Plugged In | March 2026

Plugged In | March 2026

Feds Announce $26.5 Billion Loan for Electric Power Expansion in Georgia and Alabama 

The U.S. Department of Energy announced its largest loan of $26.5 billion for electric utilities in Georgia and Alabama to build new natural-gas plants, new transmission lines and upgrades to existing power plants.  

Source: AP News 

The Mass. House Just Voted to Overhaul the State's Energy Strategy 

The Massachusetts House voted to pass a energy reform package that seeks to balance decarbonization goals with surging energy prices. 

Source: Axios Boston 

Trump's Big Climate Reversal Sets Up a Courtroom Clash 

The Trump administration has repealed the 2009 endangerment finding that allowed the EPA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from tailpipes and smokestacks, setting up a likely battle in court.  

Source: Politico 

World's Largest Private Hypergrid Nears Construction After US Approves Clean Air Permit 

The private hypergrid near Amarillo, Texas, received a 6 GW air permit to continue development of the site that will contain four nuclear reactors, natural gas and solar energy to help data centers secure private power generation at scale.  

Source: Interesting Engineering 

Indiana Utility Regulators Call in 'Big Five' Energy Providers for Affordability Investigation 

In response to rising energy costs, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission announced it will conduct an investigation into affordability for the state's "big five" investor-owned utilities.  

Source: Indiana Capital Chronicle 

Energy Department Announces $171M for Geothermal Expansion 

The U.S. Department of Energy announced it will invest $171.5 million into geothermal field-scale tests for electricity generation and exploration drilling. 

Source: Daily Energy Insider 

Polish Power Grid Hack Offers Lessons for Critical Infrastructure Operators, CISA Says 

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said that the recent malicious cyber-attack on Poland's electric grid should put all critical infrastructure operators in the U.S. on notice.  

Source: Utility Dive 

California Orders Utilities to Add 6 GW Of Non-Fossil Capacity by 2032 

The California PUC unanimously voted to order state load-serving entities to procure an additional 6 GW of zero-emitting resources between 2029 to 2032. 

Source: Utility Dive 

PJM to Extend Capacity Auction Price Cap for Two Years, Pennsylvania Governor Says 

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has said that the regional grid operator PJM has agreed to extend a price cap on its capacity auctions for another two years.  

Source: Reuters

PGE Will Expand to Washington State, Acquiring Swath of PacifiCorp Territory 

Portland General Electric announced that it will buy most of PacifiCorp's utility assets in Washington state for $1.9 billion. The assets include two wind farms, a natural gas-fired power plant, transmission and distribution lines and about 140,000 customers.  

Source: Oregon Live