Power

FERC approved PJM’s Expedited Interconnection Track for up to 10 state-sponsored projects of at least 250 MW each this year and next, including batteries. The move targets PJM’s projected multi-GW shortfalls from data-center growth across 13 states. Faster interconnections aim to add reliable capacity amid surging AI-driven load. Read →

Elevate Infrastructure and ArcLight completed the largest standalone battery storage project in PJM, sited in Virginia. The facility supports rising electricity demand from data centers and other loads in the region. Battery storage is positioned to enhance grid reliability and integrate more renewables. Read →

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas and ERCOT to require data centers to pay all electric infrastructure costs and ensure residential bills fall when facilities interconnect. The directive, issued via letter to PUC Chairman Thomas Gleeson and ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas, orders action by July 31 to reduce residential transmission costs and a joint memo by July 17 on safeguards. It addresses rapid data center growth straining the ERCOT grid without passing costs to ratepayers. Read →

ComEd’s Price to Compare for June-September 2026 is set at 10.399¢/kWh, up from winter levels, driven by the PJM 2026/27 capacity auction clearing at the $329.17/MW-day cap. The increase stems from data center-driven load growth pushing capacity prices higher, with costs passed directly to Illinois customers via the supply component. CUB notes a CEJA credit partially offsets the spike but warns elevated prices will persist for years. Read →

Gov. Greg Abbott sent a letter directing PUCT and ERCOT to prevent data center infrastructure costs from being passed to residential customers and to ensure new connections lower resident bills. The order requires data centers to fully fund their grid connections and infrastructure while reviewing authorities to protect Texans and resources. It responds to surging ERCOT interconnection requests from hyperscale facilities. Read →

EIA projects US electricity consumption rising to 4,271 billion kWh in 2026 and 4,397 billion kWh in 2027 from 4,195 billion kWh in 2025. Commercial demand, led by AI data centers, will surpass residential for the first time. Renewables share climbs while coal declines, tightening supply-demand balance across US grids. Read →

General Motors announced a partnership with Peak Energy Technologies to develop sodium-ion batteries for stationary grid storage targeting AI data center needs. The move follows Ford and aims to enable off-peak charging and vehicle-to-grid capabilities. It addresses surging power demand from hyperscalers by expanding beyond EVs into grid solutions. Read →

French July electricity futures jumped about 10% in two days amid forecasts of extreme summer heat boosting air conditioning loads. German front-month power rose only 1%, narrowing the France-Germany spread to €41/MWh. Milder conditions and lower gas costs in Germany limit its gains while highlighting regional heat-driven volatility. Read →

Monitoring Analytics reports PJM wholesale power costs rose 75.5% year-over-year to $136.53 per MWh in Q1 2026 from $77.78, driven primarily by data center load growth. The independent market monitor states data centers are the main cause of tight supply-demand balance and high capacity prices, with impacts locked in through May 2028. This directly raises costs for all PJM customers across 13 states serving 67 million people. Read →

ERCOT approved new requirements raising the bar for data centers and large loads to qualify for grid interconnection studies. The rules aim to filter speculative projects amid a queue exceeding 400 GW of requests, mostly data centers. ERCOT will also evaluate projects in batches starting with Batch Zero to manage the backlog more efficiently. Read →

PJM's board advanced a reliability backstop auction to September 2026 from March to address capacity shortfalls from data center growth. The one-time procurement will secure additional power and allocate costs primarily to large loads. It follows the next base capacity auction starting June 30 for the 2028/29 delivery year. Read →

ERCOT's board approved rules Tuesday for Batch Zero, the first grouped study of mature large-load projects including data centers, allocating available transmission capacity now. The process aims to cut individual restudies and speed viable projects while addressing grid constraints from surging demand. It heads to the Texas PUC for final approval June 18, shaping how quickly AI-driven loads connect in the state's fastest-growing data-center market. Read →

ERCOT will vote on starting Batch Zero, a new batch-evaluation method for large loads like data centers to assess transmission availability collectively rather than one-by-one. The shift targets the flood of requests overwhelming the queue and seeks to prioritize mature, finance-secured projects. Experts say it could improve reliability planning as Texas data-center demand accelerates. Read →

ERCOT flagged clusters of data-center loads failing voltage ride-through tests and tripping offline, equivalent to Boston-sized demand that could drop thousands of MW instantly in a real fault. The grid operator noted 26 such events since 2023, raising concerns over frequency instability and cascading outages in a system not designed for rapid AI load swings. The warning highlights reliability pressures from concentrated hyperscale demand in ERCOT. Read →

ERCOT identified four groups of large users including data centers that could each trip over 5,000 MW during voltage disturbances in simulations. Several facilities failed tests and risk abrupt disconnection as summer demand peaks. The operator is reviewing failures and developing mitigation plans to protect grid reliability. Read →

Governor JB Pritzker directed a pause on new data center tax incentives starting July 1 after the legislature stalled his plan to raise data-center electricity rates. The move aims to prevent high energy usage from raising local residents' bills. Pritzker seeks a comprehensive framework protecting affordability and resources. Read →

David Mills assumed the role of PJM president and CEO amid surging data-center demand straining supplies in the nation's largest grid. Power prices have risen with growth in Virginia and elsewhere. Mills must manage reliability risks and stakeholder pressures this summer. Read →