NWPPA Morning Brief — Thursday, May 28, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• NRC Commissioners Testify on $892.3 Million FY2027 Budget and Advanced Reactor Licensing — https://www.ans.org/news/article-7973/nrc-commissioners-testify-before-us-house-subcommittee/
• DOE Opens Door to Surplus Weapons Plutonium as Commercial Reactor Fuel — https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5896154-energy-department-plutonium-nuclear-power/
• FERC Proposes to Double Cost Thresholds in Pipeline Blanket Certificate Overhaul — https://naturalgasintel.com/news/ferc-overhauls-natural-gas-pipeline-permitting-as-demand-strains-capacity/

Top Regional / State Developments

• Oregon PUC Rejects PacifiCorp's Interim 2.8% Rate Increase — https://ktvz.com/news/2026/05/27/pacificorps-interim-rate-hike-request-rejected-by-oregon-regulators/
• Duke Energy Wins South Carolina Approval for Battery Storage Demand Response Program — https://www.ad-hoc-news.de/boerse/news/ueberblick/duke-energy-stock-us26441c2044-new-south-carolina-storage-program/69430870

AI and Large Load Demand Radar

• NERC Cuts ERCOT Summer Demand Forecast by 3.7 GW on Data Center Curtailability — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/demand-management-data-center-flexibility-boost-regional-reliability-nerc/821225/
• Tech Industry Engages FERC Ahead of June Large-Load Interconnection Proposal — https://www.eenews.net/articles/how-big-tech-learned-to-speak-ferc/

Western Market Structure Signal

• Dominion-NextEra Merger Draws Affordability Scrutiny from Virginia Lawmakers — https://www.arlnow.com/2026/05/27/dominion-energys-merger-plan-sharpens-affordability-questions-for-n-va-lawmakers/

Advocacy and Legal Signal Scan

• Powder River Energy Cooperative Files 2025 Wildfire Mitigation Plan with Wyoming PSC — https://newslj.com/public-notice-powder-river-energy-corporation

Pilot notice: AI-generated daily briefing. Verify before acting on it.

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NWPPA Morning Brief — Wednesday, May 27, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• FERC asked to reject TeraWulf power plant acquisition over alleged undisclosed Google stake — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-terawulf-power-plant-google-ownership/820600/
• PJM market monitor urges FERC to reject Talen–Capital Power transaction — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-talen-energy-capital-pjm-market-monitor/820500/
• Mission Valley Power presses BPA on Tier 1 rate eligibility for Tribal utilities — https://www.bpa.gov/-/media/Aep/power/provider-of-choice/2023-Comments/20230420-mission-valley-power.pdf

Top Regional / State Developments

• Oregon finalizes POWER Act, first state rule shielding residential customers from data center grid costs — https://www.climatesolutions.org/article/2026-05/oregons-power-act-first-its-kind-protect-oregonians-utility-bills-data-center
• CAISO board approves $6.7 billion transmission plan dominated by load growth — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/caiso-recommends-38-transmission-projects-costing-around-67b/821099/
• Idaho Power and Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative file to transfer 20,000 Oregon customers for $154 million — https://elkhornmediagroup.com/request-filed-to-transfer-idaho-powers-oregon-distribution-system-to-otec/
• Enbridge plans $1.2 billion Wyoming solar and storage project for Meta near Cheyenne — https://renewablesnow.com/news/enbridge-to-invest-usd-1-2bn-in-wyoming-solar-bess-project-for-meta-1295086/
• Pasadena Water and Power presents $410 million FY2027 budget under cost-savings pressure — https://pasadenanow.com/main/pwp-outlines-410-million-fiscal-year-2027-budget-is-pressed-for-savings-and-performance-measures

AI and Large Load Demand Radar

• State large-load tariffs proliferate as data center regulation moves to PUCs — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/large-load-tariffs-states-data-center-regulation/820400/

Western Market Structure Signal

• Illinois Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act emerges as a state policy template — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/illinois-energy-policy-affordability-reliability-vote-solar/820280/

Western Federal Power Programs Scan

• Mission Valley Power comments on BPA Tier 1 eligibility for Tribal utilities — https://www.bpa.gov/-/media/Aep/power/provider-of-choice/2023-Comments/20230420-mission-valley-power.pdf

Pilot notice: AI-generated daily briefing. Verify before acting on it.

