FERC votes tomorrow on grid rule that unlocks hundreds of GW of storage
FERC's June 18 ruling on large-load grid interconnection will set the first federal standard for data centers and battery storage connecting directly to the interstate transmission system, reshaping economics across PJM and three other major grids.
Congress targets NRC hearing rules, fuel recycling in six-bill nuclear push
House subcommittee advances six legislative proposals to compress NRC licensing timelines for SMRs and advanced reactors, targeting mandatory hearing reform and domestic fuel recycling.
New York Court Halts Bid to Seize $293B in Dormant Bitcoin Wallets
A New York judge stayed a default judgment seeking to award 39,069 inactive Bitcoin wallets to a private claimant under abandoned-property law, but the July 14 hearing will test whether state courts can reach self-custodied crypto.
DOE validates Xcimer's laser fusion design as national strategy accelerates
The Department of Energy approved Xcimer Energy's Athena fusion plant preconceptual design on June 10, marking the most comprehensive government review of a privately developed fusion architecture and validating a specific commercial pathway the industry has been betting on.
Nvidia pairs with Unitree to ship first open humanoid robot platform
Nvidia and Unitree launched an integrated humanoid robot reference design with Stanford, ETH Zurich, and two other research institutions as first customers, clearing a path to mass production while Unitree navigates U.S. export risk.
Trump DOE backs Biden lithium refinery grant, signaling bipartisan bet on domestic processing
American Battery Technology wins DOE appeal to reinstate $115M lithium refinery grant, showing Trump administration will honor critical minerals infrastructure across administrations.
DOE funds first U.S. rare earth plant from industrial waste
Colorado School of Mines and ElementUSA receive $67M to process rare earth elements from alumina refinery tailings in Louisiana, targeting 150–1,000 MT/year of domestic supply.
DOE Lab Commissions First Prismatic Battery Line in U.S. Complex
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory commissioned the first prismatic battery cell production line inside a U.S. national laboratory, bridging the validation gap between lab prototypes and commercial manufacturing.
Three private reactors clear final safety gate, targeting July 4 criticality
Aalo, Antares, and Valar have cleared DOE safety reviews and entered final readiness phase; if approved by July 4, they become the first private reactors to operate outside NRC licensing.
DOE funds magnesium smelter milestone, closing U.S. supply chain gap
DOE awarded $45.7M to 19 critical minerals projects including Big Blue Technologies' first commercial-scale U.S. magnesium smelter, addressing near-total import dependence.
DOE awards $45.7M to fix America's magnesium and rare earth gaps
The U.S. Department of Energy awarded $45.7 million across 19 critical minerals projects on May 19, targeting domestic processing capacity in magnesium and rare earth elements where the U.S. remains completely import-dependent.
DOE opens $69M critical minerals processing fund as China tightens rare earth grip
The Energy Department launched a $69 million fund for bench-to-pilot scale processing of rare earths, semiconductor materials, and lithium, addressing the single chokepoint where China controls 40–90% of global capacity.
FERC delays large-load rule by 2 months, threatening data center power timeline
FERC pushed its June 2026 deadline for landmark large-load interconnection rules past the DOE's April mandate, as 86 GW of new grid demand waits for connection protocols.
DOE locks in $1B for Texas and Louisiana carbon removal hubs
The Department of Energy retained over $1 billion in federal funding for the South Texas DAC Hub and Project Cypress, cementing carbon removal as permanent U.S. climate infrastructure regardless of administration.
DOE's coal order expires May 24, 4.4 GW hangs in the balance
The Department of Energy's emergency order keeping Pennsylvania's Eddystone coal plant online expires in three weeks, exposing the grid's true capacity crisis.
Battery storage jumps 51% in one year as grid adds record 86 GW
U.S. utility-scale battery storage will surge to 67.5 GW by end-2026, a 51% annual increase, as developers plan a record 86 GW of new capacity led by solar and storage in a structural shift away from fossil fuels.
USA Rare Earth ships first domestic NdFeB magnets, backed by $1.6B CHIPS funding
USA Rare Earth commissioned its Oklahoma magnet factory in Q1 2026 with government and private backing totaling $3.1 billion, becoming the first integrated rare earth supply chain under U.S. ownership.
DOE restores $1.2B for DAC as Stratos prepares first 500K-tonne startup
The Department of Energy is funding Occidental's Stratos plant and Heirloom's Project Cypress to commercial scale, with Stratos entering operation this quarter, representing an 873% jump in global DAC capacity in one year.
FERC Misses DOE Deadline on Data Center Grid Access Rule
FERC will vote in June 2026 on federal authority to regulate how data centers and large industrial loads connect to the transmission grid, missing DOE's April 30 deadline by two months and raising questions about whether legal durability will actually arrive.
DOE Releases $1.9B Grid Transmission Funding; May 20 Deadline Looms
The Department of Energy opened a $1.9 billion transmission funding window under the SPARK program, with applications due May 20, targeting reconductoring and advanced grid tech to unlock 86 GW of new capacity planned for 2026.