The move comes as data centers continue to drive electricity consumption to unprecedented levels, creating challenges for power systems in multiple regions. According to FERC, the objective is to establish clearer procedures for connecting major energy users and ensuring that the infrastructure required to serve them is funded appropriately. The regulator said the review is intended to support faster deployment of facilities tied to artificial intelligence development while reducing risks to grid stability. FERC Chairman Laura Swett described the issue as a national priority, stating, “This is the biggest priority our country is facing at the moment.” Referring to efforts to expand AI-related infrastructure, she added, “This is a race against time, and we are going to win.”

Under the orders, grid operators and transmission owners have 60 days to explain why their current approaches remain appropriate or outline potential revisions across five key areas. These include creating transparent procedures for connecting large electricity users and determining how infrastructure expenses should be allocated. The review of Data Center Power Rules also encourages grid operators to consider frameworks that allow large customers to develop dedicated power sources, including their own generation facilities, and to deploy advanced technologies that improve the efficiency of existing networks.

Industry stakeholders broadly welcomed the initiative. Robert Montejo, a partner at Duane Morris representing data center developers and power companies, said, “The grid and ⁠prior policy were not built for the pace and scale of demand we’re seeing from AI infrastructure, and FERC is signaling that standing still is no longer an option.” Environmental groups also responded positively. The Sierra Club stated, “We are energized that there is a clear path forward to adopt responsible large load interconnection policies that safeguard reliability, improve transparency, and embed affordability and ratepayer protections for American households.” Alongside the review of Data Center Power Rules, FERC said it would no longer automatically assess cumulative environmental impacts in rulemaking conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act. Swett said, “We are no longer going to waste valuable staff and applicant time and money doing an analysis that is not necessary under the law.”

All four projects are currently in the development stage. The first among them are expected to reach ready-to-build status in 2028, contingent upon obtaining all necessary permits. Should the entire portfolio be fully developed and constructed, it is projected to represent an investment volume exceeding €700 million. Once operational, the projects are expected to deliver approximately 900 GWh of renewable electricity annually to the Norwegian power system, bolstering renewable generation capacity within the NO1 price area. The sheer scale of this solar storage partnership underscores both parties’ commitment to advancing clean energy infrastructure across the Nordic region.

Through this expanded collaboration, Landinfra and Eiffel intend to combine their complementary strengths. Landinfra brings deep project origination and development capabilities across the Nordics, while Eiffel contributes its extensive track record in financing and supporting renewable energy infrastructure development throughout Europe. The partnership leverages these combined resources to address growing demand for new sources of renewable energy in Norway.

Marcus Landelin, CEO and Co-Founder of Landinfra, commented: “We are pleased to expand our partnership with Eiffel to include a portfolio of large scale solar power projects with co-located battery energy storage in Norway. Eiffel is a leading European asset manager with extensive experience from development partnerships and infrastructure financing. Together, we bring the capabilities, experience, and financial strength required to develop new and much-needed renewable electricity generation in NO1.”

Laurent Coubret, Investment Director and Fund Manager at Eiffel, added: “Norway represents a compelling opportunity for renewable energy development, and this portfolio is a strong addition to our growing Nordic presence. We are delighted to deepen our partnership with Landinfra, which has proven being an ideal partner in the Nordics. Expanding our collaboration with them into Norway is a natural next step. This transaction reflects Eiffel’s conviction in the long-term value of utility scale solar and battery storage across Europe, and our commitment to supporting the energy transition with both capital and operational know-how.”

The agreement positions both Landinfra and Eiffel as key contributors to Norway’s evolving renewable energy landscape. With nearly 900 GWh of projected annual clean electricity output, the portfolio would make a meaningful contribution to the country’s solar power capacity. The focus on co-located battery storage also reflects a broader industry trend toward pairing generation assets with storage solutions to enhance grid stability and energy dispatch flexibility. As the energy transition gains momentum across Europe, this expanded Nordic partnership between Landinfra and Eiffel signals a strong and growing appetite for utility scale solar and battery storage development in the region.

