Business
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Workforce
600 Workers Take TVA Buyout as Utility Seeks to Cut $1 Billion in Spending
A spokesperson for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) confirmed that about 600 of the utility’s employees have taken buyouts. Some workers left the company starting in May, while others will exit by the end of September. The TVA on August 21 said the move is part of a plan to reduce costs as the federally owned utility tries to cut nearly $1 billion in spending by 2026.
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T&D
It’s Time to Listen to Transformers
A transformer fire at Heathrow Airport earlier this year triggered cascading power outages, cutting electricity to more than 66,000 homes, grounding more than 1,300 flights, and causing losses of up to £100 million. According to a recent report, the fire started because of a fault in a 50-year-old asset that subsequently led to short circuiting […]
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Data Centers
Why Forward-Looking Data Center Operators Are Taking Control of Their Own Grids
The Trump administration’s recent “AI Action Plan” to expand artificial intelligence (AI) and data center infrastructure in the U.S. highlighted the need to accelerate innovation, build cutting-edge infrastructure, and position the U.S. as a global leader in the industry. It also highlights a crucial detail: developing an electric grid that can match the pace of […]
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Press Releases
GridBeyond Expands Services with Revenue Floor and Synthetic Toll Contracts in ERCOT and CAISO
GridBeyond now offers revenue floor and toll contracts for selected power storage projects in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and California Independent System Operator (CAISO) markets. Backed by highly rated underwriting partners, these contracts provide project owners with new tools to de-risk their balance sheets or secure financing. Each contract is customizable, allowing […]
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Trends
Extra Effort: Filling the Gaps in Demand Response
The dual challenges of affordability and growing load demand are putting enormous stress on utilities, communities and households. Demand response, a key part of the solution, is falling short, but innovative payment plans can help fill the gap. Residential demand response (DR) is like the aerobic exercise of the electric utility industry. We all know […]
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Energy Storage
Fullmark Energy Brings Another Energy Storage Project Online in California
A Midwest-based energy storage developer and independent power producer said it has brought the third project in a strategic collection of California energy storage facilities online. Fullmark Energy, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, on August 20 announced the start of commercial operation for the company’s 20-MW/40-MWh Ortega energy storage project in Lake Elsinore. Fullmark on Wednesday […]
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Data Centers
Aalo Atomics Secures Capital, Regulatory Backing for 2026 Modular Nuclear Project at INL, Eyes Potential First Data Center Pairing
Advanced nuclear firm Aalo Atomics has secured new capital and regulatory backing to complete construction of its 10-MWe Aalo-X reactor at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The project, recently selected under the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) new Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program, will demonstrate cold criticality by July 2026 in an unusually aggressive federal milestone for advanced […]
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Hydrogen
Carbon Removal Company Closes on Major Investment
A California-based carbon removal company said it has completed a funding round in support of the company’s first 100-kilotonne carbon dioxide removal (CDR) commercial facility. Equatic, which is considered a pioneering company in combined carbon dioxide removal and green hydrogen production, on August 11 announced the successful closure of its Series A round, with Catalytic […]
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Hydrogen
Leading Hydrogen Producer May Abandon U.S. Projects Due to Trump’s Actions
A Germany-headquartered company involved in the global hydrogen industry said it plans to abandon some of its projects in the U.S. due to actions from the Trump administration. Werner Ponikwar, chief executive of Thyssenkrupp Nucera, on August 13 said the company has been in discussions with stakeholders in its U.S. hydrogen projects and would cancel […]
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Commentary
Transforming Energy Finance Through AI-Driven Processes
The power and utility sector underpins every part of modern life, from residential comfort to industrial productivity. Yet, as the global energy landscape evolves, so must the internal operations that keep these organizations running. COMMENTARY With total U.S. power use expected to reach around 4,189 billion kWh in 2025, and 4,278 billion kWh in 2026, […]
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Commentary
How Smarter Cooling Choices Can Cut AI’s Energy Use
Artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving, and so is the demand for the infrastructure behind it. However, for those looking to build a sustainably conscious system, this growth raises a crucial question: What does an energy-efficient data center system look like? While rightfully, much of the attention has focused on controlling energy usage of bigger systems […]
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Workforce
BP Cutting More Than 6,000 Jobs, and Thousands of Contractors, as Part of Cost Reductions
Global energy giant BP said it would cut thousands more jobs by the end of this year, as the company continues to reduce its renewable energy plans to focus more on its longtime core business of oil and gas production. UK-based BP, which has its U.S. headquarters in Houston, Texas, has said it plans to […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Trump Administration to Overhaul Drone Rules, Fast-Track Nuclear Reactor Deployment on the Moon
The Trump administration has proposed new drone regulations that will eliminate case-by-case approval processes for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, while Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy confirmed accelerated plans to deploy a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and […]
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Trends
Google, I&M Strike Landmark Deal to Share Clean Capacity and Flex AI Load
American Electric Power (AEP) subsidiary Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) has filed a special customer-specific contract with technology giant Google that could create a dual-purpose arrangement to address power capacity constraints in one of the fastest-growing digital infrastructure regions in the U.S. AEP on Aug. 4 announced that the two companies filed a petition to the […]
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T&D
How Nation’s Largest Dynamic Line Rating Deployment Unlocked Nearly 50% More Transmission Capacity for Great River Energy
Great River Energy’s dynamic line rating (DLR) project is the largest DLR deployment to date in the U.S. based on the number of sensors installed. Early results identified a 48.92% increase in power carrying
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News and Notes
POWER Digest August 2025
MHI to Supply Four Circulating Water Pumps for Sanmen Nuclear Power Plant in China. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI) received an order for the supply of four circulating water pumps (CWP) for Units 5 and
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Energy Security
DOE’s Fifth Emergency Order—for PJM—Caps Summer of Escalating Grid Risk
The Department of Energy (DOE) has issued its fifth 202(c) emergency order this year, directing PJM Interconnection to override environmental limits and dispatch an oil-fired power generating unit in Maryland strictly as needed to avert possible blackouts in the Baltimore region. The July 28 order, issued under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, authorizes […]
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Markets
PJM’s Record-High Capacity Prices Spark Sector Reckoning as Market Signals, Policy Battles Intensify
Capacity prices in PJM Interconnection’s latest auction spiked to the market’s price ceiling, hitting $329.17/MW-day across the board for the 2026/2027 delivery year—the maximum allowed under new Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) rules. The regional transmission organization’s (RTO’s) competitive Base Residual Auction (BRA), conducted on July 9, 2025, and released on July 22, secured 134,311 […]
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Renewables
SSE Moving Forward With Major Scottish Offshore Wind Farm
Scottish energy giant SSE said it has government approval to develop an offshore wind farm that at present would be the largest such installation in the world.
