EUCI Blog

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 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 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…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The independent market monitor for the PJM Interconnection is calling on federal regulators to reject an agreement to provide power to a planned Pennsylvania Amazon data center until there is evidence it won’t impact retail energy costs. The PJM is the largest grid operator in the U.S. covering Midwestern…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The Trump administration is making a $625 million push to “reinvigorate and expand” the country’s coal industry, but even as it moves ahead another 8.1 gigawatts (GW) of coal-fired capacity is set to close in 2025. The administration’s package includes $350 million for recommissioning and retrofitting old coal-fired plants…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The virtual power plant (VPP) market grew by 13.7% year-over-year in 2025, reaching 37.5 gigawatts (GW) of capacity with an increase in company deployments, companies buying VPP energy credits, and utility-run programs, according to a Wood Mackenzie market report. The 33% in the number of a participants in the…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Rising natural gas prices – spurred increasing exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) – are set to push up electricity prices at the same time new demands are being placed upon electric grids, according to an Institute for Energy Economics and Finance Analysis (IEEFA) study. Natural gas generation become…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The Trump administration’s tariffs on aluminum, copper, and steel are posing a challenge to the utility sector as it faces the need to make “historic capital investments” in infrastructure, according to financial services company Morningstar. “The timing of these tariffs collides with an ambitious agenda to upgrade and expand…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The Trump administration, with an eye toward having the country’s first small modular reactors (SMRs) up and running by July 4, 2026, announced it will help fast-track 11 advanced nuclear projects. Building on a May executive order by President Donald Trump calling for a nuclear pilot program, the reactors…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Five state utility commissions opposed to paying for what they see as renewable energy projects for other states are seeking to change the financing for $22 billion in transmission projects planned by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO). In a complaint filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC),…