EUCI Blog

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer As data centers multiply and with them a sharp increase in the demand for electricity, nuclear power is poised for a resurgence providing as much as 10% of data center power in the next decade, according to a report by Deloitte. “Nuclear energy presents a potential solution for meeting…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The Trump administration’s goal of “energy dominance” and its mantra of “drill, baby, drill” have run into production limitations, economic uncertainty caused by the administration’s tariff policies, and increased output from OPEC+. In his first weeks in office, President Donald Trump issued executive orders to speed permitting, reduce regulations,…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer In the last 10 years more than $230 billion has flowed into energy startups, but in the face of economic and political uncertainty, that funding stream has slowed, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Between 2015 and 2022, funding for a broad range of startups rose 570%, but…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer New Mexico is seeing the country’s most rapid increase in oil and gas production – with an output of 2 million barrels a day in 2024 – more than double the 2019 amount, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas study. New Mexico shares the Permian Basin, the…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The Southwest Power Pool (SPP) – serving all or part of 14 states from Texas to North Dakota – will need as much as $263 billion in new generation and transmission through 2050 to support a peak demand projected to rise 40% to 80%. Those investments can be made…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Efforts to expand and modernize electric grids around the world – to cope with growing demand for power and a shift to renewable generation – are struggling to keep pace in the face of supply chain bottlenecks, according to an International Energy Agency (IEA) report. “Prices and procurement times…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Facing uncertainty and financial risks over the potential impact of tariffs on Canadian electricity imports, New England and New York grid operators are seeking permission from federal regulators to add a surcharge to cover import duties. ISO New England said in a filing to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Declines in hydropower output, caused by low stream flows in the Pacific Northwest, are forcing the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to buy more wholesale power leading to a projected $44 million loss. The agency had set a target of $70 million in revenues – so the gap between the…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The Trump administration’s 25% tariffs on all imports of steel and aluminum – set to begin March 12 – will challenge the utility sector, but in the short run should not undermine company finances, according to the credit rating service Morningstar DBS. Still, the tariffs may have a ripple…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Frosty New England may not seem the best region for full-scale home-heating electrification, but while such a move might double demand, it could reduce the combined cost of natural gas and electricity by 29%, according to a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study. With its cold winters, significant rural…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The Trump administration executive order targeting offshore wind development is creating uncertainty and turmoil in the sector and has already led to one investor bailing from a project, according to financial and legal analyses. “The executive order is a significant setback for the industry, which has already been suffering…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer U.S. oil and gas upstream mergers and acquisitions reached $105 billion in 2024 – the third highest total in more than a decade – even as deals cratered in the second half of the year, according to Enverus Intelligence Research. In the fourth quarter of 2024, activity was $9.6…