Among the newly confirmed wind energy orders is a 35 MW project for the Rheine-Catenhorn community wind farm in North Rhine-Westphalia. Nordex will supply and install five N163/6.X turbines at a hub height of 164 metres for this project. The order was placed in cooperation with project developer BBWind and will be developed as a community wind project, underlining the growing relevance of local participation models in advancing wind energy Germany-wide.

Community wind farms allow municipalities and local residents to participate directly in the revenues generated by the installations while also benefiting from modern turbine technology. Karsten Brüggemann, Vice President Region Central of the Nordex Group, commented on the significance of this segment: “Community wind farms play a central role in Germany’s energy transition. They combine economic benefits with local acceptance and enable people in the vicinity to participate directly in the energy transition. We are very pleased to implement another project together with BBWind in this important segment and thus further advance the expansion of wind energy.”

Michael Schlüß, Managing Director of BBWind, added: “For us as specialists in community wind projects, Nordex is an important and experienced partner within our manufacturer network.”

The working relationship between Nordex and BBWind dates back to 2014, with the two companies having already connected 26 Nordex turbines from the Delta and Delta4000 series to the grid in North Rhine-Westphalia, representing over 100 MW of installed capacity. In recent months, Nordex has also received further orders from BBWind totalling 78 MW, all exclusively for community wind farms in the region.

The identities of the remaining customers and wind farm locations are not being disclosed at this time. Construction and commissioning of all wind energy projects under these wind energy orders are scheduled between summer 2027 and spring 2028.

At full operation, the BigBeau facility generates enough electricity to serve up to 64,000 typical households across California. The project is expected to avoid more than 315,000t of carbon dioxide emissions annually, an amount comparable to the yearly emissions produced by 67,000 passenger vehicles. The development forms part of a wider partnership between EDF and Masdar that includes seven renewable energy projects across the US with a combined capacity of 1.1GW. Over more than 35 years, EDF power solutions North America has developed 26GW of wind, solar and energy storage projects, spanning utility-scale renewable developments and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

EDF power solutions North America origination and power marketing associate director Jacqueline de Fresart said: “We are very pleased to support Southern California Edison’s clean energy goals and provide reliable and efficient energy to its customers from our operating BigBeau project.

“We are excited to partner with SCE again and look forward to more opportunities together.”

Masdar, which has been active in the US since 2019 and has invested several billion dollars in the country, is targeting the development of up to 25GW of projects across the US over the next decade. Masdar Americas director asset management Dustin Priemer said: “This agreement forms a part of Masdar’s growing portfolio in the US, reflecting our focus on scaling reliable, utility-scale clean power.

“We are appreciative of our growing partnership with Southern California Edison and our shared commitment to investing in new generation capacity to meet growing energy demand in California.”

The transaction involves the assumption of $750 million in senior secured project debt along with $250 million in equity. To fund the cash component of the deal, TransAlta has launched a concurrent C$350 million bought deal common share offering, which involves the issuance of 18.2 million common shares priced at C$19.20 per share. The equity offering is being underwritten by CIBC Capital Markets and RBC Capital Markets, with closing expected on or around 9 June 2026, subject to customary approvals.

TransAlta projects that the Colorado gas plants acquisition will contribute approximately $80 million in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation on an annual basis, along with free cash flow of around $33 million per year. The company also noted the potential for further increases through availability incentive payments. The deal is expected to deliver immediate low-to-mid single-digit accretion to free cash flow per share.

Mountain Peak Power has been operational since September 2025, while Canyon Peak Power is expected to reach commercial service in the third quarter of 2026. Both Colorado gas plants are secured under long-term tolling agreements with investment-grade customers for more than 25 years, with full pass-through provisions covering fuel, operations and maintenance, and capital costs a structure that significantly reduces operational risk for TransAlta.

