The latest: Last night, the Senate voted 73-25 to advance the bipartisan permitting reform bill, which received plenty of last-minute edits over the weekend.

The revisions: Some appear to address utility industry concerns, policy wonks noted. For example, the edited bill allows FERC to reject states’ calls to investigate local transmission planning. Dive into the amendments here.

The support: The Edison Electric Institute praised the amendments, applauding lawmakers’ “willingness to work with EEI and our member companies to strengthen and clarify BAAJA.” President Trump has also gotten onboard with the refreshed bill, calling it a “big win for US energy independence and dominance.”

The backlash: The amended version has drawn criticism from preservation organizations, Native communities, and environmental advocates, who say that BAAJA still contains provisions that would threaten ecosystem protections and Tribal sovereignty.

What’s next: Now, senators will debate the bill...and likely add even more amendments. For BAAJA to become law, it must pass the Senate and House (and get President Trump’s signature) by year’s end. ⏱️

Where we’re at: Compared with the rest of the world, our transmission expansion is moving at a snail’s pace. Over the past 15 years, China built 6-7X more high-capacity transmission than the US (and Europe constructed 7-8X more), according to a new Grid Strategies report.

Where we’re headed: Across the US, over 10K miles of 500 kV+ lines are scheduled to come online by 2034. That includes massive regional efforts from MISO, ERCOT, CAISO, and SPP. 

Yes, but: The US still needs “a comprehensive and coordinated federal transmission strategy” to improve planning, cost allocation, and permitting. (That’s where BAAJA could come in.)

Anthropic is shelling out $3.4B to lock down 1.7 GW of gas generators from OnePWR Solutions, the Financial Times reported. This marks the biggest (known) purchase of generation equipment from an AI lab—and offers clear evidence that quick power comes with a pricey premium. 

LS Power is paying NRG Energy $4B to acquire six natural gas plants across TX, NY, RI, and CT, which represent nearly 5 GW of capacity. The switcheroo: NRG bought several of these very plants from LS Power last year.

The numbers: Duke reported $1.99/share earnings in Q3 2026, compared with $1.81 over the same period in 2025. The drivers? 1) Infrastructure investment recovery and 2) “favorable weather,” the company said in a statement

The pipeline: Since Q1 of this year, Duke’s 15-GW large-load pipeline has barely budged. Meanwhile, the company is pouring more than $100B into its four-year capital plan, including transmission upgrades and new natural gas plants. Duke has more than 10 GW of new gas planned across NC, IN, and SC. 

What’s next: Duke expects 5-7% earnings growth through 2030. That’s thanks to economic development in its service areas, a growing earnings base, and “efficient recovery mechanisms” like multi-year rate plans.

The background: This midterms, the MI ballot measure proved overwhelmingly popular, securing more than 80% of votes. 

Now: The companies claim that the move violates their First (and Fourteenth) Amendment rights. “Policymakers and voters benefit from hearing that perspective, even if they may sometimes disagree with it,” the utilities wrote.