Good morning. Texas is confronting phantom data-center demand, Project Jupiter kept building through two permit stays, and Maryland's ratepayer advocate says PJM's backup plan could cost customers $562 million.
Top Stories
TEXAS HALTS DATA CENTERS AS PHANTOM DEMAND FLOODS THE GRID
Reuters
A Reuters review found more than 700 GW of large-load requests across the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and South, over ten times current U.S. data-center consumption. Texas paused new connections and will now require developers to name who ultimately owns each project, not just an affiliate.
PROJECT JUPITER KEEPS BUILDING THROUGH TWO PERMIT STAYS
Searchlight New Mexico
Work continued on Oracle and OpenAI's campus after New Mexico's Supreme Court paused air and water proceedings. An emergency well pumped more than 103 million gallons before the stay took effect.
MARYLAND CHALLENGES PJM'S $562 MILLION DATA-CENTER BACKSTOP
Inside Climate News
The state's ratepayer advocate says PJM's plan to buy power against projected data-center growth could lock customers into as much as $562 million in long-term costs. Monitoring Analytics estimates data centers have already added $29.4 billion to PJM capacity costs across roughly four auctions.
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE DEAL PUTS BOND REPAYMENT ON RATEPAYERS
KCRA
SB 492 would let California issue bonds if its wildfire fund runs dry, with customers of the utility responsible for the fire repaying them. The bill also bars some executive bonuses, accelerates victim payouts and shields certain claims records from disclosure.
SECRET DATA-CENTER INCENTIVES LEAVE OHIO A $1.6 BILLION GRID BILL
Cleveland.com
Ohio customers face another $1.6 billion in transmission costs linked to data-center growth and deals negotiated outside public view. It lands on top of the $4.3 billion in local transmission spending already under challenge at FERC.
Power & Grid
700 PACK AN OPEN HOUSE OVER WISCONSIN'S 190-MILE GRID LINE
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Nearly 700 people entered the first 90 minutes of a meeting on the $1.2 billion BECI project. The line is Wisconsin's second 765-kV proposal after MariBell and would cross nine counties on routes that do not follow existing transmission corridors.
PJM DROPS OKLO'S 750-MW POWER PROJECT FROM ITS QUEUE
Utility Dive
Oklo asked FERC to reinstate a project combining 150 MW of advanced nuclear, 300 MW of fuel cells and 300 MW of gas. The company says PJM mishandled technical deficiencies and imposed at least a 14-month delay.
EPA EXEMPTS 1.76 BILLION BIOFUEL CREDITS
Successful Farming
The agency ruled on 34 petitions seeking relief from 2025 Renewable Fuel Standard requirements. Its decision to exempt 1.76 billion credits drew opposing reactions from refiners and biofuel producers.
NEW JERSEY MAY DRAIN AN ENERGY FUND TO CUT BILLS NOW
NJ.com
State leaders are weighing another source of near-term bill relief after Gov. Mikie Sherrill froze rates. Critics warn that pulling money from clean-energy and efficiency work will leave customers paying more later.
NEW MEXICO CLEANED ITS GRID WITHOUT A NATIONAL-SIZED PRICE SPIKE
Yale Climate Connections
PNM says it delivered 80% carbon-free power in 2025. Residential prices rose 7% over five years, compared with 32% nationwide, while the state's average rate remained four cents per kilowatt-hour below the national figure.
Data Centers
KANSAS CITIES SUE TO KEEP DATA-CENTER BANS OFF THE BALLOT
Newsweek
Edgerton, El Dorado and Emporia challenged citizen petitions seeking local restrictions or bans. An August 21 ruling cleared El Dorado's proposal to proceed after residents gathered about 700 signatures.
GOVERNORS TURN TO LOCAL DEALS TO CONTAIN DATA-CENTER ANGER
POLITICO
Community-benefit agreements are gaining favor as states try to answer local opposition without chasing hyperscalers away. The imperfect compromise marks a shift from blanket incentives toward negotiated local returns.
DATA-CENTER BUILDERS TURN THE JOB SITE INTO AN ASSEMBLY LINE
The Wall Street Journal
Hyperscalers are leaning on prefabricated components, modular designs and new construction methods to bring capacity online faster. The need for speed is reshaping how the industry's largest physical assets get built.
WEST VIRGINIA'S TAX CODE IS LOSING THE DATA-CENTER RACE
WOWK 13 News
Officials warn that a decades-old revenue model leaves the state negotiating over scraps from multibillion-dollar projects. The question is whether West Virginia can compete with neighboring states without locking host communities into weak returns.
PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESSES FACE A 29% POWER-BILL WARNING
WESA
A business-group report says PJM capacity costs could raise commercial bills as much as 29%. Pennsylvania's 1 million small businesses lack household rate protections and the negotiating power of hyperscalers.
Stat of the Day
189 of 2,105
Project Jupiter workers identified as Doña Ana County residents
Oracle says local hiring is a priority, but roughly 1,600 worker records could not be matched to a ZIP code.
Searchlight New Mexico ↗