Good morning. Virginia wants six years of frozen electric rates, while Texas regulators kept approving data centers after Abbott ordered the environmental agency to halt permits.
Top Stories
SPANBERGER DEMANDS A SIX-YEAR RATE FREEZE IN THE NEXTERA-DOMINION DEAL
WSLS 10 News
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger wants regulators to freeze residential electricity rates for six years and triple monthly bill credits as conditions of the proposed merger. Her office filed expert testimony with the State Corporation Commission on Oct. 19.
TEXAS KEPT PERMITTING DATA CENTERS AFTER ABBOTT ORDERED A HALT
Inside Climate News
FracTracker Alliance and Public Citizen identified 35 permitting actions taken by Texas regulators in the weeks after Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the state's environmental agency to halt data center permits. Public Citizen has argued the agency cannot legally pause permitting without action from the Legislature.
AMAZON'S $9 MILLION COMMUNITY DEAL WAS SIGNED WITHOUT RESIDENTS KNOWING
PennLive
A supervisor in Salem Township, Luzerne County signed the community-benefits agreement with an Amazon-owned company before residents knew about it. It is separate from the unreleased $5 million Amazon agreement tied to Project Hazelnut in nearby Hazle Township.
GOOGLE WILL PAY ENTERGY $2.1 BILLION OVER 20 YEARS
Arkansas Advocate
Google is expected to pay Entergy Arkansas about $2.1 billion over 20 years under the special rate for its West Memphis campus. Entergy separately estimates that its Google and Avaio agreements together could save Arkansas customers up to $1.7 billion over two decades.
THE FOSSIL FUEL COMEBACK IS HERE
The Verge
An Inflection Point for the U.S. Power Sector, published by the Environmental Defense Fund and Atlas Public Policy, finds that planned fossil capacity has climbed to a decade high while renewable projects face faster cancellations. The report points to rising demand from data centers, factories and electric vehicles.
Power & Grid
NEW ENGLAND DEMANDS $1.5 BILLION IN UTILITY REFUNDS
The Center Square
New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte joined regional leaders seeking refunds after FERC found that utilities had overcharged customers since 2011. Eversource, Avangrid and other utilities are challenging the order, which includes $150 million for New Hampshire customers.
FERC ORDERS MORE REVIEW OF NEW ENGLAND TRANSMISSION PROJECTS
Utility Dive
ISO New England must apply a new review process to local transmission projects proposed because of aging or damaged equipment. Two commissioners urged other regions to copy the model as states and consumer advocates press for more oversight of projects billed to customers.
PENNSYLVANIA LAWMAKERS ANSWER A DATA-CENTER ENERGY SHORTFALL
WGAL
House Democrats proposed a three-part plan built around new generation, efficiency and demand response. The package follows a Public Utility Commission report warning of worsening blackouts and grid failures as AI and hyperscale demand grows.
TRUMP DECLARED AN ENERGY EMERGENCY, THEN A REAL ONE ARRIVED
Grist
The administration used emergency powers to support fossil-fuel projects and keep coal plants open. Those moves did not prevent gasoline and diesel prices from surging after the Iran war tightened oil supplies.
ILLINOIS' ENERGY-WORKER BILL OF RIGHTS FALLS SHORT
WNIJ
A University of Illinois study found gaps in the state law meant to protect workers displaced by coal-plant closures and the energy transition. The report tests whether Illinois' promises to affected communities survive contact with actual layoffs.
Data Centers
WEST VIRGINIA FILES A REVISED DATA-CENTER POWER RULE
West Virginia Public Broadcasting
The Public Service Commission filed a second draft of rules governing how utilities supply electricity to large data centers. An outside expert who criticized the first version says the revision better protects other customers.
VOTERS WANT DATA-CENTER LIMITS, NOT TAX BREAKS
The Center Square
A national poll found 36% support limiting or pausing new data centers and 35% favor restrictions on their electricity, water, land or infrastructure use. Eighteen percent support tax incentives to attract them.
NEW JERSEY TOWN PULLS DATA CENTERS FROM ITS REDEVELOPMENT PLAN
Newsweek
Wallington officials are moving to remove data centers from a redevelopment ordinance after weeks of resident opposition. The reversal gives one town a concrete result inside New Jersey's broader wave of local restrictions.
KENTUCKY POWER PLANS TWO LINES AND A SUBSTATION FOR TERAWULF
WEKU
The utility showed residents its proposed transmission route and substation for TeraWulf's Muskie data-center campus. The infrastructure plan follows an expanded 1-GW service agreement that promises $100 million in customer bill credits.
MICROSOFT SAYS PEOPLE, NOT POWER, ARE AI'S BIGGER CONSTRAINT
Newsweek
Microsoft's cloud chief says the industry can manage AI's electricity demand, but public trust and community acceptance are harder problems. The comments come as local opposition has blocked or delayed dozens of projects nationwide.
Stat of the Day
1 PER 5,000 SQ. FT.
Typical staffing ratio for an operating data center
Some distribution centers employ one worker per 650 square feet.
The Center Square ↗