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Good morning. What would happen if we built out grid capacity based on Google Search interest? As it turns out, this would place geothermal capacity near that of nuclear. That’s one head-scratching finding from our own Matt Chester’s latest energy examination, in which he pitted public hype against grid realities. Check out the full breakdown here (and let us know what you think).
— Molly, Alex, and the Energy Central editorial team
How do you manage a $595M utility portfolio with 100+ active projects? You need a high-impact PMO focused on governance, reporting, and strategic alignment.
American Electric Power is tapping Wall Street to help fund a $78B grid upgrade. (BriefGlance)
The utility aims to raise $2.6B in a stock offering to cushion its 2026-30 capital plan, which targets infrastructure upgrades and meeting rising demand across its 11-state footprint.
Why it matters: Utilities need mountains of capital to harden the grid, connect renewables, and serve data center load. AEP’s move could pave the way for other IOUs to secure some additional cash as they eye similarly ambitious infrastructure boosts.
US data center energy use has entered the political danger zone. (The Guardian)
The stats: Data centers now consume 6% of electricity in the US, the International Data Center Authority reports (the global average sits around 2%). Once this figure passes 5% in a given country, the researchers say community and political backlash tends to kick in. Over recent months, we’ve certainly seen the proof in the pudding.
The waste: The report also noted that 13% of US data center consumption comes from “zombie” services—unused apps that were never switched off. That totals to over 3 GW of wasted load.
The reaction: In Maryland, Gov. Wes Moore signed a bill requiring data centers to pay for their own energy infrastructure upgrades, which the state says will save the average ratepayer over $150/year.
PJM’s capacity crisis is reaching a boiling point. (Bloomberg)
FERC Chair Laura Swett warned that PJM may have “grown too big to function” as it struggles to handle AI-driven load growth, high power bills, and mounting pressure from states and utilities.
Why it matters: Many stakeholders (and apparently FERC) are increasingly frustrated with PJM’s cost-sharing framework and queue delays—AEP is even weighing an exit from the market.
What’s next: FERC will hold a July 23 conference on PJM reforms, Swett announced. She frames the grid’s dysfunction as more than a regional market problem—Swett thinks it’s a threat to US AI leadership.
Which should PJM opt for next?
Load growth, renewables, and extreme weather are pushing grids to evolve. Join Schneider Electric on May 19 to learn how utilities are using AI to plan faster, reduce risk, and improve grid resilience today.
The Trump administration is standing firm on its wind and solar slowdown. (Heatmap)
On Wednesday, Interior Sec. Doug Burgum told Congress he plans to appeal a district court decision that halted his agency’s time-consuming wind and solar reviews (along with other anti-renewable tactics). “We reject the whole premise,” he said. Burgum also appears to be unaware that batteries exist.
The EPA wants to let data centers and power plants break ground before key air permits land. (Inside Climate News)
A new proposal would allow these facilities—along with other major industrial projects—to start building “non-emitting” components, including utility infrastructure, before securing New Source Review air permits.
Between the lines: The Trump administration is trying to shave time off the permitting process for AI-linked infrastructure…but critics see this as a play to make it harder for regulators to axe projects already under construction.
TS Conductor is opening a DOE-backed, $134M advanced conductor plant in South Carolina.
The pitch: The company says its AECC conductors can 2X or 3X transmission capacity compared with traditional ACSR lines. This enables utilities to reconductor existing rights-of-way—instead of waiting on major new transmission builds.
Fervo Energy raised $1.89B in its IPO, and initial trading pushed its value over $10B. (TechCrunch)
The bet: Investors are treating next-gen geothermal like the firm clean power answer to AI load growth. Fervo’s pitch rests on 2.6 GW of advanced-stage projects, a 38-GW early project pipeline, and $7.2B in contracted PPA revenue.
Yes, but: There’s still plenty for the startup to prove as the company scales up. Fervo reported just $138K in 2025 revenue…against a roughly $70M net loss.
Pressures like DER growth and two-way flows are pushing grids to their limits. Join the conversation to hear how Semtech uses edge intelligence, automation, and security to modernize faster—without costly system overhauls.
⚡ Electrical safety isn’t just a compliance topic. It’s a culture, communication, and operations topic—and it touches every part of the grid. In recognition of this year’s National Electrical Safety Month, we highlighted key lessons from Energy Central community conversations (which we should keep in mind all year long).
Smarter meters are reshaping grid operations. Tune in on June 9 to find out how Sense turns real-time data into faster fixes, sharper decisions, and stronger customer programs across the grid.
Thanks for reading. Until next time!
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