Transmission

California amps up pressure on grid buildouts that take too long

Transmission lines are hard to build — but they can’t take forever. A new law holds utilities accountable for delays that are holding back gigawatts of clean energy.

By Jeff St. John . 7 October 2026

Image with utility workers, some on transmission wires, and a white statehouse on a green background — (Binh Nguyen/Canary Media; Geng Yuhe/VCG via Getty Images; Harold Mendoza on Unsplash)

Transmission

Senate permitting bill could greatly expand power lines and clean energy

The U.S. transmission grid isn’t growing fast enough to meet surging electricity demand. Fast-tracking transmission upgrades could change that.

By Jeff St. John . 30 September 2026
Transmission

Advanced grid tech gets a $1.9B DOE boost

As the U.S. grid strains to meet rising demand, 31 projects across 26 states get federal funds for high-tech cables, sensors, and controls to boost capacity.

By Jeff St. John . 24 September 2026
Transmission

This novel power line could link 3 grids across 3 time zones

North Plains Connector has earned backing from the Energy Department and utilities, and could deliver huge cost and reliability benefits — if states give it the OK.

By Jeff St. John . 3 September 2026
Wind

Is Maine finally about to make wind power happen?

For nearly two decades, the state has sought to bring wind turbines to its breezy northern reaches. Now it's one step closer to realizing the vision.

By Sarah Shemkus . 25 August 2026
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
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
Batteries

In Puerto Rico, Trump admin backs big battery project but snubs solar

The Energy Department closed a $490 million loan to Pattern Energy for a 220-MW battery project in Puerto Rico, which could be tied to natural gas instead of solar.

By Maria Gallucci . 12 August 2026
Utilities

3 ways to fix California's utility spending problem — if lawmakers act

SB 905 would curb returns on wildfire costs, seek new financing, and explore performance metrics to curb sky-high electric rates. Can it overcome utility opposition?

By Jeff St. John . 11 August 2026
Politics

Trump is blocking billions of dollars of grants that would fix the grid

The Department of Energy has canceled or stalled funding for thousands of projects that would improve the country’s stressed grid — and not just in blue states.

By Jeff St. John . 6 August 2026
Corporate procurement

Trump admin bans ‘new’ foreign-made inverters. What does that mean?

A just-issued national security ban appears to exclude existing inverters for solar and battery projects — but future models could face restrictions, experts say.

By Jeff St. John . 29 July 2026