Utilities

Batteries

Batteries are helping Chattanooga keep the lights on — and bills low

In Tennessee, municipal utility EPB is scaling up its battery fleet in order to improve grid resilience and also shave costs for its customers.

By Julian Spector . 19 November 2025
Solar

Wisconsin lawmakers look to break utility grip on community solar

Utilities have blocked prior attempts to let other developers build community solar in the state. Now legislators have a bill meant to address opponents’ concerns.

By Kari Lydersen . 19 November 2025
Data centers

Data-center power forecasts climb to unreachable heights

Utilities expect electricity growth to reach levels that are hard to fathom — and they’re using those estimates to justify costly new investments in fossil gas.

By Jeff St. John . 18 November 2025
Guest essay

Electricity is too expensive. Here are three ways to fix that.

Lawmakers nationwide can lower power bills by cutting utility profits, rewarding the companies for boosting efficiency, and unleashing solar and storage.

By John Farrell . 14 November 2025
Politics

Rising electric bills helped spur a Democratic upset in rural Virginia

Fossil fuels and transmission fees are driving up utility bills in southwest Virginia. New state lawmakers like Lily Franklin can help fix that.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 12 November 2025
Energy storage

Xcel doubles down on plan to swap coal for clean power in Minnesota

With demand rising and tax credits expiring, the utility wants to rapidly expand the batteries and solar it’s building near the shuttering Sherco coal plant.

By Brian Martucci . 7 November 2025
Data centers

Oregon utility tries out a faster, cheaper way to power data centers

Portland General Electric used Gridcare’s software to identify extra space on its grid — available to any existing data center willing to be flexible.

By Jeff St. John . 4 November 2025
Policy & regulation

Virginia legislators have a new road map for reining in electric bills

Containing rising power rates is easier said than done for candidates campaigning on the issue. A recent study details how to do it once they’re elected.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 31 October 2025
Utilities

Energy bills are rising nationwide. In Georgia, they’re on the ballot.

Critics claim the state's utility regulator is too passive. Two Democratic challengers say they’ll change that — and push for more cheap, clean energy.

By Jeff St. John . 31 October 2025
Heat pumps

Massachusetts heat-pump owners are about to get cheaper electricity

The state’s innovative winter heat-pump rates go into effect this weekend and should make the tech more accessible. Deeper discounts could come next year.

By Sarah Shemkus . 30 October 2025