An Economic Assessment of the 765-kV Strategic Transmission Expansion Plan Brent Bennett, Ph.D. talks about An Alternative Approach to Enable Cost-Effective Growth

Texas is facing explosive electricity demand growth from the Permian Basin’s oil and gas operations, data centers, manufacturing, and electrification. In response, ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) have fast-tracked the 765-kV Strategic Transmission Expansion Plan (STEP)—including the Permian Basin Reliability Plan (PBRP)—a massive build-out of high-voltage transmission lines designed to import […]

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Data Centers Are Moving to Unincorporated Areas to Avoid Citizen Decision Impacts – Energy News Beat Exclusive Analysis

In rural Texas, a quiet but transformative shift is underway. Developers are increasingly siting massive data centers in unincorporated areas—where county governments have far less regulatory authority than cities—bypassing the kind of local zoning, public hearings, and citizen pushback that could slow or stop projects in more populated zones. This strategy is playing out dramatically […]

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State Attorneys General Sue Trump Administration Over Payment Ending Offshore Wind ProjectsHow Much Has Climate Lawfare Cost US Consumers?

In the latest chapter of the green energy wars, a coalition of Democratic state attorneys general filed suit Tuesday against the Trump administration’s deal to wind down costly offshore wind projects. The lawsuit, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James and joined by her counterparts in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and […]

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Venture Global in $2.25 Billion Senior Notes Offering: What Does This Mean for Investors and US Exports?

Venture Global, Inc. (NYSE: VG), a leading U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) developer and exporter, announced on June 1, 2026, that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Venture Global LNG, Inc. (the Issuer), intends to offer $2.25 billion in aggregate principal amount of senior secured notes due 2034 and 2036. The proposed private offering targets qualified institutional buyers […]

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US Crude Refiners Are Pushing Run Rates to Maximum Levels: Safety Concerns, Maintenance Trade-offs, Export Boom, and Investor Implications

US refiners are operating plants at elevated run rates, with some delaying scheduled maintenance amid strong refining margins and steady-to-robust fuel demand. According to a Bloomberg report from June 1, 2026, the industry saw one of its lightest maintenance seasons in recent memory, with an average of only 470,000 barrels per day (bpd) of processing […]

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Resolution Copper Mine Aims to Boost Critical Mineral Supply

As artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, data centers, renewable energy infrastructure, and grid modernization drive explosive demand for copper, the United States faces a critical minerals supply crunch. Domestic production has stagnated for decades, leaving America heavily reliant on imports from geopolitically risky sources. Enter the Resolution Copper Mine in Arizona—a joint venture between Rio Tinto […]

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California Extends Its Key Climate Programs, Condemning the State to High Energy Prices

On Friday, May 29, 2026, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved sweeping updates to the state’s Cap-and-Invest program (formerly Cap-and-Trade), extending California’s signature climate initiative through 2045. State regulators framed the changes as a balanced move to meet aggressive greenhouse gas reduction targets while supporting affordability and preventing industry “leakage”—the exodus of major polluters […]

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