NEWS: State officials have ideas for how utilities (and PJM) can bring down power prices. 💡

In Michigan: The state PSC has suggested multi-year rate plans, performance-based ratemaking, and requiring utilities to prioritize existing grid infrastructure before building more.

In New Jersey: The Board of Public Utilities unveiled research demonstrating that PJM “can no longer deliver reliable power at the lowest possible cost.” Some of their recommendations: 1) Shift from one auction per year to a seasonal structure “that matches supply to real conditions” 2) offer longer-term contracting options and 3) give states more say in PJM decision-making.

In West Virginia: The state has zero hyperscale data centers…but officials want to change that. To get ahead of the buildout, lawmakers announced a plan to “establish state-level oversight and strict development criteria” for these facilities. The plan includes a push for developer transparency, ratepayer protection, and data center demand-response.