As of June 15, 2026, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a request for information signaling it is considering revisions to the Biden administration’s 2024 energy efficiency standards for distribution transformers, reopening debate over rules that utilities and manufacturers had largely accepted after earlier revisions. [1] The review seeks feedback on whether the standards could increase transformer costs, affect manufacturing capacity, alter contract terms for utilities, or exacerbate ongoing supply shortages as electricity demand rises from data centers, electrification, and grid expansion. [2] Utility groups have expressed concern that reopening the rule could create regulatory uncertainty just as manufacturers are investing to comply with the existing standards and expand domestic production, potentially delaying procurement of critical grid equipment needed to connect new generation and large electricity loads. The DOE’s review is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to reassess Biden-era energy efficiency regulations while balancing grid reliability, supply chain resilience, and the growing need for distribution infrastructure to support increasing electricity demand.
[USA] Texas approves data center co-location with wind farm with curtailment limits
As of July 24, 2026, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) approved a net metering arrangement for a 260-MW AI data center that is co-located with a wind farm of the same capacity. [1] The data center is the second one planned for that site, and the developer argued that it should not be subject to the same curtailment rules as the first since the total load of both, 525 MW, exceeds the generation resource’s capacity of 265.5 MW. The case could serve as a template for other co-located loads in Texas, where bill SB6 became law in 2025, establishing new rules for large loads in the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas’ (ERCOT) territory and giving the grid operator the authority to disconnect data centers during grid emergencies. The PUCT rejected the data center developer’s argument, ruling that the data center must be capable of curtailing its full load within 30 minutes during grid emergencies, with physical breaker disconnection if necessary. It is also banned from participating in paid demand response programs in the arrangement. This means that the decision requires the data center to operate with greater flexibility than a traditional industrial load, stating that ERCOT should provide 60 minutes of advance notice when “practicable,” while allowing the operator to voluntarily commit to a faster 10-minute response.
[Japan] NVIDIA and Noetra launch national AI infrastructure with Japanese government support
As of July 16, 2026, NVIDIA announced a partnership with Noetra Corp. with support from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to develop what it describes as the world's first national AI infrastructure for physical AI. [1] The initiative will establish an AI factory that will provide 140 megawatts of data center capacity and serve as the computing foundation for METI's FRONTia Project. The project is intended to support AI development while strengthening Japan's digital infrastructure and industrial competitiveness. According to NVIDIA, the AI factory will make AI computing resources and pretrained models broadly available to Japanese developers and enterprises. The initiative aligns with Japan's broader strategy to expand AI infrastructure and support growing demand for advanced computing capacity.
[USA] Data centers in Pennsylvania face increased oversight
As of July 12, 2026, Pennsylvania enacted new reporting requirements for data centers and electricity demand forecasting as part of its 2026–2027 state budget. [1] Under the law, data centers with peak electric demand of 10 MW or more must annually report their electricity and water use, projected future energy demand, and any on-site or off-site energy generation measures. [2] Data centers that fail to comply face fines of $10,000 per day, and the state Department of Environmental Protection will publish annual reports on statewide data center energy and water consumption trends. The legislation aims to improve oversight as electricity demand grows alongside rapid data center development in Pennsylvania. It also authorizes the PUC to review and validate utility load forecasts submitted to PJM, coordinate with PJM and other regulators to improve forecasting accuracy, and help prevent duplicate counting of proposed projects, reflecting broader state concerns about grid planning and demand projections.
[USA] PJM capacity prices reach price cap
As of July 14, 2026, PJM Interconnection announced that its capacity auction for the 2028–2029 delivery year cleared at the $325/MW-day price cap, reflecting continued tight electricity supply and demand across the region. [1] The auction resulted in a 6.8 GW shortfall below PJM's reserve margin target, slightly larger than the previous auction, while attracting only about 525 MW of new resources. PJM stated that a roughly 2 GW increase in forecast demand, driven largely by data center development, contributed to the outcome and said it is preparing market reforms, including a backstop capacity auction and a "connect and manage" framework for large new loads. Stakeholders expressed differing views on the results, with some arguing the current market design does not sufficiently encourage new generation or demand response, while others called for reforms to accelerate permitting, interconnection, transmission expansion, and cost allocation for large electricity users.