TransAlta president and CEO Joel Hunter commented on the deal, stating: “This acquisition adds new, high-quality, low-risk assets in a core market for us. It strengthens our business risk profile, is immediately accretive to our free cash flow per share and establishes a strategic foothold in Colorado, a state we believe has accelerating growth potential.”

Hunter further noted: “These assets will generate long-term contracted cash flows for redeployment into other growth prospects such as Centralia and Alberta data centres, and I am pleased with the continued meaningful progress on both projects.”

Completion of the natural gas acquisition remains contingent on Canyon Peak Power achieving commercial operation status and on receiving customary regulatory approvals. TransAlta expects to close the purchase early in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Commenting on the membership, Horatio Evers, CEO Ming Yang Europe, said: “Norway is the birthplace of floating offshore wind, and Norwegian Offshore Wind has built an industry community that we genuinely want to learn from and contribute to. Our ambition in Europe is to manufacture locally, partner locally and innovate locally.” Norway has set a target of reaching 30 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2040, with floating wind expected to play a significant role. Ming Yang has been pursuing opportunities in this area through its OceanX floating offshore wind platform.

The latest move follows the company’s recent admission to the German Offshore Wind Association (BWO) and aligns with its broader European expansion strategy centred on local production and regional partnerships. Referring to wider offshore wind ambitions across the region, Evers stated: “The ambitions agreed at the North Sea Summit in Hamburg earlier this year, 300 GW of offshore wind by 2050, 15 GW installed annually from 2031, make one thing clear: this transition will only succeed if European and international technology providers pull together,” adding that Ming Yang intends to contribute to those goals. Norwegian Offshore Wind represents another step in the company’s efforts to deepen engagement with the European market.

Ming Yang has continued exploring opportunities across Europe despite challenges in entering a market largely dominated by established European suppliers. In March, the UK government blocked the company’s proposed manufacturing hub in the Scottish Highlands, citing national security concerns. Reports earlier in May indicated that the manufacturer was evaluating alternative factory locations in Europe, including Spain. Separately, it was announced on Thursday that Ming Yang will also consider investing in an offshore wind project in Canada.

The newly secured renewable power agreement aligns with Nscale’s flagship European AI infrastructure initiative. As a vertically integrated global hyperscale provider, Nscale enables companies and governments to create, deploy, and expand transformative AI systems. The Kvandal site will launch with an initial capacity of 230 MW, featuring clear potential for future capacity expansion. By securing a reliable supply of renewable electricity, operators can sustain the massive, continuous computing loads required by these advanced technological applications. Establishing a sustainable AI infrastructure in this region leverages the unique operational advantages of the Nordics, which offer access to fossil-free energy, a naturally cold climate that supports energy efficiency, and a highly dependable technological grid.

According to Ronny Brunstad, Managing Director of Vattenfall Norway, the Nordic region presents exceptionally strong conditions for operating a sustainable data center. Brunstad emphasized that securing long-term power contracts grants fast-growing, energy-intensive industries essential predictability and security within an increasingly volatile global energy market.

Operating outside of Narvik, the Kvandal facility represents a crucial component of Europe’s technological capacity. Stian Jenssen, Managing Director for Nscale Scandinavia, noted that successfully developing large-scale technology frameworks in Norway and Europe relies heavily on trusted partners across the entire value chain. Jenssen reinforced that securing green power is a vital part of their business model. Through this long-term strategic alignment, both organizations highlight their operational capability to cultivate a sustainable data center network that consistently meets the stringent demands of modern enterprise computing.

Once the plant reaches full operational capacity, Nordex expects the site to manufacture as many as 1,200 rotor blades annually through four-shift operations. The facility is also expected to employ approximately 1,200 people across manufacturing and administration. The company stated that the new plant strengthens its ability to comply with local content requirements linked to Türkiye’s YEKA specifications while supporting the broader domestic wind industry supply chain. Türkiye has remained an important market for Nordex Group since 2009, with the company maintaining roughly 34% market share since 2017.

