U.S. President Donald Trump on July 4 signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a sweeping reconciliation measure that fundamentally reshapes federal energy policy. The law dramatically shrinks the window for wind and solar projects to qualify for federal tax credits, and expands fossil fuel development on federal lands, reshaping the outlook for energy transition investments across the U.S.
State regulators are modernizing long-term resource planning frameworks for electric utilities to ensure greater flexibility, transparency, and alignment with evolving technologies, climate goals, and policy priorities. Integrated resource plans (IRPs) provide a structured approach to identify the optimal mix of generation, storage, and demand-side resources needed to deliver reliable and affordable electricity to customers over a long-term planning horizon.
Across the country, new measures are reshaping the retail energy landscape, focusing on stronger consumer protections and stricter market rules. Recent laws and regulations address concerns related to contract renewals, supplier exits, and accountability in competitive electricity markets.
The U.S. is undergoing a broad nuclear energy revival as federal and state actions set the stage for expanding new generation to meet surging electricity demand driven by AI, electrification, and industrial growth. Nuclear power is rapidly gaining prominence as a reliable, dispatchable, zero-emission energy source critical to strengthen grid stability.
Across the U.S., accelerating electrification and large-load growth driven by data center expansion are contributing to higher demand projections, while generator retirements are outpacing the addition of new supply. These converging trends are tightening reliability margins and increasing the risk of resource adequacy shortfalls.
Recent carbon market auctions have delivered mixed results underscoring the growing impact of federal policy shifts on regional emissions trading programs.
As U.S. states sharpen their focus on grid reliability and decarbonization, energy storage efforts are advancing through structured procurement programs, utility-specific targets, and streamlined regulatory processes.
States across the U.S. are taking diverse steps to expand or adjust their community solar policies, reflecting a changing energy landscape. Recent actions include expanding solar access for underserved communities, modernizing regulations to drive innovation, and ensuring affordability to protect non-participants from bearing undue costs.
Across the U.S., a growing number of states are exploring market-based strategies to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels. This reflects a broader trend toward the development of clean fuel programs aimed to reduce transportation sector emissions and incentivize the production of low-carbon and renewable alternatives.
Utility regulators in several U.S. states are stepping up efforts to plan for the future of natural gas as decarbonization and electrification efforts take hold. New initiatives are exploring regulatory strategies to assess long-term gas system needs, manage stranded asset risks, and align utility planning with state climate targets.
Recent actions across U.S. states reflect the growth of virtual power plant (VPP) initiatives, as utilities and regulators evaluate aggregated customer-sited assets to manage peak demand, enhance reliability, and reduce system costs. States are moving forward with new pilots, incentive programs, and regulatory structures that support the integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) into grid operations and long-term planning.
Utility regulators across the U.S. are reviewing rate structures, interconnection processes, and grid planning to manage the growing electricity demand from large load customers, particularly data centers. While these facilities can fuel economic development and innovation, they also raise concerns regarding grid reliability, allocation of infrastructure upgrade costs, and equitable treatment of other utility customers.