[USA] Virginia regulators approve fuel cost securitization for Dominion

As of September 29, 2026, Virginia regulators approved Dominion Energy’s plan to use securitization to recover fuel costs, allowing the utility to issue bonds backed by future customer payments rather than collecting the full amount through electricity bills immediately. [1] The approach is intended to spread costs over time and reduce the near-term impact on customers, while allowing Dominion to recover expenses associated with supplying electricity. However, securitization does not eliminate these costs, as customers will repay the bonds over time through their bills, including financing costs. The latest approval follows a similar securitization in 2023, raising concerns among regulators and consumer advocates about repeated deferrals and the cumulative burden on customers. The decision comes amid greater volatility in wholesale electricity prices and fuel expenses, particularly during extreme weather, highlighting the challenge of balancing reliable power supply with affordable electricity rates.

[1] https://www.scc.virginia.gov/docketsearch/DOCS/8%23v801!.PDF?_sp=d2526746-0731-43ab-8856-607debe38a73.1791825132101

[USA] DOE backs FERC decision, urges PJM to maintain ratepayer protections

As of October 7, 2026, the US Department of Energy (DOE) urged the PJM Interconnection to revise its reliability backstop procurement plan to prevent cost shifts onto utility customers from data centers and other large loads. [1] PJM should file a proposal by October 29, 2026, in response to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) decision that the grid operator’s backstop procurement plan needed changes, including to address issues in the cost-allocation framework, according to the DOE’s statement of position filed with FERC. [2] In its statement, the DOE stated that PJM should implement the cost allocation and other reforms identified by the Commission to ensure that the costs of serving new data centers or large electric energy loads are not unfairly shifted to PJM’s existing ratepayers, in one of the first statements it has filed at FERC in at least 5 years.

[1] https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?_sp=d2526746-0731-43ab-8856-607debe38a73.1791823593405&accession_number=20261007-5181&optimized=false

[2] https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?_sp=33b47cd2-dca8-4dff-af6b-4fc671144625.1791466779617&accession_number=20260929-3099&optimized=false

[Japan] US-Japan energy and nuclear cleanup cooperation expands

As of October 6, 2026, the U.S. Department of Energy said Assistant Secretary Tim Walsh’s visit to Japan focused on cooperation on Fukushima Daiichi decommissioning, nuclear cleanup, and the broader nuclear fuel cycle. [1] Walsh participated in the 10th International Forum on Fukushima decommissioning and met with Japan’s Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation, as well as officials from Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). The delegation also visited Japan Nuclear Fuel’s Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant, where discussions covered uranium enrichment, spent-fuel reprocessing and mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel. The visit reflects ongoing U.S.-Japan efforts to exchange technical experience from nuclear cleanup and strengthen cooperation across the nuclear sector.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/em/articles/assistant-secretary-walsh-advances-president-trumps-us-japan-energy-and-nuclear-cleanup

[USA] As public hearings begin, Virginia Lt. Gov. Hashmi opposes NextEra-Dominion merger

As of October 6, 2026, Virginia state lieutenant governor Ghazala Hashmi, D, stated NextEra’s planned acquisition of Dominion Energy is not in the best interest of Virginians, after summarizing her findings from a five-city public listening tour. [1] The tour stopped in Norfolk, Richmond, Charlottesville, Roanoke, and Loudon county, which houses the world’s largest concentration of data centers. Hashmi expressed in the report that she is concerned the merger would pose a risk to Virginians due to NextEra’s thousands of “individual project entities, many in businesses far riskier than a regulated utility.” In addition, she expressed concern about NextEra’s plan to lean into serving data center growth in Dominion’s footprint, citing both the cost and the potential for stranded assets if projected demand does not materialize, leaving more of the burden on residential customers. The report preceded the State Corporation Commission’s first local hearing on the pending merger on October 7, 2026, and is the most formal expression of opposition from Virginia’s executive branch yet.

[1] https://www.vaenergytour.com/files/Report.pdf?_sp=d2526746-0731-43ab-8856-607debe38a73.1791402507479

[USA] EIA analysis suggests mixed outlook for energy expenditures this winter

As of October 7, 2026, the U.S. Energy Information Administration expects U.S. household energy spending this winter to vary significantly by heating fuel, with electricity and heating-oil costs increasing while natural gas and propane costs decline. [1] EIA forecasts that households using electricity for heating, which account for more than 40% of U.S. homes, will spend about 4% more on average this winter, while the roughly 3% of households that use heating oil could see spending rise 21%. The increase in heating-oil costs is concentrated in the Northeast, where heating oil remains more widely used. EIA attributes the higher prices to tighter global distillate markets following lower refinery production, while U.S. distillate exports increased 20% during the first seven months of 2026. As a result, U.S. distillate inventories are projected to remain about 11% below the five-year average during the fourth quarter. For electric utilities and other energy stakeholders, the outlook highlights continued differences in winter energy costs across regions and fuels, particularly as electricity demand for heating remains sensitive to power prices and weather conditions.

