EUCI Blog

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) received the greenlight for a $6.7 billion plan to build 38 transmission projects over the next 10 years mainly to meet growing demands for electricity. The CAISO Board of Governors approved the plan May 19. CAISO operates a wholesale electric market over 26,000…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Following a five-year trend spurred by investments, rising natural gas prices, and growing demand, the year-over-year national average electric revenue rose 9% to 14.6 cents a kilowatt-hour (kWh) in February 2026, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Forty-three states and the District of Columbia saw increased revenue…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) expects its peak load will grow about 35% in the next 10 years to 163 gigawatts (GW), spurred primarily by data center development, the grid operator said in a draft long-term forecast. The forecast for data center load is now double the level…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Data center capital investment jumped nearly 30% year-over-year in 2025 to $770 billion, more than was invested for the year in the oil and gas sector, according to an analysis by industry consultant Rystad Energy. Investment in data centers surpassed solar photovoltaic (PV) spending – which has been the…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has launched a $1.9 billion program to spur electricity infrastructure investments aimed at upgrading the existing grid to meet growing electricity demand and resource adequacy requirements. The program – Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades or…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on Feb. 25 issued its largest loan package ever – $26.5 billion – to help finance 16 gigawatts (GW) of generation and 1,300 miles of new transmission in Georgia and Alabama. Georgia Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company, received $22.4 billion, and Alabama…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The PJM Interconnection – the country’s largest grid operator – will spend $11.8 billion in baseline transmission to address load growth in multiple areas of the network, spanning all or parts of 13 mid-Atlantic and Midwest states and the District of Columbia. A major part of the funding –…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Global electricity demand is set to grow at its fastest pace in years for the rest of the decade spurred by rising industrial production, use of air conditioning, and the build-out of data centers, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Electricity demand rose 4.3% worldwide in 2024 and…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Global investment in clean and energy transition technologies reached a record $2.3 trillion in 2025, an 8% increase year-over-year, “defying policy and trade headwinds,” according to a BloombergNEF report. Market reforms in China, the largest clean tech market, the Trump administration’s moves to shutdown support for renewable energy, as…

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 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 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,…