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.
[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
[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.
[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.
[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.
[USA] EIA: AI driving record US electricity demand through 2029
As of May 19, 2026, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Today in Energy highlighted how accelerating electricity demand from AI and data centers is reshaping U.S. power markets and generation planning. The agency noted that U.S. electricity consumption is expected to reach new record highs through 2027, with commercial-sector demand increasingly driven by hyperscale computing facilities. EIA forecasts show renewables continuing to expand rapidly, but natural gas generation is also expected to remain elevated as utilities respond to rising baseload needs and transmission bottlenecks tied to data-center growth. The issue is becoming especially acute in regions such as PJM and ERCOT, where grid operators are warning about higher capacity prices, interconnection delays, and infrastructure constraints linked to large new loads. Industry discussions around the report have increasingly focused on whether data-center developers should directly finance dedicated generation and transmission assets rather than relying on broader ratepayer-supported grid expansion.
[USA] NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy to combine
As of May 18, 2026, NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy announced a merger, creating the world’s largest regulated electric utility by market capitalization. [1] In a $67 billion deal, NextEra acquired Dominion Energy, a merger that required both federal and state approvals from Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Residential electricity rates have risen 7.4% in February 2026 compared to the year before, with a 12.2% spike in Virginia. [2] In a press release, NextEra’s CEO John Ketchum stated that the larger scale and efficiencies gained from merging would translate into more “affordable electricity for [their] customers in the long run,” proposing to provide Dominion Energy customers in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina with $2.25 billion in bill credits over two years. The combined company will be more than 80% regulated and serve roughly 10 million utility customers across Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
[2] https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a&
[USA] Electricity generation from solar to exceed coal in ERCOT in 2026
As of May 13, 2026, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasted in their Short-Term Energy Outlook that annual electric power generation from utility-scale solar will surpass that from coal for the first time in 2026 within the grid that spans most of Texas. [1] Solar generation is expected to reach 78 billion kilowatthours (BkWh) in 2026 in the electricity grid operated by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) compared with 60 BkWh for coal. Solar capacity additions have steadily been contributing to meeting electricity demand growth in ERCOT. While natural gas is still the dominant source, solar’s share of the generation mix has increased from 4% to 12% between 2021 and 2025, with coal’s share decreasing from 19% to 13% during the same period. The EIA expects approximately 40% of total solar capacity additions in the US in 2026 to occur in Texas. This year, the largest solar photovoltaic project that will come online in 2026 will be in Texas. The solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) combination project Tehuacana Creek 1 Solar and BESS is 837 megawatts (MW).
[USA] FERC Chairman addresses PJM's legitimacy crisis and governance flaws
As of May 12, 2026, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Laura Swett spoke at PJM’s Annual Meeting, addressing the legitimacy crisis in the grid operator’s decision-making. [1] She asserted that the operator may be “too big to function,” with an “unacceptable” governance structure, with confidence in its decision-making having “completely eroded.” Swett stated that the 13 states in PJM and the District of Columbia have “fundamentally different regulatory structures, resource portfolios and politics,” with some states relying on competitive markets and others having utilities that own power plants. Despite this, FERC expects PJM to run power markets in a fair and efficient manner, “maintain reliability through extreme weather, shifting fuel mixes, and rapid technological change.” When describing its governance process, Swett suggested that the current stakeholder process is “slow where it must be fast, opaque where it must be transparent, and vulnerable to vetoes and agenda control exactly when the region needs immediate action.” Swett announced that FERC would hold a conference on July 23 to identify the flaws in PJM’s governance process, along with solutions to fix them.
[USA] NERC issues Level 3 alert over computational load risks
As of May 4, 2026, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) issued a rare Level 3 alert – the highest level – after several instances of data centers unexpectedly dropping load or oscillating demand. NERC’s alert, entitled “Level 3 Essential Action Alert, Computational Load Modeling, Studies, Instrumentation, Commissioning, Operations, Protection, and Control,” outlines seven actions registered entities must implement to address the immediate risks posed by computational loads interfacing with the bulk power system (BPS). [1] This mandate applies to transmission planners, operators, system planners, and balancing authorities, among others. The alert was issued as NERC observed customer-initiated large load reductions and major oscillations occurring in a span of seconds, leaving no room for real-time responses and threatening reliability. In a previous Level 2 alert, NERC discussed recommended practices deemed necessary to address emerging risks from large loads. In response to this alert, NERC found that entities generally did not have sufficient processes, procedures, or methods to address risks associated with computational loads.
