Illinois energy storage mandate enters force in 17 days, triggering $9.7B procurement
Illinois's Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act takes effect June 1, activating a 3,000 MW storage mandate with an August 2026 procurement for 1,038 MW, reshaping capacity markets across MISO and PJM.
NextEra's Battery Storage Record Signals Utility Demand Shift Away From Solar
NextEra Energy Resources contracted 1.3 GW of battery storage in Q1 2026, setting a company record and revealing utilities are now driving grid storage adoption over hyperscalers, with prices rising $20/MWh.
NextEra Bets the Utility on Battery Storage, Not Solar
NextEra Energy Resources signed 1.3 GW of battery storage contracts in Q1 2026 alone, repositioning storage as its primary growth engine ahead of solar through 2032.
DOE Closes $26.5B Southern Company Loan, Largest in Agency History
The DOE closed a $26.5 billion loan to Georgia Power and Alabama Power — the largest in agency history — to fund 16+ GW of mixed capacity across 200+ projects as data center load surges.
Michigan PSC Approves Consumers Energy Grid Reliability Plan for 2 Million Customers
Michigan's PSC approved Consumers Energy's 2026 Reliability Action Plan on March 27, directing $0.75 of every customer dollar to grid hardening for nearly 2 million homes and businesses — a signal that distribution-level infrastructure is now the regulatory priority as U.S. load growth accelerates.
Doral Renewables Closes $900M Cold Creek Solar-Storage Financing
Doral Renewables closed ~$900M in construction financing for its 430 MWac / 340 MWh Cold Creek Solar + Storage project in West Texas on March 24, 2026, issuing a Notice to Proceed ahead of the July 4, 2026 IRA construction deadline.
Pattern Energy's SunZia: 3,500 MW Wind Farm Approaches Commercial Operations
Pattern Energy's SunZia Wind project — 3,500 MW backed by $11 billion in financing — is poised to become the largest onshore wind project in U.S. history to enter commercial operations, with grid delivery targeted for early-to-mid 2026.
Form Energy's 30 GWh Iron-Air Battery Resets Long-Duration Storage
Minnesota's PUC tariff vote, expected by mid-May 2026, is the regulatory gate for the Xcel-Google-Form Energy 300 MW / 30 GWh iron-air battery — the largest announced storage project by energy capacity in history.