Energy Brief: U.S. Grid Risks & Data Center Expansion
A U.S. House committee will examine electric-grid vulnerabilities
— Lawmakers seek bipartisan solutions for reliability threats
A congressional committee will hold a hearing this week on potential grid weaknesses, an issue that could generate rare bipartisan agreement as both parties acknowledge rising reliability concerns driven by extreme weather and surging energy demand.
New bipartisan bill aims to undo Trump-era changes to rural energy program
— Lawmakers push USDA to prioritize climate-friendly small projects
Members of Congress introduced legislation to reverse changes to the Rural Energy for America Program and require the USDA to favor small rural projects that reduce climate emissions and support local energy needs.
Renewables dominate new U.S. power capacity so far this year
— Solar leads monthly additions for second straight year
FERC reports that 88% of all new power-generation capacity added in the first eight months of the year came from renewable sources. Solar led every month for the second year in a row, with solar and wind now accounting for 23.44% of U.S. utility-scale capacity.
Washington residents sue major oil and gas companies over climate deception
— Lawsuit claims companies knowingly misled public about climate risks
A new Washington lawsuit alleges oil and gas companies deceived consumers about climate-related dangers, contributing to natural-disaster damage that has driven up homeowners insurance premiums across the state.
Data center boom triggers massive M&A surge in Texas
— Power demand drives $106.5B in deals, up from $3.7B in 2021
Texas recorded astonishing growth in energy-related mergers and acquisitions due to skyrocketing power needs from the data-center industry—rising to more than $106 billion this year compared to just $3.7 billion in 2021.
Democrats weigh strategy on rising power costs ahead of 2026 midterms
— Party sees opportunity after wins in Virginia and Georgia
Democrats are exploring how to use public frustration over high power bills and the rapid expansion of energy-hungry data centers as a key political narrative in the upcoming midterm elections.
Trump plan to open eastern Gulf of Mexico to drilling sparks Florida backlash
— Residents fear another Deepwater Horizon-type disaster
The administration’s push to expand offshore drilling into the eastern Gulf raised concerns among Floridians worried about the risk of a major spill—particularly the memory of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon catastrophe.
Alabama Power delays rate hike request after public outrage
— Proposed increase tied to $622M gas-plant purchase
Alabama Power postponed its rate-hike filing following strong public opposition. The increase was intended to recover costs from its $622 million acquisition of a gas-fired power plant.
World
Drone attack forces shutdown of major Russian oil terminal
— CPC calls strike a “terrorist attack” as Ukraine-U.S. talks loom
A key Russian oil terminal halted operations after a sea-drone strike. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium—whose members include Chevron and ExxonMobil—condemned the incident as a terrorist act hours before Ukrainian envoys traveled to the U.S.
India may cut Russian crude imports by up to 50%
— Former minister says both nations could still seek workarounds to U.S. sanctions
A former Indian foreign minister said the country could slash its imports of Russian crude by half, but noted both sides will still likely explore methods to maintain some level of oil flow despite U.S. sanctions pressure.
British Columbia village plans geothermal system using abandoned coal shafts
— Cumberland hopes flooded mine tunnels can heat and cool buildings
A small community in British Columbia intends to convert old, water-filled coal shafts from mines closed in the 1960s into a geothermal network to heat and cool local buildings.