The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity announced on September 24, 2026, that it intends to help fund 31 grid-improvement projects across 26 states under the Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades (SPARK) initiative. The package totals $5.25 billion—$1.9 billion in federal funding and $3.35 billion in […]
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The National Energy System Operator’s figures put transmission investment at about £64 billion through 2030 and another £89 billion after that—more than £150 billion in all. The Guardian’s mapping of official recommendations points to well over 4,000 miles of new power lines by 2041, plus subsea cables and converter stations to move Scottish and offshore […]
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ENB Pub Note: This article from Stephen Heins, The Word Merchant’s Substack, hits home. Steve Reese is a friend and a sponsor of the Energy News Beat podcast. He is a true “National Treasure and has made many people’s lives better by being the great energy leader that he is. Well done, Stephen, and a […]
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U.S. oil and gas drillers posted a modest weekly gain according to the industry’s most widely followed benchmark, while production continues to hold near record levels. This points to ongoing capital discipline even as output edges higher. The Latest Rig Counts Baker Hughes reported the U.S. rotary rig count rose 5 week-over-week to 593 for […]
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The latest WellDatabase US Rig Report (dated August 7, 2026) shows the national active rig count rising modestly by 3 week-over-week to 583, up 42 from the same period a year earlier. Oil-directed rigs accounted for the bulk of activity at 427 (+1), with gas-directed rigs holding steady at 127 and smaller contributions from thermal […]
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The latest WellDatabase US Rig Report (dated July 18, 2026) shows the U.S. active drilling rig count at 567, marking a solid +11 week-over-week (WoW) increase and +37 year-over-year (YoY) gain. This reflects resilient drilling activity amid a stable-to-rising trend over the past 12 months, with the count holding in the mid-to-high 500s range. Key […]
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The latest WellDatabase US Rig Report for June 26, 2026, shows the U.S. active rig count rising by 1 rig week-over-week to 550. This modest increase bucks a broader pattern of stability over the past year and comes against a backdrop of sharply tightening crude oil inventories—especially at the critical Cushing, Oklahoma hub—and continued draws […]
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In a major boost for America’s energy security and domestic coal industry, President Donald J. Trump today invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) to direct nearly $700 million in federal support for coal-fired power plants, new construction, restarts, and critical export infrastructure. The announcement, made during an Oval Office event focused on “Beautiful, Clean Coal,” […]
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A major industrial proposal is advancing in northeast Oklahoma at the Tulsa Port of Inola along the Verdigris River. The Inola Aluminum Smelter—formally known as the Oklahoma Primary Aluminum project—represents the first new primary aluminum smelter in the United States since 1980 and would become the largest ever built in the country. What Is the […]
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U.S. energy drillers added rigs at the fastest pace in years this week, with Baker Hughes reporting a solid +7 increase in the active rotary rig count to 558 for the week ending May 22, 2026. This marks the largest weekly gain in recent memory and extends a four-week streak of increases—the first such sustained […]
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