In August, PJM filed its Interim Resource Adequacy Service (IRAS) proposal to bring data centers and other new large loads onto the grid. Now, FERC is back with some (harsh) feedback… 

The no’s: FERC turned down two major areas: 1) PJM’s plan to allow large loads to connect to the grid, as long as they agree to be curtailed when supplies are tight, and 2) its proposal that new large loads can avoid curtailment by bringing their own new capacity. 

The yes’s: The agency approved of PJM’s definition of large loads as 50 MW or greater, and greenlit its proposal to create a “Large Load Registry” (a database that PJM would maintain). 

The takeaways: Ultimately, the agency worried the proposal “may worsen the problems it is attempting to solve.” FERC also put more emphasis on states’ roles in “designating which retail customers must be curtailed when the system is stressed.” 

The numbers: Exelon reported costs for its planned reliability transmission projects are spiking. The cost of building a new 500 kV line nearly doubled from original estimates, for example, while the price tag for reconductoring two 230 kV circuits nearly quadrupled. 

The reason: The utility cited “competition for labor, materials, manufacturing capacity, and specialized resources from rapidly expanding data center construction projects.” On top of that, workforce shortages, wage inflation, and “constrained global manufacturing capacity” are adding expenses. 

Meanwhile: Dominion’s transmission expenses have also increased, due to permitting delays and material delivery delays. 

NM regulators awarded $17.3M to four geothermal projects, ranging from feasibility studies to industrial development and installation. The funds follow close behind DOE’s grants for XGS Energy and San Ildefonso Services, LLC to explore drilling in the state, as part of the Trump administration's $99M geothermal infusion. 

An unusually speedy review? In a draft environmental impact statement, FERC recommended that the NRC license four reactors, which would send power to a 17GW data center project in Carson County, TX. The preliminary decision comes just 15 months after developer Fermi America filed its application. But before moving forward, the project must pass a safety review and receive a final environmental impact statement. 

Energy in the spotlight: Unless you’ve had your head in the sand, you’ve seen that energy conversations have gone from political afterthought to “absolutely central” in the 2026 midterm elections. At least that’s according to Caroline Spears, Executive Director at Climate Cabinet, a nonprofit and political data group that supports pro-climate candidates. 

Looking down the ballot: While many candidates are touting platforms to lower energy bills and tighten data center regulations, local contests will likely have the greatest impact over changes to siting, permitting, and rates. State legislatures in MI and PA are particularly up in the air, Spears said. 

Another space to watch? “Weird” statewide elections for positions that are surprisingly tied to energy, like land commissioners, Spears told us. 

Targets acquired: The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition (ITC) announced the seven US House races it will be spending a total of $15M on. The candidates in the crosshairs include three sitting incumbents who voted to end federal clean energy tax credits (Republicans Lauren Boebert of CO, Scott Perry of PA, and Victoria Spartz of IN) and four other Republican challengers across FL, NY, TX, and NV. 

Fighting for clean energy, without mentioning it: While the group is fighting to take down anti-clean energy candidates, their ad messaging covers everything from healthcare to claims of insider trading (see their $2M campaign against Spartz). 

Why it matters: When we last checked in with ITC, co-founder Tom Matzzie told us the group is “undefeated in every race we have gone into.” And, he said, if they can tilt even a few House races, the results could carry an outsized weight.