Load growth is writing the next grid tariff fight
Friday, August 28, 2026 · 9 min
Georgia Power’s OpenAI contract cleared Georgia regulators, setting a 3.2-GW template for data-center risk allocation. SPP, MISO and New England transmission owners add the other half of the story: tight margins, load-pocket risk and rising network rates.
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Georgia Power’s OpenAI contract cleared Georgia regulators, setting a 3.2-GW template for data-center risk allocation. SPP, MISO and New England transmission owners add the other half of the story: tight margins, load-pocket risk and rising network rates.
In this episode
- Georgia Power Gets PSC Approval for Massive Data Center Contract — RTO Insider
Georgia Power can move forward with a 3.2-GW contract to power an OpenAI data center after satisfying state regulators’ concerns about the potential impacts on the utility’s existing ratepayers. Following a nearly two-week delay to hammer out the final details, the contract cleared the Georgia Public Service Commission without objection at an Aug. 27 meeting. Among other concessions, Georgia…
- SPP Stakeholders Endorse Interim Solution for West BAA — RTO Insider
SPP stakeholders have endorsed a priority tariff change to address tight capacity margins that have resulted in three energy emergency alerts this summer in the RTO’s new Western balancing authority area. The Markets and Operations Policy Committee approved the proposed change ( RR801 ) with 78.24% support during a virtual meeting Aug. 25. Three stakeholder working groups also have approved the…
- MISO Finds Higher Load Loss Risks as it Launches South Long-range Tx Plan — RTO Insider
MISO South’s network of load pockets has not been operating to the one-day-in-10-years reliability standard and could face more capacity shortcomings by 2030, despite utilities’ generation additions and transmission upgrades. That’s the crux of MISO’s recently conducted load pocket risk assessment, the first step in the grid operator’s quest to draw up a long-range transmission plan for MISO…
- New England Transmission Owners Detail 5-year Rate Forecast — RTO Insider
Based on forecast capital investments, the New England transmission owners expect ISO-NE ’s Regional Network Service rate to grow from $177.63/kW-year in 2026 to about $237/kW-year in 2031, an increase of about 33%. The companies filed with FERC a 3.6% increase to the current rate for 2027 to reflect new projects, increased revenue requirements and their expectation for a higher return on equity…
- The 765kV "House of Cards" | San Saba News & Star — San Saba News & Star
The 765kV "House of Cards" | San Saba News & Star # The 765kV "House of Cards" Oncor and LCRA TSC argue that HB 5066 and the Permian Basin Reliability Plan (PBRP) satisfy the issue of need for the Bell County East to Big Hill (Bell County) and Big Hill to Sand Lake (Sand Lake) 765kV CCN applications. The Bell County State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) Administrative Law Judges…