Nordex Group CEO José Luis Blanco said: “The start of production at our new blade factory in Menemen marks an important milestone in strengthening Nordex’s manufacturing footprint in Türkiye and supporting our long-term growth strategy in the country.

“By investing in local production capacity, we are not only contributing to the development of the wind industry in Türkiye but also enhancing our ability to fulfill further all local content requirements in accordance with the YEKA-specifications.”

Since 1985, the company has commissioned more than 64GW of wind power capacity across more than 40 global markets. Rotor Blade Production at the Menemen facility is expected to play a key role in supporting both domestic renewable energy projects and export demand from Europe.

The revised Norwegian hydropower investment figure marks a substantial increase compared to the earlier estimate of NOK 44–67 billion presented in January 2024. The company attributes the increase to a larger project portfolio, the effects of inflation, and an extended planning horizon.

Approximately half of the NOK 80 billion investment will go towards major maintenance of existing assets to safeguard current generation capacity. The remaining half is earmarked for upgrades, further development, and new capacity and output.

Hydropower accounts for the bulk of the planned investments, exceeding NOK 70 billion in total. Statkraft has previously stated its ambition to initiate at least five major hydropower upgrade projects by 2030. These refurbishments are expected to enable capacity increases and enhance the ability to generate electricity during periods of peak demand, helping to reduce price spikes and sustain supply when wind generation is low.

President and CEO Birgitte Ringstad Vartdal noted that over the past two years, the company has already invested nearly NOK 4 billion in Norwegian hydropower, including the ongoing construction of the new Svean hydropower plant in Trøndelag at an approximate cost of NOK 1.2 billion. She noted that this level of investment will increase substantially in the years ahead, in line with the company’s updated strategy to concentrate resources in its core business.

“Statkraft is helping to build and strengthen Norway. By investing NOK 80 billion, we are undertaking one of the largest industrial programmes in Norway for many decades. In practice, we are rebuilding major hydropower plants,” said Pål Eitrheim, Executive Vice President for Nordics. He added that these investments will generate activity from Finnmark in the north to Telemark in the south, and from Innlandet in the east to Vestland in the west, ensuring power plants can continue generating electricity well into the next century.

A significant driver behind the Norwegian hydropower investment programme is the age of many existing facilities. Several of Norway’s largest hydropower plants are approaching or have already reached the end of their operational lifetimes. Statkraft is currently assessing upgrade opportunities at Nore in Buskerud, which opened in 1928, Mår in Telemark, opened in 1948, and Aura in Møre og Romsdal, opened in 1953. The company is evaluating the potential for these sites to be upgraded to modern, more powerful installations capable of producing more electricity when it is most needed.

In Alta, Statkraft plans to expand the existing facility from two to three generating units, which would enable the utilisation of water that currently bypasses the plant during the flood season.

Beyond generation upgrades, the investment programme also addresses structural and safety requirements. Statkraft is required to reinforce several older dams to withstand greater climate variability and to comply with stricter safety standards. Critical technical equipment across multiple plants will also need to be replaced, and water tunnels require refurbishment. These works are expected to create opportunities for both small and large contractors across the country.

Vartdal acknowledged the scale of the challenge, describing the company’s facilities as remarkable assets that have delivered electricity for decades. She stated that many of the tunnels were excavated 60 to 80 years ago and that a significant portion of the equipment is now reaching the end of its service life. She also highlighted that several large dams are mandated for modernisation, underlining the considerable investment required to sustain a robust energy system.

In addition to hydropower modernisation, Statkraft plans to invest in wind power over the same period. Three of the company’s existing wind farms are approaching the end of their operational lifetimes, while new projects are under development.

Eitrheim drew a direct comparison between the two technology types, noting that the combined initial investments planned for hydropower upgrades and development over the next ten years would deliver less new energy output than the planned Moifjellet wind farm alone. He described wind power as the only technology currently capable of delivering substantial additional energy output at a price level acceptable to industry in the short term.

