Markets

  • Financing the Nuclear Renaissance

    At the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, last December, 25 countries underlined the role of nuclear energy in their climate strategies by issuing a

  • Can Nuclear’s Big Recent Wins Propel a True Global Revival?

    While the past year has marked stunning triumphs for nuclear energy, experts caution that high costs, regulatory bottlenecks, and the need for market alignment remain major hurdles on the path to a true

  • Oklo’s $25M Move into Radioisotope Production to Expand Advanced Nuclear Revenue Stream

    Oklo has moved to acquire Atomic Alchemy, a U.S. firm specializing in high-value radioisotopes, in a $25 million all-stock transaction. The acquisition will add radioisotope production capabilities to Oklo’s advanced reactor and fuel recycling operations, creating a new revenue stream and strengthening the resilience of the isotope supply chain, the company said. Radioisotopes, unstable atoms […]

  • Power Shift: Trump’s Energy Agenda Sparks Cautious Optimism, Climate Concerns

    Tuesday’s election, which will return Donald Trump to the White House and grant the U.S. Senate a Republican majority, could have sizeable implications for the power industry. In reactions sent to POWER, industry groups expressed a combination of cautious optimism, resilience, and preparedness for potential changes. Industry leaders are bracing for a pro-fossil fuel agenda […]

  • FERC Blocks PJM Proposal to Expand Amazon Data Center Load at Susquehanna Nuclear Plant

    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has rejected an amended interconnection agreement that would have supported expanded co-located load at an Amazon Web Services (AWS) data center connected to the 2,520–MWe Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, citing grid reliability and cost fairness concerns. FERC on Nov. 1 voted 2–1, with Commissioners Mark Christie and […]

  • Major Microreactor Developer Enters Bankruptcy Amid Nuclear Industry Surge

    Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. (USNC), a developer of much-watched microreactor technology and advanced nuclear fuel, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The move signals a critical restructuring phase through which the company will seek to secure new ownership while ensuring uninterrupted operations. The company’s Oct. 29 filings at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District […]

  • Dominion Sells 50% Stake in $10B Offshore Wind Project

    Dominion Energy has sold a 50% noncontrolling interest in its 2.6-GW Coastal Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) commercial project to infrastructure investment group Stonepeak. The Richmond, Virginia–headquartered utility in an Oct. 25 financial filing said it received proceeds of $2.6 billion for the sale. The amount represents “reimbursement of approximately 50% of project-to-date capital investment.” […]

  • AEP Ohio Proposes New Utility Tariff for Data Centers to Offset Infrastructure Costs

    American Electric Power (AEP) subsidiary AEP Ohio filed a settlement agreement with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) and key stakeholders on Oct. 23 to address the costs of power infrastructure improvements required for Ohio’s rapidly expanding data center industry. The agreement, which is subject to review and approval by PUCO, sets a precedent […]

  • DOE Releases $900M to Spur Gen III+ Nuclear SMR Deployment, Targets Two ‘First Mover’ Projects

    A $900 million funding opportunity released by the Department of Energy (DOE) on Oct. 16 seeks to spur “first mover” teams that could deploy the first two Gen III+ light water small modular reactors (SMRs) in the U.S. It will also provide funding for “fast follower” deployment support by addressing critical gaps that have long […]

  • Google Bets Big on Nuclear: Inks Deal with Kairos Power for 500-MW SMR Fleet to Power Data Centers

    In a deal that marks the first corporate agreement to deploy multiple small modular reactors (SMRs) in the U.S., Kairos Power and Google have signed a Master Plant Development Agreement to facilitate the development of a 500-MW fleet of molten salt nuclear reactors by 2035 to power Google’s data centers. The first reactor is expected […]

  • Jackson Generation Pioneers North America’s First M501JAC Gas Turbines

    The Jackson Generation plant, a 1.2-GW combined cycle power plant in Elwood, Illinois, debuted North America’s first M501JAC gas turbines. Developed by J-POWER USA, the facility has emerged as a model for

  • The Renewables Revolution: Overcoming New Roadblocks

    Singapore stands at a pivotal juncture in its journey toward sustainability, with renewable energy (RE) emerging as a beacon of hope in the fight against climate change. Post-COP 28, many countries, including

  • Equinor Ends Plan to Export Hydrogen to Germany

    Energy giant Equinor said it will not export blue hydrogen from Norway to Germany due to economics and a lack of demand. Equinor on September 20 said it would discontinue a project that would have supplied German gas-fired power plants with blue hydrogen via the world’s first offshore hydrogen pipeline. Blue hydrogen is a fuel […]

  • Net Metering Reform: Premature or Long Overdue?

