Utility Dive - Latest News

Meta inks nuclear deals for up to 6.6 GW from Oklo, Vistra, TerraPower

Diana DiGangi — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 10:36:32 -0500

The agreements invest in future deliveries of advanced nuclear technology while also procuring power from existing plants and uprates.

The week in 5 numbers: data centers drive load growth in PJM, Texas

Meris Lutz — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 10:09:21 -0500

In non-data center news, offshore wind farms say they're losing millions a day and the government won't divulge the national security concerns behind a construction freeze.

Illinois sets 3-GW energy storage target, requires utilities to develop virtual power plants

Robert Walton — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 07:53:32 -0500

Electricity bills in Illinois rose 15% last year. A new law aims to reduce energy costs by incentivizing new resources, expanding solar and growing efficiency programs.

Emboldened Virginia Democrats focus on clean energy, affordability

Diana DiGangi — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 13:08:58 -0500

Their proposals include bills intended to increase renewables and energy storage, expand utility efficiency programs and improve load forecasting.

Utilities under pressure: 6 power sector trends to watch in 2026

Meris Lutz, Robert Walton, Ethan Howland and Diana DiGangi — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 12:20:22 -0500

Facing rising demand and aggressive load growth projections, utilities are rolling out massive spending plans. Now they'll have to walk a fine line with regulators and ratepayers.

How VPPs can help data centers connect to the grid faster

Jesse Cohen, Mark Dyson and Lauren Shwisberg — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:24:32 -0500

Virtual power plants can be developed quickly to satisfy data center demand, but reaching the scale required to meet soaring load growth will require new commercial models, according to RMI.

MISO selects AEP-Berkshire JV to build $1.2B, 765-kV transmission project

Ethan Howland — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 09:41:52 -0500

The Midcontinent Independent System Operator also tapped Viridon to build a $350 million project in Wisconsin on the strength of the developer’s cost containment commitments.

Modern rate design needed to meet Northeast, Mid-Atlantic grid challenges: NEEP

Brian Martucci — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 11:13:34 -0500

Seasonal rates and opt-out time-of-use plans are among the reforms that can find success without major technology or infrastructure upgrades, the energy-efficiency group said.

Federal agencies look to performance contracts as energy efficiency aid shrinks

Joe Burns — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 11:02:41 -0500

Agencies are authorized by statute to use energy performance contracts to make efficiency upgrades with little up-front cost, the National Lab of the Rockies says.

The next-gen retail energy mix: Aligning supply portfolios with customer expectations

Tamara Grose — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 11:00:00 -0500

Retail energy providers must move beyond managing kilowatt-hours and toward orchestrating portfolios that reflect both the realities of modern supply and the values of modern customers, writes Tamara Grose of VertexOne.