Tag

Electricity

All articles tagged with #electricity

business9 days ago•2 min saved

NextEra to buy Dominion in $67B all-stock merger, forming the world's largest regulated utility

NextEra Energy will acquire Dominion Energy in an all-stock deal valued at about $67 billion, creating the world's largest regulated electric utility that will serve roughly 10 million customers across Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Ownership would be about 74.5% for NextEra shareholders and 25.5% for Dominion, with the merger expected to close in mid-to-late 2027. The deal aims to meet rising electricity demand from AI and data-center growth and includes $2.25 billion in one-time credits for Dominion customers in three states, though critics warn it may not deliver lasting relief if returns on equity remain high.

via CBS News|

#business #dominion-energy #electricity

energy1 month ago•10 min saved

China’s coal-to-electricity breakthrough: zero-emission direct electrochemical fuel cell

Chinese researchers led by Xie Heping have developed a zero-carbon-emission direct coal fuel cell (ZC-DCFC) that converts coal’s chemical energy directly into electricity without combustion. The coal is processed and fed to an anode while oxygen is supplied at the cathode; a oxide membrane enables direct oxidation and on-site CO2 capture, which can be turned into synthesis gas or stabilized as bicarbonate. This bypasses steam cycles and turbines, aiming for higher theoretical efficiency by avoiding combustion losses and Carnot limits. Improvements in durability and stack scalability address earlier power-density issues. The concept could even operate underground at deep coal seams, transmitting only electricity upward, potentially easing supply pressures as shallow reserves dwindle.

via Interesting Engineering|

#china #coal #electricity

energy1 month ago•41 min saved

Renewables Overtake Coal to Lead Global Power Mix in 2025

Renewables became the world’s largest electricity source in 2025, led by a record solar surge and wind gains that pushed coal’s share below one-third for the first time. Fossil-fuel generation still rose with demand, but the clean-power boom is tipping the global power mix away from coal, aided by falling battery costs and EV-driven oil displacement, with Asia remaining the last region where coal still dominates.

via Carbon Brief|

#coal #electricity #energy

policy1 month ago•7 min saved

Maine Poised to Pause AI Data Centers as Other States' Efforts Stall

Maine is poised to become the first state to enact a temporary moratorium on AI data-center construction (until November 1, 2027), a move not guaranteed as the governor could veto; 11 other states have proposed similar bans this year but most haven’t advanced, and localities have begun enacting their own pauses while a federal pause proposal from Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez remains under consideration.

via Business Insider|

#data-centers #electricity #legislation

economy1 month ago•14 min saved

West Virginia electric bills soar past mortgages amid rising energy costs

In West Virginia, fixed-income households are facing electric bills that can exceed mortgage payments as overall energy costs rise, driven by aging coal plants, infrastructure upgrades, and gas-price volatility; many residents blame policy choices and unfulfilled Trump promises to cut energy costs, amid broader nationwide rate hikes and concerns over data centers driving demand.

via PBS|

#affordability #economy #electricity

world-news1 month ago•17 min saved

Cairo’s nightlife trimmed as Egypt cuts hours to save electricity amid regional conflict

Egypt orders earlier closing times in Cairo to conserve electricity as oil costs climb amid a regional conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran, disrupting nightlife and everyday life.

via AP News|

#cairo #egypt #electricity

society2 months ago•2 min saved

Widespread outage leaves 100,000+ customers in the dark across South OC and San Diego County

A massive power outage affected more than 100,000 customers across South Orange County and parts of San Diego County Thursday night. SDG&E said power was restored to all customers just after 9 p.m. and said it would investigate the cause, emphasizing safety as a priority.

via ABC7 Los Angeles|

#electricity #orange-county #power-outage

world2 months ago•3 min saved

Cuba faces rare street protests as shortages bite and office is torched

Protests erupted in central Cuba over worsening food and power shortages amid U.S. restrictions, with a local Communist Party office set on fire, five arrests for vandalism, and rare demonstrations including pots-and-pans banging and a Havana university sit-in; authorities say injuries have not been confirmed and details remain unclear.

via Al Jazeera|

#cuba #electricity #protests

politics2 months ago•10 min saved

Can a voluntary data-center pledge actually curb electricity costs?