[Japan] METI White paper on international economy and trade 2026
As of June 30, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) released the 2026 White Paper on International Economy and Trade and the International Trade and Economic Strategy 2026, outlining Japan’s approach to strengthening economic resilience amid rising global uncertainty. [1] The strategy identifies supply-chain diversification and stronger ties with emerging economies as priorities, particularly because these markets are increasingly important sources of critical minerals and resources. METI also highlighted energy supply resilience as a key policy area, calling for stronger cooperation between oil-producing and consuming countries, expanded supply chains, and strategic investment to improve energy security. The strategy specifically references using the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) and Partnership on Wide Energy and Resources Resilience Asia (POWERR Asia) frameworks to connect Asia and the Middle East and promote more resilient energy markets. METI also emphasized the importance of maintaining stable access to energy and resources while advancing decarbonization efforts through international cooperation. The strategy further identifies technology development, digital transformation, and innovation as areas where Japan can strengthen industrial competitiveness and address emerging economic challenges.
[USA] Sen. King urges FERC to block NextEra and Dominion Energy merger
As of June 23, 2026, in a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, urged the agency to reject a planned merger between NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy, saying that NextEra engaged in anticompetitive behavior that hurt consumers. [1] He asserted that the combination would create “the largest electric utility in the United States, concentrating an unprecedented mix of merchant generation, rate-based generation, and transmission assets in the hands of a single company” that has a documented record of “using its market position…to suppress competition that threatens its merchant revenues.” The planned $67 billion merger would give the combined company 110 GW of generation and 10 million utility accounts in Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. King contends that NextEra’s efforts to block the New England Clean Energy Connect project in 2021 is proof that the merger would harm ratepayers. He also cited NextEra’s recent agreement to pay $150 million to settle shareholder allegations that the company made misleading statements about its involvement in political interference schemes in Florida. He asserted that 3 features of the deal should be closely reviewed, since it would lead to a high concentration of merchant generation alongside rate-regulated power supplies.
[USA] FERC declines waiver for $2B gas-fired plant in PJM’s fast-track review
As of July 2, 2026, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) rejected a request for a waiver from certain PJM Interconnection rules for a $2 billion gas-fired project from PJM’s fast-track Reliability Resource Initiative (RRI) interconnection review process. FERC maintained that granting the waiver for the project would harm third parties by delaying PJM’s review of other grid interconnection requests, including those in its RRI. [1] The RRI process was designed for shovel-ready projects that could meet near-term reliability needs, initially having 51 projects totaling 11.8 GW. It barred changes to a project’s size and capacity interconnection rights. The company implementing the project, Advanced Power, hit an equipment supply hurdle when it was unable to acquire a turbine, which is why it requested a waiver to use alternate turbines and reduce the project’s maximum output by 55 MW and reduce its capacity interconnection rights. In the decision, FERC agreed with PJM that allowing Advanced Power to reconfigure its project could lead to interconnection review delays.
[1] https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?accession_number=20260702-3059&optimized=false
[USA] DOE releases emergency order for PJM during extreme heat
As of June 30, 2026, the U.S. Department of Energy issued an emergency order under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act to support grid reliability in the PJM Interconnection region amid extreme heat-driven electricity demand. [1] According to the official DOE announcement, the emergency declaration was prompted by forecasted peak load conditions reaching above 160,000 megawatts, creating heightened risk of supply shortfalls during the highest-demand hours. The order temporarily authorizes operational measures intended to maintain sufficient electricity supply, including flexibility for generation resources to operate under emergency conditions to ensure system stability. The action reflects ongoing stress on the bulk power system driven by high temperatures and rising electricity demand, reinforcing the need for adequate resource availability and operational coordination to maintain reliability during peak conditions.
[Japan] India and Japan sign agreements on energy
As of July 2, 2026, India and Japan reaffirmed the advancement of their Special Strategic and Global Partnership through a set of cooperation outcomes covering economic security, digital technologies, and energy-related cooperation. [1] According to official summit outcome documents released by the Ministry of External Affairs of India and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation on energy security and energy resilience, with emphasis on stable and reliable energy supply chains and reduced vulnerability to disruptions. [2] The outcomes also place energy cooperation within a broader framework that includes critical minerals, industrial inputs, and emerging technologies that support long-term supply chain stability. [3] The agreement further highlights coordination on economic security measures alongside cooperation in artificial intelligence and other advanced technology areas, reflecting a structured effort to integrate energy security considerations into wider economic and strategic planning between the two countries.
[2] https://www.mofa.go.jp/s_sa/sw/in/pageite_000001_01706.html
[Japan] JERA signs time charter agreements with NYK and MOL for fuel ammonia carriers
As of June 18, 2026, JERA announced that it has entered into time charter agreements with NYK Bulkship and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, under which each company will provide two fuel ammonia carriers for a total of four vessels. With the transportation component of the value chain secure, the agreements mark an important milestone toward establishing Japan’s first commercial-scale low-carbon ammonia value chain. The carriers will be used to transport low-carbon ammonia produced at the Blue Point Project in Louisiana, USA, which is expected to be used at JERA’s Hekinan Thermal Power Station, one of the largest thermal power plants in Japan. The station enables commercial-scale ammonia substitution combustion with a 20% heat value ratio and is planned to begin around fiscal year 2029. Under the JERA Zero CO2 Emissions 2050 Initiative, JERA aims to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions across its domestic and international operations by 2050.