    The growth of distributed energy resources (DERs) has significantly increased over the past decade as the U.S. moves to decarbonize the electric grid. Growth has been possible by incentivizing the transition to clean energy; states and federal legislation, such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), have used tax credits and other programs to accelerate deployment. […]

  • Major Project Rejected in Texas’ Flagship Dispatchable Power Loan Program

    The Texas Energy Fund (TEF), a flagship loan program designed to boost the state’s dispatchable generation, faced its first setback on Sept. 4 when the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) denied Aegle Power’s loan application for a 1,292-MW combined cycle generating facility in Harlingen—its second-largest shortlisted facility. The PUCT said Aegle Power’s application, filed […]

  • Navigating the Transition to Sustainable MV Switchgear Amidst Decarbonization Initiatives

    The push for decarbonization in Europe is reshaping the power sector. Stringent environmental regulations and ambitious renewable energy targets have necessitated the expansion and upgradation of the electricity distribution network. This is to accommodate the increased adoption of distributed energy resources (DERs) and electrification across sectors. These factors are expected to significantly drive the demand […]

  • How Energy Services Businesses Can Adapt and Win in a Changing Market

    Energy services businesses are poised to benefit from an unprecedented amount of government support for energy infrastructure. However, choppy waters lie ahead as business models and market conditions evolve

  • The State of the Residential Solar Market: What’s Next?

    SEIA’s Solar Market Insight Report for Q2 2024 showed that the U.S. solar market set an industry record by installing 11.8 GWdc in the first quarter. Despite this impressive growth in the market overall, the residential segment experienced its lowest quarter since Q1 2022, with installations totaling only 1.3 GWdc—a decline of 25% year-over-year and […]

  • TVA Boosts Nuclear Funding with $150M for SMR Development at Clinch River

    The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA’s) board of directors has approved an additional $150 million for the public power utility’s $200 million New Nuclear Program to boost continued design work and development of potential small modular reactors (SMRs) at TVA’s Clinch River site near Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The combined $350 million funding for the project will […]

  • IAEA: Aging Nuclear Fleet Warrants Reactor Life Extensions, Much More New Capacity

    While global nuclear power capacity has remained at a consistent level over the past decade, newly released data from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) suggests that more than two-thirds of the world’s nuclear reactors are more than 30 years old, and nearly a third have been in operation for 40 years. According to the […]

  • $2.2B for 13 GW of New Transmission Capacity: DOE Unveils Latest Boost for U.S. Grid Modernization

    The Biden administration will invest $2.2 billion in eight projects under its Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnership (GRIP) program to bolster the nation’s power grid with nearly 13 GW of new transmission capacity across 18 states. The funding, announced on Aug. 6, marks the second round under the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) GRIP program, a […]

  • Peak Performance: APS’s Virtual Power Plant Saves Big During Brutal Heatwave

    Through its innovative virtual power plant (VPP), Arizona Public Service (APS) harnessed smart home devices to save 138 MW during a historic heatwave, shifting peak demand and proving critical for grid

  • Vietnamese Distribution Grid Automation System a Winning Project

    Vietnam Electricity Group’s Ho Chi Minh City Power Corp. (EVNHCMC) deployed a distribution automation system that facilitates automatic—and very quick—fault detection and handling with a success rate of

  • South Africa Announces Bold Shift to Renewables and Nuclear

    Emerging from a historic election that stripped the African National Congress (ANC) party of its majority, South Africa’s new government has indicated it will accelerate the transition to renewable power to

  • PJM Capacity Auction Prices Surge Over Nine-Fold, Signal Urgent Need for New Power Generation

    Prices at PJM Interconnection’s 2025/2026 base residual auction (BRA) spiked to $269.92/MW-day for most resources in the wholesale power market, pointing to a tightening supply-demand balance that could have significant implications for the regional transmission organization (RTO). The 2025/2026 BRA—a competitive capacity auction that procures power supply resources in advance of the delivery year to […]

  • Nuclear Cogeneration Gains Momentum in Wyoming with New Microreactor Partnership

    Engineering giant Burns & McDonnell has entered into an agreement with nuclear technology specialist BWXT Technologies to advance the design and development of the BWXT Advanced Nuclear Reactor (BANR). The microreactor project is an integral part of a contract with the Wyoming Energy Authority (WEA), which is assessing the viability of deploying small-scale nuclear reactors […]

  • How to Stay in the Renewables Stone Age

    In approving the development of a 2,800-acre wind farm across prime agricultural land in the east of England, the UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband, has confirmed what those who understand renewable market dynamics have known all along: That the UK’s energy transition policymaking has been flawed and riven […]

  • Analyst Says Nuclear Industry Is ‘Totally Irrelevant’ in the Market for New Power Capacity

    Nuclear power has consistently provided about 19% to 20% of total annual U.S. electricity generation since 1990. It provides significant amounts of electricity in many other countries as well. According to data from The World Nuclear Industry Status Report (WNISR), a total of 414 reactors were operating in 32 countries, as of July 1, 2024. […]

  • Energy Evolution: What Technologies Are Leading the Way Today

    It’s not uncommon to hear people talk about the energy transition. Yet, throughout its history, the power industry has almost always been transitioning in one way or another. There are constantly new

  • Measuring the Prospects for Wind Energy in 2024 and Beyond

    The wind energy industry has been on an exponential growth curve for more than a decade. POWER looks at the drivers behind the growth and predictions for the future. Nearly 200 countries made major collective