Energy markets

PJM has finally greenlit a lot of new clean power. Can it get built?

More than 50 GW of solar, wind, and batteries can now connect to PJM’s grid. It could help drive down costs — if states, utilities, and hyperscalers make it happen.

By Jeff St. John . 24 August 2026

Transmission towers with the sun shining through clouds in the background — (Eli Hiller/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Data centers

PJM wants data centers to bring their own power. Pennsylvania’s on it.

The biggest U.S. energy market hopes to make data centers find their own power resources or face grid cutoffs. Gov. Shapiro is aligning his state with that plan.

By Jeff St. John . 20 August 2026
Clean energy

The Iran war sparked a shift toward clean energy. Will it last?

Sky-high fossil fuel prices drove people around the world toward clean energy. But even as the Strait of Hormuz reopens, they may not turn back.

By Kathryn Krawczyk . 18 June 2026
Transmission

How a community solar breakthrough took shape in Illinois

Utilities, solar companies, and environmentalists worked together to fast-track flexible interconnection and build lots of community solar in record time.

By Jeff St. John . 6 April 2026
Utilities

What’s behind your sky-high power bill: A region-by-region breakdown

Geography, wildfires, natural gas, wind energy, regulatory free-for-alls — these are some of the factors that determine your electric bills.

By Naveena Sadasivam, Clayton Aldern . 19 February 2026
Carbon-free buildings

7 numbers that explain why the future of buildings is all-electric

Key indicators, from the cost of fossil gas to the number of heat pumps sold, signal building decarbonization will march onward in the U.S. despite challenges.

By Alison F. Takemura . 7 January 2026
Data centers

PJM’s capacity costs hit record as grid falls short on supply

Data center construction and clogged-up generation queues are driving costs — and political backlash — in the country’s biggest power market.

By Jeff St. John . 18 December 2025
Energy markets

Why states are threatening to leave PJM — and why they probably won’t

The grid operator’s high power prices and long interconnection queue have Democratic and Republican governors eyeing an exit, but analysts warn it could backfire.

By Kathryn Krawczyk . 26 September 2025
Energy markets

New California law could expand energy trading across the West

Backers of a Western trading market say it could save billions and boost renewables. After years of delays, California is moving forward with the idea.

By Jeff St. John . 23 September 2025
Offshore wind

Halting Revolution Wind could be a disaster for New England’s grid

If Trump kills the now-frozen offshore wind project, utility customers will pay more money for dirtier and less reliable electricity.

By Jeff St. John . 3 September 2025
Energy markets

The country’s biggest energy market struggles to reform amid soaring costs

Mid-Atlantic grid operator PJM is under intense political pressure to solve its interconnection backlog and other problems. But experts warn there are no easy fixes.

By Jeff St. John . 28 July 2025