Feel free to reach out if you have comments or concerns.

NWPPA Morning Brief — Tuesday, May 26, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• FERC Summer Assessment Warns of Colorado River Drought Risk, Reports 75 GW Capacity Additions — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-summer-market-reliability-assessment/820962/
• FERC Proposes First Major Gas Certificate Rewrite Since 2006 — https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/news/ferc-unleashes-natural-gas-permit-reforms-accelerating-infrastructure-upgrades
• DOE Issues Presidential Permit to Basin Electric for Two New U.S.–Canada Transmission Lines — https://www.energy.gov/oe/articles/does-office-electricity-issues-presidential-permit-expand-us-canada-grid-reliability
• DOE Keeps Wagner Unit 4 Running on Emergency Order for PJM Summer — https://solarquarter.com/2026/05/22/united-states-department-of-energy-approves-emergency-operation-of-wagner-unit-4-to-support-pjm-grid-reliability-during-summer-peak-demand

Top Regional / State Developments

• Wyoming Lawmakers Weigh Looser Electric Regulation as Trona and Data Centers Compete for Power — https://wyofile.com/wyoming-lawmakers-mull-loosening-electric-regulations-to-meet-growing-electrical-demand/
• Utah Nuclear Summit Focuses on Permitting Acceleration — https://www.kpcw.org/wasatch-county/2026-05-25/faster-project-approval-is-focus-at-operation-gigawatt-nuclear-power-summit

Congressional and Federal Agency Scan

• Lawmakers Split on Grid Permitting Legislation — https://news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-and-energy/electric-grid-expansion-in-permitting-push-splits-us-lawmakers

Pilot notice: AI-generated daily briefing. Verify before acting on it.

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NWPPA Morning Brief — Thursday, May 21, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• NERC's summer outlook: better resources, harder forecasting — https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/nerc-says-record-resource-additions-strengthen-summer-reliability-outlook
• PJM moves backstop auction to September, pushes states on data center cost rules — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/pjm-accelerates-backstop-reliability-auction-amid-uncertainty-over-data-cen/820707/

Top Regional / State Developments

• CAISO board approves $6.7 billion transmission plan supporting 45 GW of new solar — https://www.pv-tech.org/caiso-approves-transmission-plan-enabling-45gw-of-new-solar-pv/
• California's demand-side virtual power plant funding zeroed out for 2027 — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/funding-for-californias-signature-virtual-power-plant-remains-uncertain/820747/
• Denver imposes one-year moratorium on new data center permits — https://www.planetizen.com/news/2026/05/137613-denver-bans-new-data-centers-one-year
• LADWP prices multi-tranche bond sale at 5.00%–5.25% — https://cbonds.com/bonds/2119085/

Congressional and Federal Agency Scan

• House full committee advances FY2027 Energy-Water bill — https://appropriations.house.gov/news/remarks/fleischmann-remarks-fy27-energy-and-water-development-and-related-agencies-bill-full
• House releases FY2027 Interior-Environment bill — https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/committee-releases-fy27-interior-environment-and-related-agencies

AI and Large Load Demand Radar

• Data center forecasting uncertainty flagged by NERC — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/data-center-interconnection-delays-complicate-demand-forecasting-nerc/820695/

Worth Knowing

• LS Power breaks ground on $2 billion Bay Area transmission program — https://www.lspower.com/news/ls-power-grid-california-breaks-ground-on-power-the-bay-projects/

Pilot notice: AI-generated daily briefing. Verify before acting on it.

Feel free to reach out if you have comments or concerns.

