Utilities

Virtual power plants

California virtual power plant bills clear key legislative hurdle

Last year, Gov. Newsom vetoed bills promoting home batteries, smart thermostats, and EV chargers to curb energy costs. Will he do the same this year?

By Jeff St. John . 26 August 2026
Utilities

Duke Energy deals double whammy to its poorest North Carolina customers

A pilot program that applies a credit to low-income households’ monthly bills is poised to end at the same time rates rise for everyone

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 20 August 2026
Data centers

Major data center bills advance in California despite industry pushback

As the legislative session nears an end, lawmakers push ahead bills that aim to stop AI centers from raising utility costs and spur builders to opt for clean energy.

By Jeff St. John . 18 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
Solar

In North Carolina, rooftop solar is alive and well despite headwinds

While the industry has suffered the loss of federal tax credits and other economic hits, leasing and batteries make the panels pencil out for many homeowners.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 10 August 2026
Data centers

PJM’s big new data center plan: Make the states figure it out

Grid operator PJM wants states and utilities to hold data centers responsible for buying their own power — or risk being cut off from grid service.

By Jeff St. John . 5 August 2026
Clean energy manufacturing

US factories are struggling to get cleaner heat. These ideas may help.

Many manufacturers burn fossil fuels to make snacks, materials, and chemicals. High electricity costs are complicating their efforts to switch to cleaner technologies.

By Maria Gallucci . 27 July 2026
Fossil fuels

A $100M Ohio energy fund lacks transparency — and excludes renewables

JobsOhio, which is administering the new fund, has drawn criticism for limiting the opportunity to nuclear and natural gas — and for its opaque process.

By Kathiann M. Kowalski . 22 July 2026
Utilities

Massachusetts bill would end a costly gas pipeline repair program

Utilities say the GSEP program is essential for safety and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but critics contend it costs too much and achieves too little.

By Sarah Shemkus . 20 July 2026
Data centers

PJM’s old way of getting power built isn’t working. Has it found a fix?

Getting data centers to pay for new generation and batteries could be the best hope for the nation’s biggest power market to finally get a handle on costs.

By Jeff St. John . 17 July 2026