Author: Graham Foster

Arizona Public Service (APS) has announced plans to convert two units of its retired Cholla Power Plant in Navajo County to natural gas. This conversion is expected to generate up to 380 megawatts of energy, as per the utility’s recent statement. The Cholla plant’s coal units were phased out over the past decade, with the final unit set to retire in March 2025. At its peak, the plant provided around 1 gigawatt (GW) of power. APS noted that a previous assessment of converting the plant to natural gas did not offer significant economic advantages for customers. However, due to Arizona’s…

New Jersey Lawmakers Pass Data Center Tariff Bill On Tuesday, New Jersey lawmakers approved a bill directing the state’s Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to create tariff standards for data centers that are rated at 50 MW or larger. This move is intended to protect other customers from the costs tied to connecting large energy loads to the grid. The proposed legislation is now with Democratic Governor Mikie Sherrill, who has highlighted energy affordability as a key issue. Her predecessor, Phil Murphy, previously pocket-vetoed a similar bill. Assemblyman David Bailey Jr., the bill’s sponsor, expressed hope that Sherrill’s involvement in…

Dive Brief: PJM Interconnection stakeholders recently endorsed a two-part reliability backstop procurement plan designed to secure electricity for data centers and address an anticipated power shortage in the coming years. The strategy will involve utilities and other entities requesting PJM to auction a specific capacity. They will charge larger users for this procurement, with an overall cost capped at $555 per MW-day. PJM’s board will review this plan and aims to present a final proposal to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) later this month. They are also looking into a framework for connecting and managing data centers, although consensus…

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a proposed rule this Thursday that aims to eliminate mandates on home appliances and equipment. This move aligns with former President Trump’s efforts against energy usage limits for items like light bulbs, washing machines, and heating systems. According to the DOE, the proposal is part of the Appliance and Equipment Standards Program, a program established by Congress to set and update efficiency standards. However, critics have expressed concerns that these changes may make it more difficult to update necessary standards. Andrew deLaski, executive director of the Appliance Standards Awareness Project, noted that the…

Eversource Launches New Demand Response Pilots in Massachusetts Eversource is rolling out new demand response pilots aimed at strengthening the local power grid in Massachusetts, particularly in the Greater Boston area and southeastern regions. The utility company announced this initiative on June 25, expanding its ConnectedSolutions program. The pilot program in Greater Boston targets residential and business customers using stationary batteries, electric vehicles, building management systems, and smart thermostats. This effort is especially crucial during the summer heatwaves when energy demand spikes. In southeastern Massachusetts, the focus will be on encouraging the charging of batteries and electric vehicles during peak…

Virginia Sets the Stage for Agrivoltaics On June 17, Virginia took a significant step towards sustainable energy and agriculture by passing a new bill that clearly defines agrivoltaics. This practice combines farming with solar energy production on the same land. Advocates believe that this approach will not only boost solar energy generation but also breathe new life into underutilized farmland. The recently signed legislation lays out specific guidelines for agrivoltaic projects. This includes a mandate to maintain agricultural productivity while generating renewable energy. Interestingly, some aspects regarding the formation of a stakeholder group were removed from the final version of…

Key Points: The availability of traditional energy sources decreased in 2025, primarily due to lower performance from coal and gas plants, as reported by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). This decline contributes to a reduction in available reserves, leading to tighter operating conditions and potential system challenges. Forced outage rates rose to 9.2% in 2025, higher than the historical norm of 8%, with coal and combined-cycle plants being the main contributors to this rise. Insights: Many large coal plants are over 40 years old and are nearing retirement. These facilities were not built for frequent operation, a necessity…

Tapas Peshin, a senior product manager at PCI Energy Solutions, has highlighted some interesting developments in the California Independent System Operator’s (CAISO) Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM). Just a month after its launch, it appears that PacifiCorp’s eastern and western systems are functioning almost like separate power markets. In May, the average price for energy in PacifiCorp East was just $8.62 per megawatt-hour (MWh). In contrast, PacifiCorp West’s average was significantly higher at $18.97 per MWh. Moreover, PacifiCorp East saw negative prices in 17% of the hours, while PacifiCorp West only experienced this 2% of the time. These differences showcase the…

Summary: ICF projects that approximately 445 GW of generating capacity will be added in the U.S. from now until 2030. However, this capacity will only contribute about 191 GW toward meeting peak electricity loads, according to a recent report released by the consulting firm. Key Findings: Regional Insights: The U.S. currently has around 26 GW of excess generating capacity, which helps meet planning reserves. However, the supply and demand landscape varies regionally. For instance, demand in the PJM Interconnection is expected to surge by 43% by 2035, while demand in the New York Independent System Operator’s area will grow by…

In 2025, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) initiated emergency measures to keep generating units at seven power plants operational, halting their planned retirements. The DOE justified these orders, citing potential future electricity shortages in certain areas and an expected increase in demand, particularly from data centers. The department highlighted that during recent harsh weather events, like Winter Storm Fern in January, some plants successfully generated necessary power, thereby demonstrating their importance to grid stability. For instance, the R.M. Schahfer station operated at a significant capacity during this time. The need for these emergency orders is under scrutiny, especially since…