A potential nuclear revival emerges as Santee Cooper selects top contenders from fourteen proposals to complete the abandoned V.C. Summer nuclear reactors in South Carolina. After $9 billion spent and construction halted in 2017, the site remains in "mostly excellent condition" according to recent inspections, breathing new life into nuclear energy's prospects. Meanwhile, Constellation Energy eyes new nuclear development in upstate New York, capitalizing on Governor Hochul's directive for at least one gigawatt of new nuclear power in the state.

The battle over critical energy infrastructure intensifies with the $11 billion Grain Belt Express transmission project caught in political crossfire. Missouri Senator Josh Hawley claims to have secured commitments to halt the project, while developer Invenergy pushes back against what they call "unfounded noise" threatening America's ability to build necessary energy infrastructure. This 4,000-megawatt project would transport renewable energy across four Midwestern states, highlighting the tension between clean energy goals and political opposition.

Innovation continues reshaping grid operations as California's CAISO pilots AI technology for outage management, potentially automating critical grid decisions. Google invests over $3 billion in hydroelectric power to achieve 24/7 carbon-free energy for its data centers, while nine governors from PJM states warn of an "unprecedented crisis of confidence" in the regional grid operator over electricity costs and reliability concerns. As Chinese company Envision Energy begins constructing what aims to be the world's largest green hydrogen plant and Uber invests $300 million in electric and autonomous vehicles, the energy landscape continues its dramatic transformation across multiple sectors.

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