Energy Security
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Trends
Constellation Outlines Nuclear Expansion Plans at Clinton Site as Meta Partnership Strengthens
Constellation Energy is evaluating specific regulatory pathways to enable potential deployment of advanced nuclear reactors at its Clinton Clean Energy Center. The measure could mark the first concrete steps toward next-generation nuclear development at the Illinois site now that the competitive generator has finalized a landmark 20-year agreement with Meta. Constellation disclosed on Tuesday that […]
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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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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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nuclear technology
TVA Inks First U.S. Utility PPA for Gen IV Nuclear Power in Landmark Three-Way Deal with Google, Kairos
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has signed a first-of-its-kind power purchase agreement (PPA) with advanced nuclear technology firm Kairos Power to buy power from the company’s planned Hermes 2, a molten salt nuclear reactor in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The deal makes TVA the first U.S. utility to contract for electricity from a Gen-IV reactor. Under […]
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Instrumentation & Controls
Achieving maximum reliability with drive systems
This white paper explores how using a holistic, application-driven approach can help minimize drivetrain failures, reduce Total Harmonic Distortion (THD), enable predictive maintenance, and deliver long-term cost savings via lower total cost of ownership (TCO). It explains how an integrated approach to drive system design ensures maximum efficiency, reliability, and performance.
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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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Hybrid Power
The White Island Goes Green: How Graciosa Became a Global Benchmark for Hybrid Renewable Power
A Portuguese island that once relied almost exclusively on expensive diesel fuel shipments to keep the lights on now runs entirely on wind and solar power for nearly half the year. Graciosa didn’t just
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Gas
Domestic Power Burn, Not LNG Exports, Is the Real Culprit Driving Natural Gas Price Volatility
From pandemic shut-ins to production booms, arctic blasts to record heatwaves, the U.S. gas market in the 2020s has been volatile. But while many analyses have pointed the finger at increases in liquefied
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Legislative
One Big Beautiful Bill Act: What It Means to the Power Industry
On July 4, 2025, President Trump officially signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA) into law. The White House called it “a once-in-a-generation piece of legislation.” The power sector is among
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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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Offshore Wind
Hybridization of Offshore Wind
Sponsored by:Siemens Energy GlobalThe white paper underscores the transformative potential of hybridizing offshore wind energy, emphasizing the integration of hybrid technologies, e.g. energy storage systems (BESS), to enhance the reliability, stability, and economic feasibility of offshore wind farms. This approach mitigates the intermittency of wind power, resulting in a more consistent and predictable energy output. By contributing to grid stability […]
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Hybrid Power
Hybridization of Power Generation
Sponsored by:Siemens EnergyThe whitepaper discusses the integration of hybrid power plants in the energy sector, emphasizing their role in addressing the challenges of renewable energy integration. It highlights the importance of hybrid plants in meeting global energy demands by combining multiple power generation and storage strategies. The document outlines the benefits of flexibility, cost reduction, and emission control provided […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Energy Allies: Communities and Utilities Building Resilience Together
Sponsored by:AmerescoExtreme weather and aging grid infrastructure are causing longer, more frequent power outages—making energy resilience a growing priority for utilities and communities. This new resource features a range of strategies for strengthening local energy systems, with a focus on how strategic partnerships between municipalities and utilities are driving positive results. You’ll explore five case studies […]
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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 […]
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Technology
NASA Empowers Energy Projects by Providing Global Earth Observation Data
NASA strives to understand the universe, whether that be the stars above us or Earth around us. One way NASA focuses on the Earth is through satellite, ground, and airborne Earth observations and modeling. NASA’s Earth Science projects work to further understand the Earth and its systems to better help humanity now and in the […]
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Fuel
The Science Behind Propane: How It’s Made and Why It’s Still Relevant
Most people are familiar with propane. Large silver-colored tanks are often used to store propane intended to heat rural homes and propane is a common fuel used in backyard cooking grills. But behind these
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Commentary
IBEW ‘Strongly Opposes’ GOP’s Draft of ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’; Cites Hundreds of Thousands of Lost Jobs
IBEW International President Kenneth W. Cooper on June 29 issued the following statement on Senate Republicans’ draft reconciliation bill, the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” that threatens several sectors, including renewable energy: “This budget reconciliation bill is a direct attack on working families, shoveling tax breaks to the rich while turning its back on the people […]
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Trends
Out of Sync: The Infrastructure Misalignment Undermining the U.S. Grid
U.S. power infrastructure—the intricate physical fabric that laces together generation, transmission, and distribution—is under intensifying strain. Outdated and overextended, it must now absorb relentless growth from electrification and data centers or risk escalating reliability threats, surging costs, and a weakened global competitive edge. POWER examines the dysfunction and what it will actually take to future-proof […]
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Trends
IRA Incentives Fuel U.S. Solar Manufacturing Surge
The U.S. solar manufacturing landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in 2022. Through targeted domestic content incentives, the federal government has successfully ignited a manufacturing renaissance, boosting capacity nearly five-fold and creating thousands of jobs across the country. Catalyzing Growth Through Strategic Incentives The centerpiece of […]
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Energy Security
Duke Energy Advances New 1.4-GW Gas-Hydrogen Power Plant in South Carolina Under New Energy Security Mandate
Duke Energy intends to submit an application to South Carolina’s Public Service Commission (PSC) for approval to build a 1.4-GW gas-fired combined cycle plant with hydrogen capability in Anderson County. If approved, the project, which could come online in 2031, will mark the company’s first new generation proposal in the state in a decade. The […]
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Interview
The POWER Interview: Advanced Technologies Support Microgrid Movement
Microgrids have grown in importance as the need for a reliable and resilient supply of power has grown. The technology has proven itself for a variety of commercial and industrial (C&I) enterprises, in both urban and rural areas where a source of off-grid—or in some cases grid-connected—energy is needed, whether a backup power or as a primary source of electricity.