Trump’s new “ratepayer protection pledge,” signed by Google, Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, xAI, OpenAI and Amazon, would have data centers cover their own electricity needs and promises faster permitting to lower consumer energy prices, but it’s voluntary and nonbinding with states retaining primary power-plant approvals. Analysts note the impact is unproven amid a data-center boom that could pull a large share of US electricity (up to 9–17% by 2030), and warn that costs may still shift to households or require grid upgrades, making meaningful relief uncertain.

via Politico|

#ai #data-centers #electricity

technology2 months ago•2 min saved

Big Tech pledges to finance new power for datacenters to shield households from rising bills

Google, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon and other AI-focused firms joined the White House's Ratepayer Protection Pledge, promising to fund new electricity generation or capacity upgrades for their datacenters and to secure favorable utility rate arrangements, in an effort to prevent data centers from driving up consumer electricity costs. Experts warn the pledge could be more symbolic than effective if new generation can't be brought online quickly, as policymakers weigh energy affordability ahead of the midterm elections.

via The Guardian|

#bigtech #datacenters #electricity

world3 months ago•2 min saved

Fico warns Slovakia could cut Ukraine's electricity to force Russian oil shipments

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said he would cut Ukraine's emergency electricity supply unless Kyiv restarts Russian oil shipments, accusing Kyiv and the West over Nord Stream tensions. The move underscores Slovakia's role as a key electricity supplier to Ukraine and follows Hungary's blocking of a related EU loan amid shared energy ties to Moscow.

via Euronews.com|

#electricity #fico #oil

business3 months ago•9 min saved

A Year Into Trump's Second Term: Inflation Edges Up as Groceries and Bills Rise

About a year into Trump’s second term, inflation sits 2.4% higher year over year with a 0.2% January CPI uptick, driven by food, housing and energy costs even as gasoline prices fall to near five-year lows. A price tracker shows eggs spiking due to bird flu before easing after targeted policies, bananas and oranges fluctuating with tariff changes, and ground beef hitting record highs amid cattle shortages. Tariff moves and trade policy continue shaping prices across 11 staple items, while electricity and natural gas bills rise for households even as fuel costs retreat.

via Chicago Tribune|

#business #electricity #gasoline

energy4 months ago•3 min saved

Indiana urges residents to curb electricity use as power supply tightens, SMR option eyed

Hoosier Energy warns of a serious regional power supply emergency in central/southern Indiana and parts of Illinois and urges immediate voluntary electricity conservation (turn off unnecessary lights, delay major appliances, set thermostats to 68°F or lower, and lower water heater settings) while state officials consider small modular reactors to meet growing demand.

via wthr.com|

#conservation #electricity #energy

politics4 months ago•443 min saved

Trump and Northeastern Governors Push for 15-Year Power Auction to Fund Data-Center Grid Upgrades

The White House and a bipartisan group of Northeastern governors are pressuring PJM, the region’s power-grid operator, to hold an emergency 15-year electricity auction limited to technology companies building data centers. Proceeds would fund new power plants to meet data-center-driven demand over the next decade and a half, aiming to curb rising costs for consumers. PJM says it wasn’t invited to the plan and warned it cannot guarantee supply, highlighting an industry-wide surge in power use as AI infrastructure expands. Some tech firms, like Microsoft, have signaled willingness to cover grid upgrades and higher bills to support the system.

via CNN|

#data-centers #electricity #energy-policy

technology4 months ago•2 min saved

Trump backs Microsoft-led pledge to keep AI data centers from raising utility bills

President Trump announced a Microsoft-led initiative to ensure AI datacenters do not raise local electricity bills or overuse water, with Microsoft agreeing to pay property taxes and forego tax breaks or electricity-rate discounts, as part of a broader plan to balance AI infrastructure growth with community costs and limited incentives for other tech firms.

via The Guardian|

#ai-datacenters #electricity #infrastructure