Utilities

Policy & regulation

Power companies pressure Trump EPA to roll back rules on toxic coal ash

A letter signed by executives from a dozen firms asks the EPA to let the companies off the hook for cleaning up scores of harmful coal-ash sites.

By Kari Lydersen . 29 January 2025
Utilities

Biden admin offers utilities $22.4B to cut energy costs — and emissions

Eight U.S. utilities received awards in what may be the last act for an Inflation Reduction Act program meant to offer low-cost financing for big energy projects.

By Jeff St. John . 16 January 2025
Transmission

Lots of demand, too little grid: The state of the US power sector

An underbuilt power grid is preventing the U.S. from meeting surging demand with new clean energy. These charts show why that’s the case.

By Jeff St. John . 2 January 2025
Utilities

PG&E lands $15B federal loan guarantee to expand clean energy

It’s the biggest conditional commitment ever from the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, which is racing to disburse funds before Trump takes office.

By Jeff St. John . 17 December 2024
Utilities

How to make EVs get along with the grid

Electric vehicles could overwhelm local grids. Managed charging offers a solution, and utilities are eager to get their EV-driving customers signed up.

By Jeff St. John . 13 December 2024
Utilities

Data centers are driving US power demand to hard-to-reach heights

Big Tech wants massive amounts of energy to fuel their AI ambitions. That could strain utilities, ratepayers, and efforts to decarbonize the grid.

By Jeff St. John . 9 December 2024
Utilities

Xcel Energy says data centers won’t delay Minnesota clean energy target

At a regulatory workshop, a utility exec said Xcel can serve data centers and meet its 2040 clean energy mandate, but it might need to extend the life of gas plants.

By Frank Jossi . 5 December 2024
Clean energy

Voters in Ann Arbor, Michigan, create a local clean energy utility

The municipal effort aims to supplement utility DTE's grid with local, reliable, clean energy at below-market rates.

By Julian Spector . 20 November 2024
Transmission

This DOE-backed software is helping to unclog the grid

GridUnity’s software can shave 12 months from the sluggish interconnection process that’s stalling clean power. A $50M DOE grant is helping it expand.

By Jeff St. John . 12 November 2024
Politics

Republicans sweep key utility regulator races in Arizona and Louisiana

Public utility commissions hold significant sway over state energy systems. Clean energy advocates failed to break through in elections this year.

By Julian Spector . 7 November 2024