[1] https://www.jera.co.jp/en/news/information/20260618_2437
[USA} PUCT approves ERCOT’s Batch Zero process for connecting large electricity users
As of June 18, 2026, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) approved rules for the state’s grid operator to process large load interconnection requests, including data centers. [1] The first set of projects to navigate the new process is called “Batch Zero.” The Electric Reliability Council of Texas is tracking over 438 GW of large-load requests, and almost 90% are from data centers. Under the framework, ERCOT will look at batches of projects that are 75 MW or larger in a single study to “assess the full picture of future electricity demand at once.” The grid operator stated that the principles established through the Batch Zero framework will be the basis for an ongoing, comprehensive transformation planning process, which includes provisions for large loads to develop their own generation on-site. The process creates a path to interconnect large load customers that agree to let ERCOT curtail their power use in response to local constraints.
[1] https://www.ercot.com/news/release/06182026-puct-approves-ercots
[USA] Energy Department proposes $17.5 billion in loans for nuclear supply chain
As of June 23, 2026, the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF) issued a conditional loan commitment to finance the purchase of long-lead time items needed to rebuild the commercial nuclear supply chain. The $17.5 billion nuclear supply chain loans will help fund 5 eligible projects sponsored by utilities and energy companies nationwide to accelerate the deployment of 10 large-scale commercial nuclear reactors across the nation by up to 3 years. The project supports the objective of President Trump’s executive order “Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base” by readying 10 new large reactors with complete designs under construction by 2030. According to Energy Secretary Chris Wright, the loans will help accelerate the timeline to build large-scale commercial reactors by up to 3 years. EDF financing will support up to five loans, with each loan supporting two reactors per project site. Each of the 10 reactors will generate 1.1 GW of power.
[1] https://www.energy.gov/articles/department-energy-announces-american-nuclear-supply-chain-loans
[Japan] Petronas and JERA sign long-term supply deal extending partnership
As of June 10, 2026, PETRONAS and JERA signed a new long-term liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply agreement that will extend their partnership into the 2040s. Under the agreement, JERA will purchase up to 2 million tonnes of LNG annually for 20 years beginning in 2028. [1] The LNG will be supplied primarily from PETRONAS’ portfolio in Malaysia, strengthening a commercial relationship that has existed for more than four decades. The agreement builds on a partnership that began in 1983 and reflects continued cooperation between one of Asia’s largest LNG producers and Japan’s largest power generation company. It follows a memorandum of understanding signed in 2025 to expand collaboration across the LNG value chain. PETRONAS stated that the deal supports the evolution of LNG contracting toward greater flexibility, while maintaining long-term supply commitments that provide certainty for both suppliers and buyers. Both companies highlighted the role of LNG in supporting energy security and facilitating the energy transition. JERA noted that the agreement will enhance its ability to secure stable fuel supplies and respond to changing demand conditions, while PETRONAS emphasized the importance of reliable LNG supply for customers across Asia. The deal also reinforces Malaysia’s position as a major LNG exporter to Japan and underscores the continued importance of long-term LNG contracts in the region’s energy landscape.
[USA] Largest wind farm in US begins operations
As of June 12, 2026, the SunZia Wind Project in New Mexico has begun commercial operations, becoming the largest wind farm in the United States. [1] The project has 3,650 MW of generating capacity from 916 turbines, more than tripling the size of the next two largest U.S. wind farms. Developed by Pattern Energy, SunZia was nearly two decades in the making and is paired with a 550-mile transmission line that delivers electricity from New Mexico to Arizona and California. The project nearly doubles New Mexico's wind capacity, increasing wind's share of the state's generating capacity to 45%. Most of SunZia's electricity will be exported to western markets, helping support growing regional demand for renewable energy. Shortly after the project came online, California recorded a new hourly wind generation record, highlighting the growing impact of large-scale wind development in the western United States.
[USA] Solar overtakes coal generation in US for the first time
As of June 10, 2026, solar overtook coal generation in the US electricity mix in May 2026, according to monthly and preliminary hourly generation data analyzed by think tank Ember. [1] Solar supplies a record 12.8% of US electricity, while coal fell to 12.2%, its fourth-lowest recorded monthly share. Solar generated an all-time high of 45.5 TWh in May 2026, exceeding May 2025 by 17% and surpassing a record set in July 2025. Coal generation hit an all-time monthly low of 39.3 TWh in April 2026. The overall share of coal generation in the US has nearly halved in the last five years, falling from 19.7% in May 2021 to 12.2% in May 2026. In contrast, solar power’s share of the mix more than doubled from 5.4% to 12.8% over the same period. This record succeeds another clean power milestone from March 2026, when renewables collectively generated more electricity than gas for the first time in the US. Together, these records underscore the growth of clean power in the US electricity mix despite the current policy environment.