[1] https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=68264

[Japan] JERA creates oil storage company to manage national reserve

As of October 2, 2026, JERA established a new company under a joint contracting arrangement with the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) to operate Japan’s national petroleum stockpiling bases, as Japan faces heightened oil-supply risks following disruptions to crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz. More than 90% of Japan’s crude imports from the Middle East pass through the strait, and Japan has joined the international release of strategic oil reserves while seeking alternative supplies from regions including Canada, Azerbaijan, and Africa. Against this backdrop, JERA OIL STORAGE will take over operations at four national stockpiling bases—Tomakomai-Tobu, Akita, Fukui, and Shibushi—around April 2029, with responsibility for maintenance, safety, disaster prevention, and ensuring oil can be released quickly during supply emergencies.

[1] https://www.jera.co.jp/en/news/information/20261002_2521

[USA] FERC pushes back on PJM interconnection’s delay of power auction

As of September 29, 2026, PJM Interconnected delayed its planned reliability backstop procurement auction for data centers due to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) decision to only partly approve it. The agency stated that aspects of PJM’s proposal dealing with cost allocation, transmission owner exit rules, and load-serving entity collateral requirements may be unjust and unreasonable, offering potential solutions to those parts of the plan and encouraging PJM to propose fixes soon, avoiding the need for a hearing process. PJM’s proposal was filed at the last minute, leaving FERC no time to “rehabilitate the mess [they] received,” stated FERC Chairman Laura Swett. PJM is reviewing FERC’s order and intends to address the commission’s remaining concerns regarding its proposed backstop reliability procurement, which aims to acquire up to 6.8 GW of new capacity to address a projected shortfall for the 2028/29 delivery year, largely driven by data center demand growth. FERC found that PJM had not adequately justified its proposed cost-allocation method and recommended allocating procurement costs based on updated load forecasts to better reflect projected demand growth and ensure costs are assigned appropriately. PJM spokesperson Jeffrey Shields said that a new timeline for the backstop procurement has yet to be determined.

[1] https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?_sp=d2526746-0731-43ab-8856-607debe38a73.1790962009670&accession_number=20260929-3099&optimized=false

[USA] Bipartisan permitting bill expands federal authority over transmission siting

As of September 30, 2026, a bipartisan permitting reform bill was introduced in the US Senate to prevent the revocation or suspension of issued federal permits for energy projects, strengthening the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) siting authority. Permitting reform conversations had previously stalled in Congress in December 2025 when President Donald Trump issued stop work orders against five offshore wind projects. However, a deal was negotiated recently after Trump told Democratic lawmakers that wind and solar energy projects would fare better in the bill. The bill, titled the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act,by is sponsored by Sen. Whitehouse, Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va. It aims to ensure that all federal agencies “treat applications for Federal authorizations or permits fairly and efficiently,” providing applicants with a way to sue the government if permits are improperly denied or unreasonably delayed from disparate treatment based on project type. The legislation has provisions aimed at ensuring resource-neutral permitting and also strengthens FERC by eliminating National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors and expanding its authority to issue “one or more permits for the construction or modification of electric transmission facilities.” The bill eliminates the federal right of first refusal for incumbent utilities, stripping their automatic right to build new regional lines and requires FERC to issue a rule requiring each transmission planning region to file a consolidated interconnection and regional transmission planning process.

[1] https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28712286-bipartisan-american-affordability-and-jobs-act/?_sp=d2526746-0731-43ab-8856-607debe38a73.1790956531308#document/p1

[USA] States sue Trump administration over offshore wind lease buyouts

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.

[1] https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/court-filings/new-york-et-al-v-u.s-department-of-the-interior-et-al-complaint-for-declaratory-and-injunctive-relief-2026.pdf?_sp=92451edb-066e-47f9-8b61-5b5595943270.1790365978102

[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.

[1] https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?_sp=92451edb-066e-47f9-8b61-5b5595943270.1790365745971&accession_number=20260924-3089&optimized=false&sid=a1e3a51f-ff6a-4bad-ba01-4dd60e6ba853

[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.

[1] https://www.puc.pa.gov/media/4044/2026_assessing_electricity_resource_adequacy_in_pa_and_pjm.pdf?_sp=92451edb-066e-47f9-8b61-5b5595943270.1789657662834

[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.

[1] https://www.catf.us/2026/09/report-identifies-states-deregulated-power-markets-achieve-long-term-clean-energy-goals-state-led-planning-procurement/?_sp=92451edb-066e-47f9-8b61-5b5595943270.1789657700191