What's Happening in Energy highlights the most interesting findings from public utility commission filings.
Hey there, it's Nat.
This week’s WHiE covers:
Let's get into it.
What's Happening in Energy — June 12
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Data Centers // Fermi America // Texas // Turbine changes
Fermi America is amending the air permit for its 6-gigawatt Project Matador asset in Carson County, Texas. The changes:
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Data Centers // QTS // Iowa // Transmission / $55M for faster service
QTS is building a $10 billion data center in Cedar Rapids Iowa, with ITC Midwest supplying transmission. Now, QTS is paying $55 million to pull the transmission in-service date forward four months, from Sept 2027 to May 2027. Tariff
The math works. Read Lazard portfolio manager Shanu Mathew’s take here.
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Data Centers // Circe Energy // West Texas // Increased capacity
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality authorized Circe Energy’s registration for 400 megawatt, 200 x 2-MW natural gas internal combustion engine generators at its data center campus in Ward County — up 240MW from its initial permit application in March. Because none of the emissions sources exceed 250 tons per year, they are not considered a new major source.
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Data Centers // Microsoft | Wyoming // New $39M tenant-funded substation
You have surely read about Crusoe in Wyoming this week. Elsewhere in the Cheyenne area, Microsoft is continuing work on its data center adjacent to the existing Cheyenne Prairie Generating Station.
Utility Cheyenne Light Fuel and Power (CLFP), applied for a CPCN to construct the $39 million 115kV Bronco Substation. CLFP plans to charge Microsoft directly for the construction costs and operating expenses.
Memo
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Fast-track interconnection // FERC
FERC approved PJM’s Expedited Interconnection Track (EIT): PJM will consider up to 10 requests a year for 250MW+ resources that can come online within three years. This is similar to other fast-tracks approved or filed by CAISO, SPP, NYISO, MISO.
Approval
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Large Load Interconnection Reliability // MISO // Tariff Updates
MISO is planning to file updates to its Open Access Transmission Tariff outlining the requirements for large load interconnections. Updated language will define a large load as:
Read Halcyon’s explanation of the main changes, and how they affect in-flight large loads that commence service before or during the transition period MISO proposes to give large loads time to comply.
Also good: MISO’s accompanying white paper for more technical details on the ramping, telemetry, and other modeling requirements behind the tariff updates.
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Large Load Flexibility // PJM // Data Center Coalition // Connect and Manage
The Data Center Coalition (DCC) submitted materials ahead of PJM’s meeting this week regarding Connect & Manage (C&M) proposals. The DCC argues that there is insufficient coordination among states, utilities, large loads, and ISO/RTOs to manage curtailment under current C&M proposals.
Further, it says that curtailment is a retail (i.e. state jurisdiction) activity that PJM cannot target without violating the Federal Power Act. The DCC recommends a “State Opt-In Model” instead. See below for the accompanying flowchart, and check out Halcyon’s explanation.
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Data Centers // Amazon // Texas // IOU and Co-Op territory disputes
Amazon is seeking a net-metering arrangement with the Comanche Peak nuclear plant in Texas. United Cooperative Services (UCS), an electric cooperative west of Dallas, submitted a Request for Information to Comanche Peak Power (CP) regarding the proposed arrangement, effectively questioning Oncor’s role as distribution service provider to the site.
Set an alert on the docket to monitor for CP’s response.
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Data Centers // Weird pivots // Cleaning products to Dogecoin to AI infra
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NYISO // 2026 Power Trends Report // Demand Response
One of many findings in The New York Independent System Operator’s (NYISO) 2026 Power Trends Report: they had as many demand response events in 2025 as in the preceding six years.
NYISO is in a similar position to other system operators: forecast new large loads, aging thermal generators, and extreme weather challenges that impact short- and long-term planning.
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Bonus round: FERC Large Load ANOPR // Heron Power // Ridethroughs
Comments are still flowing on the ANOPR in the leadup to FERC’s rule on large load interconnection. Heron Power made its case for the Commission to reward large loads that can “absorb” their own load volatility and provide voltage/frequency ride-through stability through advanced power electronics.
“The Commission should update its reliability compliance framework to explicitly recognize integrated power electronics solutions as a valid pathway alongside co-located generation. The relevant test should be performance-based: does the facility meet specified ride-through duration, ramp-rate, fault current, and voltage stability requirements at the point of interconnection? How it achieves those outcomes — through co-located generation, integrated storage, solid-state controls, or some combination — should be left to the developer's judgment.”
Read the full comment here.
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Halcyon Team Query of the Week
NewDockets of the Week
In Kansas, Evergy applied to change the eligibility criteria for its Hard-to-Reach Business (HTR-B) program. Apparently, the current criteria have made it a bit too easy to reach.
“While small business customers have not yet been excluded from participation, the current structure is driving accelerated depletion of HTR-B program funds relative to other programs, including Whole Business Efficiency (“WBE”) program.”
According to the utility, the new eligibility criteria would winnow HTR-B participants down to their intended targets: nonprofits and small businesses, schools, and houses of worship with an annual peak demand under 30 kW. Newly ineligible non-residential customers would then have more incentive to participate in the WBE program. Follow the new docket here.
Public Comment Excerpt(s) of the Week
In Oregon, a group of survivors from the 2020 Labor Day fires filed comments in PacifiCorp’s rate case arguing that the Commission should deny the utility’s objection to their petition to intervene.
“When PacifiCorp invokes the financial burdens of the James litigation to justify rate increases, the fire survivors on the other side of that litigation have precisely the kind of direct, concrete, and unique interest that intervention is designed to protect. These are the people whose homes and communities burned. These are the people PacifiCorp now asks to subsidize the financial fallout from fires they did not cause, and litigation that—but for PacifiCorp’s refusal to hold itself accountable—could and should have ended years ago. They are entitled to be heard. Excluding them would leave the Commission with half the story on one of the central issues in the case. That is not in the interest of this Commission, Oregon ratepayers, or the integrity of this proceeding.”
Most clicked item from last week’s WHiE