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Good morning. How did a bill designed to bolster nuclear plants spiral into one of the country’s biggest utility corruption cases? On the latest episode of Power Perspectives, we broke down Ohio’s $60M bribery scandal with investigative journalist Kathiann Kowalski. Tune in here—and keep reading for the latest on the HB 6 controversy.
P.S. Yesterday, we wrote that ERCOT is forecasting a record 92-MW summer peak…which doesn’t make much sense. Our bad—we meant 92 GW. ⚡
— Molly, Carrie, and the Energy Central editorial team
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MISO has upped its 2026 transmission expansion plan by $6B.
The funds: The recently refreshed plan spreads over $15B across 574 transmission projects, including nearly $6B steered by load growth. Such projects “are paid for by existing customers, despite the fact that these projects are pretty clearly ‘but for’ driven by the large load interconnection request,” wrote Claire Wayner, a senior associate at RMI, on LinkedIn.
The refunds: Meanwhile, the D.C. Circuit affirmed that MISO transmission owners must pay consumers eight years’ worth of refunds. It’s the latest move in a legal battle dating back to 2013, when consumers told FERC that the TOs’ ROE (12.38%) was too high.
Former Ohio utility execs have been indicted on bribery charges…again.
The context: FirstEnergy admitted to bribing state officials to pass a 2019 law that subsidized old coal and nuclear plants (and took half a billion out of ratepayers’ pockets). But during the state bribery trial for fired FirstEnergy executives Chuck Jones and Michael Dowling, jurors couldn't come to a verdict—and in April, a judge declared a mistrial.
The latest: Now, an Ohio court has reindicted Jones and Dowling on bribery charges. “FirstEnergy was hijacked by two scheming executives who sought to control the regulator that influenced the company’s stock prices,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said in a statement. “I’m confident that Ohio’s ratepayers will get justice when the facts are unearthed in the courtroom.”
FERC has greenlit SPP’s proposal to offer data centers (temporary) transmission service.
Getting the CHILLS: The grid operator will offer a special type of transmission service—known as Conditional High Impact Large Load Service (CHILLS)—to data centers and other large loads.
The condition? SPP will curtail CHILLS during grid emergencies or “other unforeseen conditions.” Large loads will participate for up to seven years, giving them time to get firm service in order.
Join us June 23 in Washington, D.C. as we bring together utility decision-makers for networking and meaningful conversations on the challenges shaping today's power sector.
Solar and wind tax credits are back for a limited time.
Plus, a big battery first: Last week, the 125-MW Tumbleweed battery project in California became the country’s first major installation to discharge power for up to eight hours at a time. That’s twice as long as most energy storage facilities, bringing clean energy closer to 24/7 dispatchable power.
Oil companies still don’t really want to drill in the Arctic.
Last week, an oil lease auction in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge drew only nine bids…on just 10% of the available land. During President Trump’s first term, Arctic sales yielded similar results. But as the war in Iran drives oil prices through the roof, analysts expected more bites this time around.
Tennessee has become the first state to roll out fusion regulations.
The tech-neutral rules could enable Type One Energy to break ground on its 400-MW commercial plant as soon as 2028, according to the state’s Department of Environment and Conservation.
🔎 Regulators are demanding more investment transparency. Traditional planning approaches are struggling to keep pace—but leading utilities are modernizing planning practices to create clearer links between decisions, supporting evidence, and regulatory outcomes. Our partners at IFS Copperleaf walked us through-real world examples.
Rising energy costs are reshaping grid operations. Tune in to hear how utilities and energy users can improve reliability, manage costs, and unlock more value from energy assets in real time.
Thanks for reading. See you next time!