The details: The NRC told X-energy that it’s safe to build four SMRs to power a massive Dow manufacturing facility on the TX coast. The reactors will offer a total 320 MWe of capacity.

Why it matters: This marks the first time in >50 years that the commission has issued a construction permit for a high-temp gas-cooled reactor. 

What’s next: The teams have plenty of work ahead, like finalizing the SMR design and applying for an NRC operating license. They’re targeting the early 2030s for first delivery—and expect that the SMRs can power the Dow site for six decades. 

While we’re here: This week, the US House passed a bill to streamline licensing for nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities—which the country currently lacks.

The verdict: It wasn’t just the Republican Party that lost big on election night—so did data centers, Andrea Clabough, an associate at energy consulting firm Goldwyn Global Strategies, told Energy Central. 

The measures: More than 40 data center measures appeared on ballots around the country. Many voters opted for restrictions on these facilities (and snubbed proposals supporting their development). The trend held across red, blue, and purple states.

What’s next: Now comes the hard part—actually governing. Freshly elected officials will feel the pressure to deliver on campaign talking points. Meanwhile, voluntary promises from hyperscalers may no longer cut it. “The age of pledging is going in the dustbin,” Clabough said. “We’re coming into the age of boundaries and, frankly, accountability.”

PJM expects to have 182 GW of capacity ready to roll this winter—that’s plenty to meet the grid’s forecasted peak demand (a potential record of roughly 147.5 GW). But, the org noted, “reserve margins continue to tighten as demand outpaces new power supplies.” To ease grid stress, PJM is increasingly relying on demand-response programs.

Elsewhere: As we reported, MISO has secured 135 GW of capacity for winter, which is more than enough to serve its predicted seasonal peak of 113 GW. 

Looking back: According to data collected last year, 99% of continental US winter capacity can operate in extreme cold, NERC noted in a recent report. That’s thanks to “ongoing industry efforts to strengthen winter preparedness,” the agency wrote in a statement, including ramped-up collaboration.

The request: Last week, the company proposed a 57% rate increase (which would add roughly $120/month to the typical residential bill). Pacific Power is also asking to recover around $340M in costs linked to recent wildfires, which would raise bills by $46/month.

The record: CA regulators approved the 24% rate hike that Pacific rolled out in 2024. Now, they’ll weigh in on the new request next year.

The reasoning: The utility’s rate base is rural, sparse, and located in fire-prone areas. So there are relatively few residents to pay for grid-hardening measures, like replacing wooden poles and installing fire-resistant conductors.

The background: In Dec. 2025, the Louisiana Public Service Commission adopted a controversial fast-track approval process for generation and transmission catering to large loads (if these customers agree to cover half the costs). 

Entergy plans on taking this route to propose transmission lines and seven gas plants for Meta’s 5-GW data center. The PSC vote is scheduled for next month.

The lawsuit: Consumer advocate groups claim that this speedy approval process is “unlawful,” and they’re asking a parish court to block it. If successful, the suit could delay the commission vote on Entergy’s proposal.