All articles tagged with #utilities
The Energy Department announced a $26.5 billion federal loan to utilities in Georgia and Alabama to finance electric power expansion, aiming to upgrade the region’s grid, support growth, and improve reliability.
The Energy Department closed a historic $26.5 billion loan package to fund Southern Company subsidiaries, delivering over $7 billion in electricity cost savings to millions of customers in Georgia and Alabama. The program will support about 16 GW of firm power, including new gas generation, nuclear uprates, hydropower modernization, battery storage, and transmission upgrades, while lowering the utility’s interest expenses by over $300 million per year and boosting jobs and grid reliability.
Wisconsin residents, led by DeForest organizers, blocked a Blackstone-backed QTS data center annexation, illustrating a growing nationwide grassroots playbook against private-equity–backed data-center expansion and its potential to raise energy costs and strain water resources, while urging stronger regulations on data centers and privatized utilities.
As electricity prices rise, data centers—major energy users—face scrutiny over who should bear powering the grid, with policymakers and communities weighing how such costs might be allocated.
A winter storm bringing freezing rain threatens to cut electricity and heat for millions across the U.S., as utility crews work to repair damaged lines and communities brace for outages and cold temperatures.
NEADA projects the average winter heating cost nationwide near $995, with electric-heated homes topping $1,000. A massive upcoming winter storm could drive bills higher for over 200 million people, while about 16% of households were behind on utility payments last year (roughly $23 billion). Arrears could reach around $28 billion in 2026 as energy costs and inflation press household finances. Utilities are offering relief programs, but many families may still struggle to heat their homes this winter.
Microsoft unveiled a plan to curb water use at U.S. data centers and ensure power costs don’t fall on consumers by paying higher utility rates and working with utilities to expand supply. It will publish per-region water-use data, replenish more water than it uses, train local residents for data-center jobs, and include AI-literacy programs, with Wisconsin rate-structure changes also cited to prevent pass-through of data-center costs to residents.
North Carolina Republicans have been systematically stripping powers from Democratic-leaning institutions and officials, including the governor, to reshape environmental protections, utility regulation, and the university system, raising concerns about weakened democracy and increased costs for residents.
The article discusses whether PG&E customers are entitled to compensation for recent blackouts, providing information on the process and eligibility for refunds or reimbursements.
Rust Coreutils 0.5 has been released, marking a significant step towards full GNU compatibility with an 87.75% pass rate on the GNU test suite, featuring major improvements to several utilities and enhanced platform support.
Households across the U.S. are facing rising electricity bills due to significant utility rate increases, with over $34 billion in rate hike requests in 2025, leading to economic hardship and becoming a key political issue ahead of upcoming elections.
Investing $28,000 equally in ExxonMobil, Whirlpool, and the Vanguard Utilities ETF can generate over $1,000 annually in passive income, with ExxonMobil's consistent dividend growth and the ETF's dividend income making it a strategic approach for income-focused investors.
Private investment firms are increasingly investing in utilities to capitalize on the rising energy demand from AI and data centers, with significant deals and regulatory battles occurring across the U.S., raising concerns about higher electricity rates and the influence of private equity on public utilities.
Sempra announced strategic actions including selling a 45% stake in Sempra Infrastructure Partners for $10 billion, which enhances its financial strength and supports its goal of becoming a leading U.S. utility growth business. The company also reached a final investment decision for Port Arthur LNG Phase 2, with commercial operations expected in 2030-2031, and updated its EPS guidance for 2025 and 2026.
The article discusses the recent Fed rate cut and suggests investors rotate into high-yield dividend stocks in sectors like finance, utilities, and consumer staples, highlighting specific stocks such as Hannon Armstrong, Evergy, Coca-Cola, and Vici Properties as attractive options for income and growth, emphasizing the potential upside and dividend growth prospects.