[Japan] METI proposes rebuilding aging nuclear plants to meet power demand
As of June 5, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) proposed rebuilding two to five aging nuclear reactors by the 2040s, potentially 11 to 14 by the 2050s to maintain a stable electricity supply as existing reactors reach the end of their operating lives. [1] The proposal, presented at a government nuclear policy meeting, would add roughly 16 gigawatts of generating capacity and represents the first time the Japanese government has established concrete long-term reactor replacement targets. The proposal reflects Japan’s broader shift toward maximizing nuclear power use following revisions to its national energy strategy. After the 2011 Fukushima accident, all 54 reactors were shut down; today, only 15 of the 33 operable units have resumed operation. At the same time, many reactors are approaching or exceeding the 60-year operating threshold, raising concerns that restarts alone will be insufficient to sustain nuclear generation over the long term. Under Japan’s current energy plan, nuclear power is expected to provide around 20% of the country’s electricity by fiscal 2040, roughly double its recent share. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has strongly supported expanded nuclear generation as a means of strengthening energy security and reducing dependence on imported coal, liquefied natural gas, and oil, which still account for most of Japan’s electricity production.
[1] https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/enecho/denryoku_gas/genshiryoku/049.html
[USA] Constellation’s restart of Three Mile Island receives FERC waiver
As of June 4, 2026, federal regulators gave a significant boost to Constellation Energy’s effort to restart the former Three Mile Island Unit 1 reactor, now renamed the Crane Clean Energy Center. [1] The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved a waiver allowing Constellation to transfer grid interconnection rights from its retiring Eddystone fossil-fuel plant to the nuclear facility. Without the waiver, delayed transmission upgrades in the PJM region could have prevented the plant from fully delivering power until 2030–2031, jeopardizing Constellation’s target to restart the reactor in the second half of 2027. FERC concluded that the waiver addressed a concrete reliability problem and met the agency’s standards for granting relief. Under the decision, Constellation will be able to transfer 760 MW of Capacity Interconnection Rights (CIRs) from the Eddystone plant to Crane, increasing the amount of electricity the nuclear unit can deliver to the grid. Constellation has a 20-year deal to sell all the energy, capacity, and clean energy attributes from the nuclear unit to Microsoft for data centers across PJM’s Mid-Atlantic and Midwest footprint.
[Japan] Bank of Japan’s Ueda warns of a temporary energy shock
As of May 27, 2026, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda warned that central banks should not look at oil prices in isolation because energy price shocks initially viewed as temporary can become persistent sources of inflation if they define pricing-setting, household inflation expectations, and wage negotiations. [1] In a speech analyzing historical oil shocks, he argued that the economic effects of energy disruptions depend heavily on the surrounding inflation environment and policy response. He asserted that when inflation expectations are already high and wages are accelerating, the risk of second-round effects is large. While some oil shocks produced only temporary inflationary spikes, others generated prolonged inflation when second-round effects spread through the broader economy. Ueda emphasized that central banks must closely monitor whether firms and households begin to expect sustained inflation rather than treating energy-driven price increases as isolated events. The remarks come as surging oil prices from the Middle East conflict add to inflationary pressure in Japan’s economy, prompting the bank to emphasize the signals that lead markets to expect an interest rate hike as early as within a month.
[1] https://www.boj.or.jp/en/about/press/koen_2026/data/ko260527a1.pdf
[USA] MISO resists complaints over competitive transmission bidding from utilities
As of May 28, 2026, a major dispute is unfolding at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission over whether incumbent utilities should retain exclusive rights to build regional transmission lines in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator and Southwest Power Pool regions. [1] Utilities including Entergy and Xcel Energy argue that competitive bidding processes required under FERC Order 1000 delay urgently needed transmission projects by 16–20 months, especially as electricity demand surges from AI data centers and manufacturing expansion. [2] MISO pushed back in a May 27 filing, saying the delays are overstated and that competitive projects represent only a limited subset of transmission buildouts. [3] [4] The National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates warned that eliminating competition would undermine consumer protections embedded in FERC Order 1000, while groups such as the Solar Energy Industries Association and independent developer Invenergy argued that utilities are attempting to reestablish monopoly control over transmission development.