Business
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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 […]
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Trends
GM, Redwood Materials Pursue Use of Vehicle Batteries for Energy Storage
General Motors (GM) has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Redwood Materials, an agreement meant to accelerate deployment of energy storage systems using both new U.S.-manufactured batteries from GM, and second-life battery packs from GM electric vehicles (EVs). This collaboration, announced July 16, marks a significant step toward taking GM’s advanced battery technology beyond […]
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Renewables
Google Signs Deal with Brookfield for 3 GW of Hydropower Capacity
Technology giant Google announced the company will buy as much as 3 GW of hydropower generation capacity from Brookfield Renewable, an affiliate of Brookfield Asset Management. The companies on July 15 said the deal is a “hydro framework agreement” that will support Google’s goal of having data centers and other operations run continuously on carbon-free power.
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Press Releases
South Texas Electric Cooperative Issues Request for Proposals to Meet Long-Term Capacity and Energy Needs
Proposals of up to 500 MW of firm, dispatchable capacity and associated energy requested. NURSERY, Texas, July 14, 2025 — South Texas Electric Cooperative Inc. (STEC) today issued a request for proposals (RFP) through which it seeks to obtain long-term generating capacity and associated energy. The RFP solicits bids for up to 500 megawatts (MW) […]
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Data Centers
Regulator Approves AEP Ohio’s Landmark Data Center Tariff
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) has approved a landmark tariff structure requiring large new data center customers to pay for a minimum of 85% of their subscribed electricity usage—regardless of actual consumption—for up to 12 years. The measure marks a pivotal step in Ohio’s efforts to address surging demand from hyperscale data centers […]
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Gas
Kansas Regulators Back Plan for Two New Gas-Fired Plants, Along with Solar Farm
Kansas regulators have given Evergy the go-ahead to raise the utility’s rates to help finance construction of two new natural gas-fired power plants, along with a utility-scale solar power project, in the state.
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Gas
Private Equity Firm Moves to Secure Ohio Gas Power Plant as Demand for Firm Power Rallies
Private equity firm ArcLight Capital Partners has entered into definitive agreements to acquire 100% of the economic interests in the 484-MW Middletown Energy Center, a combined cycle natural gas power plant in Butler County, Ohio. The firm said on July 10 that the acquisition—structured through a series of transactions with a consortium of sellers—adds a […]
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Cybersecurity
Securing the Power Grid: Cybersecurity Strategies for Smart Energy Systems
As the backbone of modern energy systems, smart grids and digital substations promise efficiency and sustainability—but they also open the door to escalating cyberthreats. This article dives into a layered cybersecurity strategy that blends integrated vulnerability assessments, robust protocols, and defense-in-depth tactics. Packed with practical insights and a look at breakthrough technologies, it empowers utilities […]
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Solar
Rush Toward Another ‘Safe Harbor’ Begins for Solar Industry
It’s no secret the solar industry has been stockpiling components such as panels and racking since before the Inflation Reduction Act. Under threat of a shortened runway to qualify for credits recently made reality with the passage of the reconciliation bill, the trend has very definitely accelerated.
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gas turbines
“We’re Writing a New Chapter”: Mitsubishi Power CEO Bill Newsom on AI, Gas Turbines, and the Path to Decarbonization
The U.S. power sector seems to be increasingly pulled in two directions. While trundling toward rapid electrification, it is seeking to hold its ground on recent decarbonization triumphs. And while utilities and power companies are racing to add generation capacity, their prospects are limited by aging infrastructure and upended by supply chain constraints that have […]