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Trends
Meet the Tools Helping Power Companies Separate Threats from Noise
As threats to power companies rise—from cyberattacks to theft and vandalism—many utilities are rethinking how to secure facilities and critical infrastructure. Outdated systems that constantly trigger false alarms from wind, weather, or wildlife are draining resources—making it imperative for utilities to modernize their security to improve response, cut costs and reduce reliance on armed personnel. […]
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Interview
The POWER Interview: Microgrids Include a Long List of Technologies—and Benefits
Microgrids have proven their role in enhancing the reliability, resilience, and sustainability of the modern power system. Kirk Edelman, CEO of SolMicroGrid, provided POWER with several lists detailing the technologies behind microgrids, the companies that can benefit from deployment, and the services the systems can provide for their end-users.
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Legal & Regulatory
NERC’s Summer Grid Outlook Shows Progress, but Elevated Risks Persist as Load Growth Outpaces Flexibility
All regions across the North American bulk power system (BPS) are generally positioned to meet peak demand under normal summer conditions, though elevated risks of electricity supply shortfalls could persist under extreme heat, surging demand, and resource variability, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) warns. In its May 14–released 2025 Summer Reliability Assessment (SRA), […]
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Commentary
Nuclear Is the Key to Winning AI Race
The deciding factor in the artificial intelligence (AI) race may come down to our ability to provide new data centers what they need most: massive amounts of constantly available electricity. In the U.S., data centers and their need to accommodate AI account for about half the projected growth of electricity demand through 2030. But the […]
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Commentary
It’s Time to Build American Energy—but It’s Getting Late
The energy and technology sectors are merging, the demand for power is surging, and the battle lines that have defined energy policy debates for decades are being overtaken by events. To lead the world in artificial intelligence (AI) and—as Adam Smith envisioned—enable people to earn a better living with greater ease, America must learn to […]
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Commentary
Rethinking Emergency Power: Hydrogen and the Future of Disaster Resilience
Today’s energy resilience toolkit includes a growing array of technologies, including diesel generators, natural gas systems, lithium-ion battery storage, solar-plus-battery microgrids—and now, a new class of hydrogen-based solutions that generate clean electricity from moisture in the air. No single option is universally ideal, but understanding their strengths and applications can help communities build more robust and flexible emergency energy strategies.
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Legal & Regulatory
DOE Chief Backs Fossil, Nuclear Push Amid Budget and Staffing Questions
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on May 7 told lawmakers that the Department of Energy (DOE) is entering what he called “a golden era of American energy dominance,” outlining the Trump administration’s strategy to prioritize fossil fuels, nuclear power, grid modernization, and permitting reform, while positioning the U.S. to lead in artificial intelligence (AI) […]
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Electrification
Alberta’s Deregulated Grid Is Bracing for 11 GW of New Demand
While Alberta’s historical energy legacy has been defined by coal and crude oil, the Canadian province has embraced renewables and carbon capture over the past two decades, and is now exploring small modular
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Legal & Regulatory
FEOC May Expand in Scope and Application for Inflation Reduction Act
The energy industry, and particularly those participating in renewables, battery storage, and electric mobility, and their supply chain (solar panels, wind turbines, battery components, etc.), are facing