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Don’t count on over two-thirds of the gigawatts requested by data centers, WoodMac says.
Wait, what? WoodMac expects that US grid operators and utilities will commit to roughly 28% of the 1,066 GW requested to serve data centers. Why? Data center companies are handing them piles of unrealistic and “phantom” projects (duplicates sent to multiple utilities simultaneously in search of the best deal).
The reality: Roughly 12% of US data center projects have secured firm service commitments, according to utility forecasts, while nearly 17% seem “likely” to pan out.
Ghostbusters: To avoid more phantom projects, utilities are 1) collecting hefty application costs 2) calling for major collateral and 3) requiring top-tier credit ratings. Grid operators are also stepping things up: PJM says it’s improving large-load forecasting, and ERCOT is temporarily halting approvals while regulators take a closer look at the queue.
A federal court says the Trump administration can reconsider Biden-era permits for New Jersey’s proposed 2.8-GW offshore wind project.
The project was already on life support: Atlantic Shores was NJ’s only fully federally permitted offshore wind project…until President Trump’s EPA pulled its air quality permit in March 2025. Shortly after, the developer asked to cancel its NJ supply contract.
The counterpunch: Sens. Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Angus King (I-ME) have introduced a bill that would offer surrendered wind lease areas to nearby leaseholders (at original auction prices, and with fast-tracked permitting). The bill would also freeze new offshore oil and gas leases until all surrendered wind acreage is reoffered.
After PJM’s biggest data center load drop-off, the grid operator wants to strap on the seatbelt.
Déjà vu: Nearly 4 GW of Virginia data center load tripped offline on July 22, marking the biggest such event in PJM’s history—similar VA events in 2024 and ‘25 each shed about 1.5 GW. During the recent incident, PJM’s overall load dropped nearly 4%.
Yes, but: Operators recovered within nine minutes, well inside NERC’s 30-minute standard.
What’s next: PJM is mulling over ride-through standards for computational loads like data centers to prevent future mishaps. ERCOT and CAISO are looking into similar rules.
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NIPSCO wants MISO ratepayers to cover the $38M it spent running a coal plant under federal orders.
The hole: The two Indiana coal units cost $116.7M to operate this January-March…but they earned $33.5M. Now, NIPSCO is preparing for potential DOE emergency orders through late 2028.
For context: The DOE’s 202(c) authority lets the feds force generators to stay online in the name of reliability. For NIPSCO’s plant, Energy Sec. Chris Wright first invoked 202(c) on Dec. 23; these retirement-blocking orders have been renewed every 90 days since (and they’re currently set to expire on Sept. 19).
Zooming out: So far, the DOE’s emergency orders to fossil fuel plants around the country have cost ratepayers over $400M.
BHE Montana has signed onto CAISO’s Extended Day-Ahead Market, bringing EDAM’s committed headcount to eight.
The pitch: BHE CEO Ed Rihn said joining EDAM gives the energy producer and operator access to lower-cost resources and better system management across the region.
The goods: The company brings some 398 MW of wind capacity, 120 MW of solar, and 150 MWh of storage to the market.
Get a sneak peek of EDAM’s future from one of its pioneers—Mike Wilding, PacifiCorp’s VP of Energy Supply Management.
The newest grid asset? Water heaters, according to Boston startup Reservoir, which recently raised $8M for its next-gen appliances.
The grid case: Reservoir’s units learn usage patterns and warm up when prices are cheap, turning each tank into distributed thermal storage. The company could eventually aggregate these gizmos to participate in utility DR programs.
The consumer hook: The device’s heat pump runs nearly 4X more efficiently than electric resistance, and 5X more than gas.
Where it stands: About 100 units have been deployed in the Boston area. The seed round targets 1K installs by the end of next year.
📖 Infrastructure upgrades don’t have to erase history. As thousands of aging US dams approach their limits, it’s crucial to protect environmental resources, preserve historical context, and ensure public safety. Want to learn how to balance it all? Get the details from our partners at Kleinschmidt.
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