EUCI Blog

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill – making good on a campaign promise to deal with rising utility bills – on her first day in office issued two executive orders aimed at freezing rates and creating more generating capacity. “I promised the people of New Jersey bold action to lower…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer While having made progress on deploying clean technologies, global efforts to meet 2030 decarbonization targets – set as part of the 2016 Paris Agreement – are falling short and new initiatives are wavering, according to a McKinsey & Company analysis. “The energy transition shows signs of slowing momentum –…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The U.S. shale oil and gas sector is poised for a “new wave of consolidation” among small- and medium-sized producers facing an increasingly competitive landscape, according to industry consultant Rystad Energy. “Scale and efficiency are key catalysts for exploration and production (E&P) players who are seeking favorable business valuations,…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The Trump administration ended the year with a flurry of emergency orders to keep open Indiana and Colorado coal-fired plants slated to close at the end of 2025. The orders followed one issued last spring to keep the 1,560-megawatt J.H. Campbell coal plant in West Olive, Mich., running despite…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Global demand for coal is projected to decline slightly by 2030 as coal-fired generation faces increasing competition from renewables, natural gas and nuclear generation, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Global coal demand rose 0.5% to a record 8.85 billion tons in 2025. China, which accounts for half…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Electric utilities across the country are adopting “large load tariffs” aimed at data centers in a move to protect against the hefty costs that come with the facilities and speculative projects. At least 36 utilities – from Dominion Energy in Virginia to Wisconsin Electric Power to Arizona Public Service…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Geothermal investments are growing across the globe with capital expenditures projected to climb 20% annually for the next five years, reaching nearly $9 billion in 2030, according to industry analyst Rystad Energy. Activity is no longer only in mature markets such as Southeast Asia and the U.S., but also…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Soaring U.S. data center power demand for firm generation is reviving the prospects of coal-fired, nuclear, and natural gas-fired plants and creating a pivot in policy for the utility sector, according to two analyses. “After years of emphasis on decarbonization, the strategic shift to firm legacy power generation sources…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Winter electricity demand is outpacing new generation, but resources should still be adequate, although some regions with data center demands may be vulnerable in extreme weather, according to the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC). Peak demand is projected to be 20 gigawatts (GW) higher this winter than last,…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The U.S. is the world’s biggest natural gas producer – with three regions in the country each producing more gas than most countries – but demand continues to outpace production leading to higher natural gas prices. “Retail U.S. natural gas prices for every sector have increased so far this…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer An estimated $1.6 billion in clean energy factories and projects were cancelled in September facing pressure from Trump administration and 500 solar projects, nearly 116 gigawatts (GW) of capacity, are also at risk, according to industry analyses. There has been a steady drum beat of cancellations for clean energy…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Spurred by the growth in data centers, the electricity utility sector is preparing for a “super cycle” of capital expenditures with a projected $1.4 trillion in investments over the next five years, according to financial analyst Morningstar DBRS. “In response to increased demand, the utility sector in North America…