On the subject of repowering ageing wind farms, Eitrheim stated that Statkraft aims to significantly increase output while reducing the number of turbines, drawing on experience from comparable repowering projects in Spain. The company’s estimates indicate that wind power generation will more than double over the next ten years, with an expected contribution to lower power prices and job creation across Norway. This wind power expansion is an integral part of Statkraft’s broader renewable energy capacity strategy.

Statkraft has noted that all projections are subject to change depending on electricity demand and other factors. New projects will require licensing from the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, while wind power developments are also contingent on approvals from municipal authorities. The company expects to prioritise between projects and has stated it will only proceed with investments that meet profitability requirements prior to final investment decisions.

The scale of the programme, combined with its geographic reach and the volume of hydropower modernisation and renewable energy capacity work involved, reflects a broad and long-term commitment to Norwegian energy infrastructure that is expected to unfold over the coming decade.

Under the terms of the agreement, Dominion shareholders will receive 0.8138 shares of NextEra Energy for each share of Dominion they hold. Upon closing, NextEra shareholders will retain approximately 74.5% ownership of the combined company, while Dominion shareholders will hold the remaining 25.5%.

The combined entity would serve approximately 10 million customer accounts and operate 110 gigawatts of generation capacity spanning nuclear, natural gas, renewables and battery storage assets. More than 80% of the business would remain regulated, providing a substantial base of rate-backed infrastructure investment opportunities as utilities scale capital spending in response to load growth and grid resiliency requirements.

The merged utility would carry a combined regulated rate base of approximately $138 billion, with management projecting annual growth of around 11% through 2032. Executives also highlighted a development pipeline featuring more than 130 gigawatts of large-load opportunities, underscoring the accelerating influence of hyperscale computing facilities, advanced manufacturing and electrification-driven demand on long-range utility planning.

NextEra Energy CEO John Ketchum noted that the utility merger is being driven not by scale alone but by operational efficiencies, supply-chain leverage and construction capability as the industry confronts increasingly complex generation and transmission buildouts.

The transaction meaningfully expands NextEra’s regulated utility footprint beyond its Florida base while extending its reach into some of the country’s fastest-growing electricity markets. Dominion contributes regulated operations across Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina, including infrastructure directly tied to high-growth data center corridors and large industrial energy users. This positions the combined company squarely at the intersection of power grid expansion and digital infrastructure demand.

The NextEra and Dominion Energy merger reflects a wider restructuring taking shape across the U.S. power sector. Utilities are increasingly seeking larger balance sheets and integrated infrastructure platforms capable of financing multibillion-dollar transmission, generation and grid modernization programs. At the same time, the industry is contending with supply-chain bottlenecks, transformer shortages, permitting complexity and rising construction costs associated with the rapid growth of electricity-intensive industries.

Management pointed to expanded capabilities in data analytics, supply-chain management and AI-driven operational planning as tools intended to improve project deployment and overall grid operations within the combined organization.

The operational structure of the utility merger is designed to preserve existing local regulatory relationships. Dominion’s utility businesses will continue operating under their established names, including Dominion Energy Virginia and Dominion Energy South Carolina. The combined company will maintain dual headquarters in Juno Beach, Florida and Richmond, Virginia, alongside Dominion Energy South Carolina’s operational headquarters in Cayce.

Robert Blue, Dominion’s current chairman and chief executive, will transition into the role of president and CEO of regulated utilities for the combined company and will join its board of directors. John Ketchum will continue as chairman and CEO of the parent company.

As part of the transaction, the companies are proposing $2.25 billion in bill credits for Dominion customers across Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina over the two years following the deal’s close. Management indicated that greater scale and combined procurement capabilities are expected to lower long-term operating and capital costs across the combined regulated electric utility.

The transaction is expected to close within 12 to 18 months, subject to shareholder approval and a series of regulatory reviews. Required clearances include approvals from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and utility commissions in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Once completed, the merged company would rank among the industry’s leading infrastructure investors by annual capital expenditure, regulated rate base and total generation capacity in the power grid expansion landscape.