Legal & Regulatory
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Commentary
Powering the Future Without Paralyzing It
The future of energy is rapidly evolving. The explosion of artificial intelligence (AI) and the enormous energy infrastructure it demands will continue to drive unprecedented electricity needs. Goldman Sachs projects that U.S. power demand could grow by as much as 20% by the decade’s end, in large part due to the construction of data centers. These […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Decarbonization Whiplash Prompts a Power Sector Recalibration
What happens when a political U-turn suddenly upends years of decarbonization strategy? As the U.S. House of Representatives moves to dismantle key clean energy tax credits, POWER examines how utilities and developers are rethinking timelines, technologies, and financing, while racing to keep the energy transition on track. On May 22, 2025, the U.S. House of […]
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Legal & Regulatory
EPA Weakening Rules on Power Plant Emissions in Boost for Fossil Fuels
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced sweeping changes to regulations on emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and other pollutants from coal- and natural gas-fired power plants, weakening rules established under the Biden administration that sought to combat climate change.
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Commentary
America Power’s Statement on EPA’s Proposal to Repeal Carbon Rule
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on June 11 proposed to repeal the agency’s Carbon Rule. America’s Power president and CEO Michelle Bloodworth released the following statement: “America’s Power commends EPA for proposing to repeal the Carbon Rule. The repeal will make our nation’s electricity system more reliable and electricity prices more affordable, and enable […]
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Nuclear
NuScale’s 77-MWe SMR Clears NRC Review, Sets Stage for First Firm Order
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has approved NuScale Power’s uprated 77-MWe (250-MWth) small modular reactor (SMR) design, clearing the nuclear technology firm’s second standard design approval (SDA). The development marks a boost for ENTRA1 Energy, NuScale’s exclusive commercialization partner, which is in “various stages of discussions with potential customers” in the U.S. and abroad, the […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Tariff Tempest: Renewables’ Route Through the Current Tariff Climate
The current state of play for tariffs is creating headwinds and challenges, along with complexity and uncertainty, for global economies and certainly the renewable energy industry. While the renewable energy sector is no stranger to tariffs and the “challenge” they present, knowing the current status of such tariffs is the first step to developing mechanisms for dealing with them in a way that can give your project the best chance at success.
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Legal & Regulatory
Analysis: FERC Denies Hypothetical Capital Structure Incentive for Valley Link Transmission Project
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on May 13 of this year issued an order addressing the formula rate filings and requests for transmission rate incentives for the Valley Link Transmission Project Portfolio. The project is a $3-billion, 417-mile multi-state transmission initiative spanning Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia (collectively, Valley Link). While FERC approved several […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Papering Energy: Do Your Contracts Have the Right ‘Power’?
I have spent years in law firms and in-house legal departments counseling clients in the energy sector with respect to their contracts and the related process they utilize in papering their deals. What I have learned is that the pitfalls awaiting a company that isn’t effectively papering its deals and/or following a streamlined and clear […]
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Coal
DOE Issues Rare Emergency Order to Delay Michigan Coal Plant Retirement Amid MISO Grid Risk
The Department of Energy (DOE) has issued an emergency order to delay the closure of Consumer Energy’s 1,560-MW J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant in West Olive, Michigan, citing urgent reliability concerns for the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) grid as the Midwest braces for peak summer electricity demand. The rare order, issued May 23 by Energy […]
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Commentary
Deep Isolation Welcomes Presidential Action to Reinvigorate U.S. Nuclear Waste Disposal Program
Deep Isolation, a leading innovator in nuclear waste disposal technology, in a news release said the group applauds the suite of executive orders signed by President Trump on May 23. The orders prioritize revitalizing the nuclear industrial base, accelerating the deployment of advanced reactors, and advancing spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW) […]
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