The details: Employment at utilities is predicted to rise 9.8% (or nearly 59K new jobs) from 2025-2035, according to a news release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most of this growth is projected for the generation, transmission, and distribution fields as electricity demand climbs. 

The early indicators: As we recently reported, T&D and storage had a major 2025: They saw a 2% employment boost (around 28K more workers) year-over-year amid the data center boom—now, it appears that this is just the beginning.

The background: Iowa’s Duane Arnold Energy Center closed in 2020 after operating for nearly five decades (due to pricey storm damage). Now, it’s the third nuclear plant to get federal funding to come back to life. If all goes as planned, Duane Arnold could bring 615 MW to the grid—enough to power around 500K homes. 

Not so fast: The process likely won’t be speedy. Holtec has worked for over two years to reopen Palisades (which could become the country’s first revived nuclear plant). And before NextEra can kick things off, it must secure NRC licensing approvals.

The problem: MISO has roughly 220 GW of generation sitting in its queue, and has yet to finish evaluating projects stretching back to 2020. And the grid operator keeps accepting new proposals, despite stakeholder criticism.

The solution? MISO’s Expedited Resource Addition Study is meant to “help bring new generation online quickly.” Under the fifth and latest cycle, MISO will evaluate 15 projects (which it estimates will come online by 2029). 

A storage spotlight: MISO’s market monitor has urged the grid operator to bring on more storage, ASAP (BESS takes up more than a fifth of MISO’s hefty queue). Now, the latest ERAS cycle could offer some storage progress.

The market signal: Nuclear is getting big funding…and Holtec seems confident there's more where that came from. As the company ramps up its operations in spent fuel storage, SMRs, and nuclear decommissioning, it sees major opportunities ahead.

Holtec “is well-positioned to help catalyze the growth of the nuclear power industry in the US and around the world,” the company wrote in a statement.

The unique advantage: Holtec said it has a “differentiated market position” because many utilities around the world already rely on its spent fuel management tech. As companies opt for new nuclear, Holtec expects the profits to keep rolling in. 

The funding: That state money is headed to workforce training and marine research that will bolster MA’s offshore wind industry. 

The persistence: The state is intent on keeping up momentum despite federal headwinds—in July, MA Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell joined a multi-state coalition to sue the Trump Administration over cancelled offshore wind leases.