US power grid

A new 60 Minutes report highlights growing opposition to data centers across the United States, with residents from across the political spectrum joining forces to resist large-scale construction projects in their communities. Concerns cited include strain on power grids and water supplies, noise, and the impact on farmland and neighborhoods, making the issue an unusual point of bipartisan agreement.

The US Energy Information Administration projects that solar power generation in Texas will overtake coal-fired generation in 2026. The forecast reflects rapid solar capacity additions across the state and continued declines in coal output. It would mark a significant milestone in the shift of the Texas grid, one of the largest power markets in the country, away from fossil fuels.

Hitachi Energy plans to double its US production capacity for small and medium-sized power transformers, according to Utility Dive. The expansion comes as American utilities face long lead times and shortages of grid equipment amid rising electricity demand from data centers and electrification, making domestic manufacturing capacity a growing point of policy and industry concern.

A new fuel cell technology is being reported as a possible way to relieve growing strain on the United States power grid. Rising electricity demand from data centres and electrification has put grid reliability in the spotlight, and fuel cells are being discussed as a cleaner, distributed source of backup and supplemental power.

A new lithium iron phosphate battery can charge from 10% to 70% in 4.5 minutes at 65°C, a figure being held up against China's sub-five-minute fast-charging claims. The debate now is whether US charging networks and grid infrastructure can match these speeds, since a fast battery is only useful if public chargers can deliver that much power reliably.

The AI industry is mounting a campaign to counter growing public opposition to data centres ahead of the US midterm elections, according to a Financial Times report. Local resistance to new facilities has grown over concerns about energy use, water consumption and strain on power grids, prompting companies to move to blunt the backlash before it becomes an election issue.

A Russian envoy is in Washington for talks with US officials about a possible cease-fire covering energy infrastructure in the Ukraine war. The discussions follow Washington's push to secure a partial truce and de-escalate attacks on power grids and energy facilities. Attention is focused on whether Moscow and Washington can agree on terms, and what any limited deal would mean for the broader conflict.

Exus has acquired large-scale solar projects in Louisiana and Wisconsin from ibV Energy, targeting areas where data center expansion is driving electricity demand. The deal adds utility-scale renewable capacity in two US states that are becoming hubs for power-hungry data centers. The move reflects growing energy investment tied to the data center boom.