Utilities

Virtual power plants

Should we get excited about California’s latest virtual power plant?

Google and PG&E will enlist Silicon Valley homes with batteries and other devices to help the grid. But they’re ignoring the data center elephant in the room.

By Jeff St. John . 23 September 2026

Black-and-white overview map of Santa Clara with images of a heat pump, EV charger, Tesla battery, solar panel, city flag — (Binh Nguyen/Canary Media; Carrier; Patrick T. Fallon/AFP and Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star via Getty Images; Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Utilities

US utilities get failing grade on clean energy transition

Too many utilities are keeping coal plants open, planning new gas plants, and building less renewable energy, the Sierra Club’s latest "Dirty Truth Report" finds.

By Jeff St. John . 22 September 2026
Batteries

A fight between Con Ed and developers is slowing NYC’s battery buildout

The utility says too many battery projects will overwhelm its grid and drive up costs. Battery developers say the utility is trying to protect its profits.

By Jeff St. John . 22 September 2026
Fossil fuels

Duke Energy wants to build a new gas plant. Regulators said not so fast.

The 255-MW plant in North Carolina was meant to help meet data center demand. Regulators took the rare step of rejecting the permit amid a growing national backlash.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 21 September 2026
Emissions reduction

Trump's EPA decimated climate rules for power plants. What now?

The agency just gutted a Biden-era policy that would have slashed planet-warming pollution — but that doesn’t mean clean energy will slow down.

By Kathryn Krawczyk . 18 September 2026
Heat pumps

Massachusetts ups winter energy discounts for homes with heat pumps

It’s the only state that makes big utilities offer lower seasonal rates for heat pump owners, in an effort to boost adoption and create a fairer system.

By Sarah Shemkus . 17 September 2026
Affordability

Newsom's last chance to tackle California's electricity costs

The governor has blocked efforts to harness distributed energy to rein in rising utility rates. Bills on his desk could reverse that trend — if he signs them.

By Jeff St. John . 16 September 2026
Fossil fuels

Trump’s DOE keeps forcing coal plants to stay open. Here’s the latest.

We’re tracking the seven fossil-fuel plants the Trump admin has required to operate past their retirement dates — and which facilities could be hit next.

By Ysabelle Kempe . 14 September 2026
Fossil fuels

Virginia kept its climate law. Dominion sees a loophole.

To power data centers, the state's largest utility is proposing a massive 3-gigawatt gas plant that tests the limits of the Virginia Clean Economy Act.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 9 September 2026
Data centers

Questionable data center forecasts are driving up Ohio power bills

Critics question sky-high electricity demand predictions for Ohio, which rely on ambitious data center plans and put upward pressure on utility bills.

By Kathiann M. Kowalski . 9 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