PJM prices hit record high

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GRID

• Capacity prices in PJM’s territory hit a new record of $16.4 billion, driven by data center growth and sluggish power plant construction that will put upward pressure on electricity rates. (Canary Media)

COAL

• Wisconsin ratepayers will owe more than $1 billion in stranded costs for recently retired coal plants by the end of 2026, which comes as the state’s utilities plan to generate unprecedented amounts of power for data centers. (Wisconsin Watch)

• The Omaha Public Power District cites a ​“new energy reality” in voting to delay the decommissioning of a coal-fired power plant despite previous pledges and public health concerns. (Nebraska Public Media)

DATA CENTERS

• Michigan Democrats introduce legislation aimed at regulating water use, transparency, and infrastructure costs as large data center proposals emerge. (MLive)

• Michigan regulators approve DTE Energy’s long-term power supply contracts for a hyperscale data center in the works outside Ann Arbor, despite fierce public opposition calling for closer scrutiny of the deal. (Detroit Free Press)

PIPELINES

• A federal judge rejects Michigan’s attempt to shut down the Line 5 pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac over safety concerns, ruling that the federal government is the exclusive regulator of pipeline safety. (Michigan Public)

• The Dakota Access pipeline developer asks the North Dakota Supreme Court to block a countersuit Greenpeace filed in the Netherlands after losing a judgment over its role in 2016 pipeline protests. (North Dakota Monitor)

SOLAR

• A rural central Michigan township rejects DTE Energy’s request to rezone property for an 1,800-acre solar project, though the utility could seek approval from state regulators. (MLive)

• A co-op program in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, that helps residents access lower-cost solar through group buying has now helped 500 homes install projects. (News 5)

NUCLEAR

• Ohio Republican Congress member Bob Latta tells the Ohio Chamber of Commerce that advanced nuclear reactors and expediting energy permitting will be crucial for meeting anticipated generation shortfalls in the coming years. (Toledo Blade)

COMMENTARY

• Energy efficiency upgrades that have saved the Science Museum of Minnesota millions of dollars over the past decade could become unattainable for other organizations as the Trump administration cuts efficiency support for residents and businesses, a former museum official writes. (Minnesota Reformer)