What happened? In a FERC complaint, state ratepayer advocates accuse Eversource of misclassifying its 49-mile X-178 project in New Hampshire. The company called it an “asset management project.” This helped Eversource evade tougher ISO-NE review, the advocates said. 

Why it matters: Local transmission projects are drawing tougher scrutiny as bills rise. As of early 2026, nearly $7B repair projects had been installed in New England, and another $5B are planned by 2033.

President Trump claims Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed to assist him with the Iran war. China also agreed to buy more US oil, LNG, and other energy as the country seeks to reduce its exposure to the Strait of Hormuz. Also in China’s cart: more US soybeans.

Meanwhile, Cuba says it has no fuel oil or diesel left as US restrictions choke off shipments (Havana is facing blackouts up to 22 hours per day). Washington is dangling $100M in aid—but only in exchange for political reform.

By the numbers: The persistent DOE orders to keep coal plants open don’t come cheap. Consumers Energy said it has spent $180M running a Michigan plant since last May. And TransAlta noted it spent nearly $20M over three months on its Washington state plant…despite burning no coal. 

More costs ahead? One Indiana coal unit may need over $100M in repairs to operate at full capacity, while another would require $16M–$20M in repairs. 

It’s a welcome surprise: Operation wasn’t expected until June. At full capacity, it will supply roughly 20% of NYC’s power demand.

CHPE also cleared NYISO’s testing deadline for the July capacity market, one month earlier than expected. With NYC already forecast to hit 90-degree temps next week, the line could soon face its first real test.

Gridcare maps underused grid capacity via sources like weather data and interconnection queues, helping data center developers pick sites based on (actually) available power.

Case in point: In Portland General Electric territory, Gridcare helped unlock new interconnection agreements for five data centers totaling 80 MW this year. Now it says it’s working on 2+ GW of AI compute capacity across over a dozen markets.

Another major money move: Clean energy developer and operator Sunraycer Renewables has raised $900M for solar and battery projects in Texas, which are set to come online this year and in 2027.

Duke’s carbon plan called for 1.7 GW of solar bids in 2026 (which the utility later proposed as 770 MW after federal tax credit cuts). The issue? The NC Utilities Commission Chair used that shortfall to halt procurement until next year.

Why it matters: Clean energy groups have filed a motion to cancel the chair’s “capricious” order. They say a 2026 procurement gap could leave NC short on clean capacity in the early 2030s…just as data center demand rises and gas turbine supply chains stay jammed.

Between the lines: China’s nearly 70% decline is likely just an oversupply correction after years of heavy state support. As for the US decline? It’s a more concerning omen. This fall arrives before the domestic factory and market buildout (which are now threatened by federal policy whiplash).