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Commentary
Beyond Co-Location: The Emerging Opportunity for Vertically Integrated Utilities in the Data Center Boom
The explosive growth of hyperscale data centers is reshaping the power sector at unprecedented speed. In just a few short years, load requests from data center operators have gone from occasional filings to a full-on wave of gigawatt-scale development across North America. While much attention has been paid to the trend of co-locating data centers […]
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Electric Vehicles
Enhancing Grid Resilience and EV Charging Efficiency Through Advanced Technology
XCharge North America (XCharge NA) is a provider of high-power electric vehicle (EV) charging and battery-integrated solutions designed to strengthen the North American electrical grid. Since its inception in 2022, XCharge NA has developed a suite of products designed to enhance the efficiency and accessibility of EV charging, most recently launching its GridLink product in […]
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Microgrid
When AI-First Becomes Practice, Your Energy Grid Better Be Ready
From healthcare to aviation, artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used to close operational gaps and garner efficiencies in key industries. Indeed, 78% of respondents in McKinsey’s State of AI Survey for 2025 indicated that their organization is using AI for at least one business function. This year and beyond, the question of AI adoption […]
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Energy Storage
Energy Storage Group Closes Financing for Texas BESS Project
A global developer of grid-scale energy storage projects said it has closed project financing and completed a 10-year offtake agreement for a battery energy storage system (BESS) installation in Texas. Energy Vault, with headquarters in California and offices in Virginia, Switzerland, and Australia, on July 24 said the $18-million project financing for the Cross Trails […]
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Legal & Regulatory
EPA Extends Coal Ash Compliance Deadlines, Citing Utility, Contractor Strain
Citing a mounting compliance crunch in America’s coal-fired power sector, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized new rules extending key deadlines for coal ash cleanup and management, while floating the prospect of a further 12-month delay. The changes address calls from utilities, engineering contractors, and state regulators for more realistic timeframes to assess, […]
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Data Centers
Nuclear Developer Oklo Advances Dual Alliances Targeting Data Center and Industrial Power Needs
Advanced nuclear technology company Oklo entered into two separate high-profile collaborative agreements this week that seek to supply integrated energy solutions to data centers and large load industrial operations. The alliances—one with Liberty Energy, an energy services and technologies firm, and another with critical digital infrastructure provider Vertiv—mark the newest notch in the growing market […]
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Press Releases
Mirion Technologies Launches Vital Platform for Nuclear Industry
Mirion Technologies, a leading provider of advanced radiation safety solutions, has announced the launch of the Vital Platform. This software offers a single, unified system for accessing data across nuclear power sites to work more efficiently, enhance worker safety, and solve operational challenges faster. The launch includes the platform’s first application, Vital Supervision, designed to […]
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Renewables
LS Power Acquiring bp’s U.S. Onshore Wind Business
A leading developer of North American power and energy infrastructure projects said it has an agreement to acquire several U.S. onshore wind farms from a UK-based energy group. LS Power and bp Wind Energy North America announced the deal on July 18. LS Power said the deal comprises about 1,700 MW of operating onshore wind […]
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Press Releases
Veolia Acquires Icetec to Expand Digital and Distributed Energy Business
Veolia, a leading global integrated provider of environmental services, said it has completed the acquisition of Icetec, a Pennsylvania-based digital and distributed energy management company with more than 20 years of experience in generating quantified energy savings and operational improvement for customers. The tuck-in acquisition will complement Veolia’s existing North American energy service offerings and […]
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Sustainability
Hockey Hall of Famer Champions Geothermal Innovation in NYC
The name Mike Richter is well-known among hockey fans. Richter spent 15 years in the National Hockey League as a goalie for the New York Rangers, including in 1994 when he was a fixture in the net during the team’s Stanley Cup winning season. Richter was also recognized as the most valuable player for the […]
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Legal & Regulatory
PSC Greenlights Georgia Power Plan to Expand Coal, Gas, Nuclear, and Grid Infrastructure
The Georgia Public Service (PSC) Commission has unanimously approved Georgia Power’s 2025 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), authorizing a massive energy expansion to accommodate what the utility calls “extraordinary” growth in electricity demand. The PSC’s approval on July 15 allows the Southern Co. subsidiary to proceed with major capacity extensions at its flagship coal, gas, and […]