[1] https://www.nerc.com/globalassets/programs/bpsa/alerts/level-3-computational-load-alert.pdf
[USA] House Energy and Commerce Committee Hearing on grid and AI
As of April 29, 2026, the House Energy & Commerce Committee held a hearing about rising energy demand, serving data centers and large loads, and ensuring affordability for ratepayers. [1] According to Duke Energy’s Senior Vice President for Grid Strategy, Planning, and Integration, large new electricity customers, if integrated into the grid responsibly, present economic development opportunities and can limit rate growth by spreading the fixed costs of the grid across a larger base. Muse Energy President Whitney Muse suggested that grid investment in new capacity is critical to meeting demand amid impending load growth and bill pressures. In contrast, Ranking Member Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL) framed the hearing as an opportunity to “squeeze more out of the existing grid” through grid-enhancing technologies, virtual power plants (VPPs), and demand flexibility. A notable point of disagreement was the Fair Allocation of Interstate Rates Act, which would prohibit grid operators from allocating to one state the costs of transmission projects driven by another state’s energy policies. Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.), Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas), and Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.) each raised concerns about the bill’s broad definition of “covered policy,” which could capture state policies unrelated to renewable energy mandates, including grid resilience plans for hurricane-prone states. Muse Energy testified that the Act would make it much harder to build interregional transmission, potentially including state and local land use, resilience, and economic development under its broad definition. Overall, utilities were concerned with the need for clear cost allocation rules, while Democratic lawmakers worried that the rules could block projects or shift costs unfairly.
[USA] Over 800 new generation projects seek to connect under PJM’s reformed interconnection process
As of April 29, 2026, PJM Interconnection announced that 811 new generation projects worth 220 GW have applied to connect to the grid through the Cycle of PJM’s reformed interconnection process. [1] This is the first major intake to improve the certainty and speed of project review using a redesigned approach. PJM is beginning a validation phase to confirm which projects have submitted the required technical and financial information to move forward. The projects entering the queue include 106 GW of gas-fired generation, 67 GW of storage, 18 GW of nuclear, 15 GW of solar, 9 GW solar-storage hybrid and 5 GW of wind. As part of the reformed process, PJM expects to complete the project reviews in one to two years, depending on the project, by using the AI-enabled tool ‘HyperQ,’ developed by Google’s Tapestry. However, despite having 103 GW of signed interconnection agreements since 2020, many of the projects are either “not being built at all or are being slowed by hurdles such as state permitting and supply chain backlogs,” PJM warns.
[USA] Court blocks administration from delaying renewable projects
As of April 21, 2026, a federal judge ruled that the Department of Interior and the Army Corps of Engineer must end a set of policies that limit solar and wind energy permitting on federal land while litigation over the issue plays out. [1] 57.2 GW of wind, solar, hybrid, and offshore wind capacity have been canceled or remain at risk of cancellation or delay beyond 2029. [2] RENEW Northeast, the Southern Renewable Energy Association, Interwest Energy Alliance, and other clean energy groups showed that their members faced imminent harm by 5 policy actions of the Trump administration, leading US District Court judge Denise Casper to grant their request for a preliminary injunction. [3] Casper stated that the plaintiffs are likely to win their suit since they showed that the public interest favors preliminary relief from the agency actions because they harm the public by delaying and preventing the development of wind and solar energy projects in the US. [4] This injunction affects five issues: the DOI review procedures memo which listed 68 permitting actions subject to review by the DOI secretary for solar and wind; a ban on the use of the Information for Planning and Consultation website for solar and wind developers; the DOI “land order” which barred wind and solar projects on federal land by requiring ‘capacity density’ consideration; an Army Corps’ memo that directs the agency to prioritize its permit reviews to high capacity density projects; and the Zerzan M-opinion, which effectively bars new offshore wind projects. [5] [6]
[1] https://ipac.ecosphere.fws.gov/
[3] https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mad.293725/gov.uscourts.mad.293725.89.0.pdf
[6] https://www.doi.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025-05/m-37086.pdf