NWPPA Morning Brief — Wednesday, May 20, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• DOE Orders Data Center Curtailment in PJM During Heat Wave — https://www.eenews.net/articles/doe-allows-pjm-to-curtail-data-center-power-to-prevent-blackouts/
• FERC Refuses to Pause $1.5 Billion in New England Transmission Refunds — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-declines-stay-refunds-new-england-transmission-eversource/820343/
• DOE Awards $94 Million to Eight Companies for Small Modular Reactor Deployment — https://www.ans.org/news/2026-05-15/article-8035/doe-selects-companies-for-94m-in-light-water-smr-deployment-awards/
• CISA Tells Critical Infrastructure to Plan for Operating in Isolation During Cyber Attacks — https://techinformed.com/cisa-tells-critical-infrastructure-operators-to-plan-for-isolation/
• FERC May 21 Open Meeting Agenda Items — https://www.whitecase.com/insight-alert/summary-ferc-meeting-agenda-may-2026

Top Regional / State Developments

• OPALCO Wins Permit for 1.6-MW Community Solar Expansion on Decatur Island — https://www.islandssounder.com/2026/05/20/opalco-receives-conditional-use-permit-for-the-decatur-island-solar-expansion-project/
• Clean Power Alliance Opens 2026 Procurement for Renewables, Storage, and Reliability — https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/19/3297770/0/en/clean-power-alliance-launches-its-2026-clean-energy-and-reliability-request-for-offers.html
• PJM Activates Demand Response in Early-Season Heat Event — https://www.roi-nj.com/2026/05/19/industry/energy-utilities/pjm-issues-update-on-hot-weather-operations-as-n-j-temps-soar/

Congressional and Federal Agency Scan

• House Appropriations Markup Today on Energy-Water Bill — https://legis1.com/news/congressional-spending-power-committee-defends
• House Interior-Environment FY2027 Bill Unveiled This Week — https://www.eenews.net/articles/house-to-unveil-interior-environment-spending-bill/
• Democratic Lawmakers Form Utility Affordability Caucus — https://www.eenews.net/articles/the-next-big-oil-democrats-set-their-sights-on-utilities/

Pilot notice: AI-generated daily briefing. Verify before acting on it.

Feel free to reach out if you have comments or concerns.

NWPPA Morning Brief — Tuesday, May 19, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• Appeals court hears arguments on DOE's authority to keep coal plants running — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/doe-coal-fired-emergency-campbell-lawsuit/820459/
• FERC accepts updated cost assignments for 358 PJM reliability projects — https://environmentenergyleader.com/stories/ferc-approves-pjm-transmission-cost-updates-for-2026-rtep,126524
• EPA proposes to partially roll back PFAS drinking water standards — https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5883481-forever-chemicals-pfas-epa/
• Senate confirms LaCerte to second FERC term — https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/news/ferc-commissioner-david-lacerte-confirmed-second-term

Top Regional / State Developments

• Oregon finalizes data center cost-allocation rules; PGE must implement by June 10 — https://theonlinecitizen.com/2026/05/19/oregon-orders-data-centres-to-cover-their-own-electricity-grid-expansion-costs
• PNGC Power launches plans for 600-MW gas plant to meet Northwest load growth — https://www.electric.coop/pngc-power-plans-state-of-the-art-natural-gas-plant-to-meet-growing-demand
• Imperial Irrigation District proposes large load tariff; 30-day public comment open — https://beyondbordersnews.com/iid-announces-public-review-and-comment-period-on-proposed-large-load-tariff-to-protect-ratepayers-and-grid-reliability/
• First California PSPS of 2026 affects 4,700 customers across 15 counties — https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article315797129.html
• Zanskar signs 20-year, 100-MW geothermal PPA with NV Energy — https://globalrenewablenews.com/article/energy/category/geothermal/85/1201300/zanskar-inks-100-mw-power-purchase-agreement-to-provide-carbon-free-firm-power-to-nv-energy.html

Congressional and Federal Agency Scan

• Senate Energy-Water Appropriations subcommittee hearing noticed for May 20 — https://waterways.org/nwc-news-alert-may-15-2026-fy2027-appropriations-moving-latest-on-wrda-and-more/

Advocacy and Legal Signal Scan

• Pennsylvania PUC releases first-of-its-kind model large load tariff framework — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/pennsylvania-releases-first-of-its-kind-large-load-model-tariff/820456/

AI and Large Load Demand Radar

• PowerSecure to deliver battery storage and solar for Wyoming cooperative PRECorp — https://globalrenewablenews.com/article/energy/category/solar/142/1195907/powersecure-to-deliver-advanced-energy-storage-and-solar-for-precorp-strengthening-rural-grid-resiliency.html

Pilot notice: AI-generated daily briefing. Verify before acting on it.

Feel free to reach out if you have comments or concerns.