Author: Graham Foster

Evergy is optimistic about its future, projecting a retail sales growth of 7% to 8% annually through 2030. This upbeat forecast marks an increase from their earlier estimate of 6%. The company’s leaders shared this information during a recent earnings conference call. Recently, Evergy has secured a new electric service agreement with a significant customer, raising its total demand from large load contracts to 2.5 gigawatts (GW), up from 1.9 GW three months ago. David Campbell, the chairman, president, and CEO of Evergy, mentioned that the company expects to finalize at least one more such agreement this year. Furthermore, Evergy…

Eversource Energy’s CEO, Joe Nolan, expressed his disinterest in the establishment of data centers within the company’s service areas. During the company’s first-quarter earnings call, he stated that such developments would likely lead to increased energy prices, which would not benefit residential customers or any customers for that matter. Nolan highlighted the stability of the energy market in New England compared to other regions, specifically noting the lower volatility in prices. Despite this, Eversource’s recent quarterly report revealed an increase in wholesale market prices from $99.02 per megawatt-hour (MWh) to $112.71 MWh over the past year. In a more positive…

Grid reliability is fundamentally rooted in effective planning and solid engineering. However, a growing issue is that key equipment is taking significantly longer to arrive. Even when a project is fully designed and all systems are go, delays can still occur in the timeline. These delays often happen at critical moments when crews are ready to proceed, pending construction tasks are queued, and essential equipment like transformers or switchgear is yet to be delivered. As a result, procurement is increasingly critical for determining whether projects progress smoothly or face setbacks when timeliness is vital. Utilities are feeling this pressure in…

Sunrun, the leading installer of home solar and energy storage solutions in the U.S., reported a significant decline in subscriber growth. In the first quarter of 2026, the company signed up 25% fewer customers compared to the same period in 2025. Along with this, the addition of solar and battery capacity dropped by 19% and 15% respectively, as stated by the company on Wednesday. The downturn in sales is attributed to a decline in lead generation and sales activities that began in mid-2025. This was influenced by uncertainty surrounding the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” and Sunrun’s choice to limit…

Meta has announced a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with EDP Renewables North America. This deal allows Meta to source energy from the Cypress Knee Solar project, which EDP is set to establish in southeast Arkansas. The announcement was made on Monday. EDP expects the Cypress Knee Solar project to be completed by 2028. The project is projected to begin commercial operations in the upcoming year. According to EDP, Cypress Knee Solar is projected to generate over $25 million in additional funds for Chicot County through an Industrial Revenue Bond agreement throughout its 30-year lifespan. This agreement marks the third…

Southern Company has shared encouraging news, reporting a 2.3% growth in retail electricity sales in the first quarter of this year compared to last year. This increase is largely attributed to the rising energy demands from data centers, which consumed 42% more power than in the first quarter of 2025. In its latest quarterly report, Southern Company announced that it currently has 28 major projects for large energy consumers, totaling 11 gigawatts (GW) under contract, a slight increase from 26 projects at 10 GW last year. Across its electric utilities in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi, Georgia Power, the largest subsidiary,…

Eversource, Avangrid, and other transmission owners in New England recently requested the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to increase their base return on equity (ROE) from 9.57% to 11.39%. This request follows FERC’s decision about six weeks ago, which set the ROE at the lower rate. The transmission companies are suggesting that the new ROE should take effect on June 30. In mid-March, FERC had reduced the base ROE from 10.57% to 9.57%, a move that came after a lengthy legal battle lasting 15 years. As a result, FERC has ordered these transmission owners to refund approximately $1.5 billion to…

PJM Interconnection has announced that over 800 new generating projects, totaling a massive 220 gigawatts (GW), have entered its reformed interconnection queue. This update comes as part of PJM’s efforts to streamline processes and reduce wait times for energy project approvals. Among the new projects, there are various types of energy sources: 106 GW from gas-fired generation, 67 GW dedicated to storage, 18 GW of nuclear energy, 15 GW of solar power, and a few hybrid setups blending solar and storage, along with 5 GW of wind energy. PJM’s new procedure aims to finish reviews for these projects within one…

Summary: Octopus Energy and Lunar Energy are introducing a new electricity plan in Texas, which combines a high-capacity home battery with stable energy prices for three years. Customers can receive a Lunar Energy battery at no initial cost, paying a subscription of $45 per month along with a fixed rate of 8 cents per kWh for electricity. The battery also serves as backup power during outages. This initiative aligns with other battery-enabled electric plans in Texas, which provide low-cost energy storage and home backup in exchange for supporting the power grid. Details: Octopus Energy and Lunar Energy aim to make…

Itron, a major provider of critical infrastructure equipment, recently announced a cybersecurity breach that affected its computer networks. The company discovered the intrusion on April 13 and took immediate steps to address the situation, ensuring that unauthorized activities were removed. According to Itron, there have been no signs of further unauthorized access to its systems, and no customer data appears to have been compromised. The company, based in Liberty Lake, Washington, is well-known for its smart-meter devices, which are widely used in the electric, gas, and water sectors. Itron has partnerships with numerous local governments on smart city initiatives, aiming…