Good morning. Washington spent billions chasing an electricity boom that still hasn't arrived, PJM is testing a new way to make data centers bring their own power, and nuclear is warming up for a comeback.
Top Stories
BILLIONS SPENT, BUT THE ELECTRICITY BOOM HASN'T ARRIVED
The Washington Post
Grid operators still warn of shortages as federal policy favors coal, gas and nuclear, even though wind, solar and batteries supplied about 90% of new capacity during Trump's second term.
PJM TRIES A NEW WAY TO MAKE DATA CENTERS BRING THEIR OWN POWER
Canary Media
A proposed one-time auction would pair new large loads with 15-year capacity contracts capped at $555 per MW-day, but states must keep the risk off ordinary ratepayers.
NEW ENGLAND'S GAS CRUNCH SPLITS DEMOCRATS
E&E News
High winter power prices and reliability fears are pushing some regional Democrats toward new pipelines as Sheldon Whitehouse negotiates permitting and Clean Water Act changes.
NUCLEAR CAPACITY COULD SURGE 44% IN A DECADE
Canary Media
BloombergNEF projects 535 GW worldwide by 2036, with 76 reactors totaling 83 GW already under construction and China accounting for nearly half the buildout.
THE CLIMATE LAW IS DEAD. THE ENERGY TRANSITION ISN'T
Grist
New modeling says roughly 75% of clean power expected under the IRA may still be built, including more than 80% of projected large-scale solar, while wind and EV manufacturing absorb heavier losses.
Power & Grid
FERC ORDERS WESTERN POWER MARKETS TO WORK OUT THEIR SEAMS
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
CAISO and SPP must report by Sept. 30 on coordinating reliability and trading across their competing Western markets now that EDAM and SPP's western RTO are operating.
PENTAGON FREEZE STALLS 44 GW OF WIND PROJECTS
KGW
Oregon and Washington joined a multistate legal challenge after military reviews stopped moving, leaving more than 100 proposed projects stalled across 24 states.
MISO PICKS BUILDERS FOR $1.6B ILLINOIS BACKBONE LINES
Utility Dive
The grid operator selected a consortium for two 765-kV transmission projects in Illinois, the first of the extra-high-voltage lines planned to carry the region's load growth.
SOLAR LOBBY TAPS PAWLENTY TO WIN BACK CONSERVATIVES
Axios
The former Minnesota governor will lead SEIA's effort to rebuild Republican support after federal policy reversals weakened clean-energy incentives.
ENERGY VOTE HAUNTS ARIZONA MODERATES
E&E News
Clean-energy rollbacks in last year's megabill are becoming a reelection liability for Republicans defending competitive districts with major renewable investment.
Data Centers
GREENS TURN THE DATA-CENTER FIGHT INTO A NATIONAL CAMPAIGN
E&E News
Major environmental groups are mobilizing against large AI facilities, betting that the local backlash that has already stalled or killed projects nationwide can scale into a coordinated campaign.
ORACLE FALLS ONE NOTCH ABOVE JUNK IN WISCONSIN GRID FIGHT
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
S&P's BBB- downgrade complicates Oracle's lawsuit against rules requiring strong credit or substantial collateral before data centers connect to We Energies.
DATA CENTERS DRIVE 68% OF DOMINION'S $7.59 BILLION GRID PLAN
WUSA9
Virginia regulators are weighing whether large loads should pay the full cost of transmission and substations that would not otherwise be needed.
PRINCE WILLIAM BLOCKS ROUTES FOR DATA-CENTER POWER LINE
WUSA9
County supervisors denied Dominion access and easements for two routes of a proposed 6.5-mile transmission project after sustained resident opposition.
DATA-CENTER BUILDOUT PROPS UP THE ST. LOUIS ECONOMY
St. Louis Public Radio
The regional Fed says AI construction and demand for raw materials are driving modest growth even as electricity, food and fuel costs squeeze households.
Stat of the Day
$150B+
Data-center projects stalled or defeated by local opposition in the past year
National environmental groups now see the backlash as one of their largest organizing opportunities.
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