PJM Interconnection on Aug. 11 announced that it is evaluating changes to interconnection and ride-through requirements for large computational loads after nearly 4,000 megawatts of data center demand unexpectedly disconnected from the grid in Northern Virginia on July 22. The event marked the largest sudden transfer of large load in grid operator’s history and has…...
Southwest Power Pool’s Board of Directors on Aug. 11 approved the Western and Eastern Interconnection Capacity Expansion High-Priority Study, or WE EXPAND, to evaluate opportunities to increase electricity transfers between the nation’s eastern and western grids as demand in its 17-state region is expected to nearly double over the next decade. The study will examine…...
The Michigan Public Service Commission on Aug. 10 released recommendations for legislative changes aimed at improving energy affordability, strengthening grid reliability, and limiting utility costs for Michigan customers. The recommendations follow Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s request for options to lower household energy bills through regulatory and legislative changes. The regulator recommended replacing annual utility rate cases…...
Rapid growth in both new generation and large electricity loads is prompting regulators, utilities, and grid operators to rethink interconnection rules. The focus is shifting beyond…Read the full report …...
PJM Interconnection on Aug. 3 advanced 715 proposed electricity generation projects into the first cycle of its redesigned grid connection process, marking the first large-scale use of reforms intended to accelerate new generation projects while reducing speculative applications. The projects represent more than 200 gigawatts of potential generating capacity and will undergo engineering studies over…...
PJM Interconnection on July 31 filed a proposal with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to approve a new Reliability Backstop Procurement designed to address a projected capacity shortfall and accelerate investment in new power generation as electricity demand rises across the region. The proposal would allow the grid operator to begin the procurement process on…...
Data centers are facing increasing regulatory scrutiny driven by concerns over electricity demand, grid reliability, consumer costs, water use, and environmental impacts. The growing wave of moratoriums, permitting pauses, and…Read the full report…...
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on July 31 directed the state’s four rate-regulated electric utilities to develop standalone Wildfire Mitigation Plans, concluding that wildfire planning warrants greater regulatory attention as climate conditions elevate fire risk. Dakota Electric Association, Minnesota Power, Otter Tail Power Company, and Xcel Energy must file a plan by Feb. 1, 2027…....
Data centers are facing increasing regulatory scrutiny driven by concerns over electricity demand, grid reliability, consumer costs, water use, and environmental impacts. The growing wave of moratoriums, permitting pauses, and other restrictions across federal, state, and local governments signals a broader shift toward more cautious oversight of future expansion.
The California Independent System Operator on July 30 released its first Western Energy Markets Quarterly Benefits Report, combining the long-running assessment of the Western Energy Imbalance Market, or WEIM, with the inaugural results from its Extended Day-Ahead Market, or EDAM. The expanded report provides a broader view of how coordinated real-time and day-ahead electricity trading…...
