Biden Administration's $1.5B Boost for Transmission Projects
1.) The power struggle between utility AEP Ohio and the datacenter giants including Amazon, Google and Microsoft gets more contentious. Tech companies file a “negotiated settlement” with Ohio Public Utilities Commission addressing AEP Ohio’s interconnection process for large datacenters, AEP president immediately objects. May datacenter load stood at 600 MW, w/ additional 4,400 MW of requests in queue. That number has now soared to 30,000 MW. Many North American utilities face similar pressures.
2.) Mid-Atlantic grid operator PJM to delay planned December capacity auction for six months in order to develop reforms to capacity market. Delay would affect at least three upcoming auctions affecting capacity for the 2026/27, 2027/28 and 2028/29 delivery years.
3.) Biden administration to provide nearly $1.5 bn to boost four large-scale power lines through revolving fund meant to support riskier transmission projects. 1,000 miles of planned lines would deliver 7,100 MW of new gen capacity in Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
4.) The New York Power Authority publishes draft Strategic Plan to increase NY renewables by 3.5 GW.
5.) Hydrogen study by Harvard University researchers shows most H2 project cost estimates significantly understate storage and distribution costs, concluding H2 is prohibitively expensive for addressing greenhouse gas emissions.