Markets+ stakeholders will have little opportunity to ease up in coming months despite a wave of favorable developments for the market.

 

President Trump's executive orders on energy are not enough on their own for the industry to meet the rising demand for AI and data centers, and experts say another attempt at permitting reform is needed.

"Deep, collaborative partnerships combined with creative problem-solving are the only way we can meet the explosion of AI growth, as well as society's accelerating electricity demand," said Sheldon Kimber, CEO of Intersect Power.

Utilities around the country expect peak demand to grow by 128 GW, or 15.8%, to 947 GW by 2029, according to the latest report from Grid Strategies.

Webinar participants said NERC's study on interregional transfer capability is a solid foundation for future planning but leaves much work still to be done.

Stakeholders are split on whether FERC should adopt additional changes to its generator interconnection rules, or focus on implementing Order 2023 while letting specific regions go further on their own, according to comments filed after a September technical conference.

FERC Order 1920 compliance efforts are getting started, but some uncertainty looms over the rule with a rehearing order expected in the coming months and a presidential election that could change regulators' priorities.

Advanced transmission technologies can help utilities meet the rising levels of demand that are stressing the grid, according to a report from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research.