Policy shifts and energy storage dominate grid discussions this week.
Grid Policy Faces Cross-Border Tensions and Domestic Scrutiny
International trade disputes and domestic infrastructure needs are reshaping grid policy.
Canada is considering cutting power exports to the US due to tariffs, while ISO New England seeks FERC approval for transmission replacements. Meanwhile, Trump's order targets grid equipment, and Shoals secures a significant payment, highlighting ongoing policy shifts.
- Canada Weighs Cutting Power Exports to New England and New York After 50% US Tariffs
- Trump’s Grid Equipment Order Names Inverters, Batteries and Transformers But Bans Nothing Yet
- ISO New England Asks FERC to Let It Review a $5 Billion Pipeline of Transmission Replacements
Energy Storage Innovation and Investment Accelerate
Significant investment and technological advancements are driving the energy storage sector forward.
ESS Tech is pivoting its battery line to sodium-ion amid financial doubts, while Enphase releases a new commercial battery. The DOE is funding cathode recycling, and New Jersey proposes incentives for home batteries, showing diverse growth.
- ESS Tech Flags Going-Concern Doubt and an NYSE Notice While Pivoting Its Battery Line to Sodium-Ion
- Enphase Opens Pre-Orders for an 80 kWh Commercial Battery That Stacks to 2 MWh
- DOE Picks Princeton NuEnergy for a $50 Million Grant to Build a 3,000-Tonne Cathode Recycling Plant in Georgia
Data Centers Drive Demand, Sparking Infrastructure and Policy Debates
The rapid growth of data centers is straining grid capacity and prompting policy responses.
PJM took data centers offline after a fault, while Microsoft protests a transmission charge for its own facility. Proposed gas power for US data centers has doubled, and Georgia Power's OpenAI contract faces scrutiny over redacted terms.
- PJM’s Largest Load Transfer Took 3,800 MW of Data Centers Offline After a Fault That Cleared Normally
- Microsoft Protests the $500 Million Transmission Charge Built for Its Own Wisconsin Data Center
- Gas Power Proposed for US Data Centers Doubled to 189 GW in Six Months, and Texas Holds 77 GW of It
Utility Scale Projects and Microgrid Deployments Expand
Utilities are pursuing large-scale projects and microgrids to meet growing energy demands.
Duke Energy seeks approval for a massive 50 GW buildout including gas and storage, while Powder River Energy deploys a solar and battery microgrid. Ventura County also opened a solar canopy microgrid, demonstrating localized energy solutions.