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MISO Advances 3.7 GW of Projects Under Accelerated Interconnection Review

The Midcontinent Independent System Operator on May 27 advanced a fourth round of projects under its Expedited Resource Addition Study, or ERAS, program, continuing efforts to speed new generation development as utilities confront rising electricity demand and tightening reserve margins across the Midwest and South. The latest cycle includes seven projects totaling about 3.7 gigawatts…...

Battery Storage 2

Minnesota Commission Approves Xcel Energy’s 600-Megawatt Sherco Battery Project to Support Energy Transition

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on May 26 approved a site permit for Xcel Energy to develop the Sherco South and West Battery Energy Storage Project, a 600-megawatt battery facility planned at the site of the Sherburne County Generating Station in Becker, Minnesota. The decision advances Minnesota’s efforts to replace retiring coal-fired generation with battery…...

EnerKnol Research PU Visual Primer Wildfires 2026 05 26 Blog preview

Emerging Grid Reliability Challenges in the Western U.S.

Utilities and regulators across the Western U.S. are advancing interconnection reforms, transmission expansion, and wildfire mitigation measures as rapid load growth and climate-related risks place increasing…Read the full report  …...

EnerKnol Research PU Visual Primer Wildfires 2026 05 26 Blog preview

Visual Primer: Emerging Grid Reliability Challenges in the Western U.S.

Utilities and regulators across the Western U.S. are advancing interconnection reforms, transmission expansion, and wildfire mitigation measures as rapid load growth and climate-related risks place increasing pressure on grid reliability. Recent actions by grid operators, federal regulators, and state policymakers indicate a growing emphasis on modernizing interconnection and transmission planning processes while embedding wildfire resilience into long-term reliability planning.

data center

Data Centers to Drive Major Surge in U.S. Electricity Demand Through 2050: EIA

The U.S. Energy Information Administration on May 19 highlighted projections showing electricity demand from data center servers rising sharply through 2050, driven by expanding artificial intelligence applications and deployment of high-powered computing infrastructure across the commercial sector. In its Annual Energy Outlook 2026, released April 8, the agency projects server-related electricity consumption could climb to…...

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Minnesota Tightens Safeguards to Protect Households from Large Power Demand Costs

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on May 18 approved a broad set of safeguards governing how Xcel Energy may serve future high-demand electricity customers, including data centers and industrial facilities, as Minnesota prepares for rapid growth in electricity demand. The action implements a state law requiring very large customers to pay the full costs associated…...

EnerKnol Research PU Visual Primer Biofuels 2026 05 19 Blog preview

Visual Primer: Low-Carbon Fuel Policies Gain Momentum at Federal and State Levels

Recent developments in the low-carbon fuel sector reflect efforts to expand domestic biofuel production and advance market-based clean fuel programs designed to reduce transportation emissions.

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New York Regulators Grant Limited Temporary Rate Increase for Avangrid Utilities, Extend Review

The New York State Public Service Commission on May 14 approved temporary delivery rate increases for New York State Electric & Gas Corporation (NYSEG) and Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation (RG&E) that are significantly lower than the utilities’ requested hikes, giving regulators additional time to review one of the largest utility rate cases in recent…...

Vermont Legislation Creates Initiatives to Cut emissions From Thermal Energy, Transportation Sectors

U.S. EPA Seeks Two-Year Delay of Vehicle Emissions Standards, Citing $1.7 Billion in Savings

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on May 14 proposed a two-year delay of Biden-era vehicle emissions standards for light- and medium-duty vehicles, extending compliance deadlines from model year 2027 to model year 2029 as the Trump administration moves to ease regulatory pressure on automakers and lower vehicle costs. The proposal is part of a broader…...