FERC Seeks Comments on Blanket Authorizations for LNG Facilities: What Stakeholders Should Know
FERC is seeking comments on its Notice of Inquiry[1] in Docket No. RM26-2-000 on whether —and, if so, how — it should revise Parts 153, 157, and 380 of its regulations to allow “blanket authorization” for certain activities at LNG plants. The NOI aligns with the stated goal of new leadership at the Commission to streamline permitting processes to encourage the maintenance and construction of energy infrastructure. Comments are due January 26, 2026.
FERC Charts a New Path for Large Load Co-Location in PJM
At the December 18 Open Meeting of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”), FERC took action to provide guidance on how large loads and generators may co-locate in the PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (“PJM”). FERC’s decision in the PJM large load co-location proceeding comes amid a national debate over how best to meet surging electricity demand—spurred in large part by the buildout of artificial intelligence and other digital infrastructure—and how to overcome regulatory roadblocks to building new grid infrastructure. FERC underscored its priority in this debate: “if a new large load wants to connect directly to a power plant and operate in a way that lowers grid costs, we should let it.”[1] The Order charts a new path for the co-location of large loads in PJM and sheds light on FERC’s potential next steps.
FERC’s First Meeting Under New Leadership: Key Takeaways and Signals for 2026
On November 20, 2025, the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or the Commission) held its first monthly open meeting since the confirmation and swearing-in of Chairman Laura Swett and Commissioner David LaCerte.[1] It marks the first time FERC has had a full five-member commission since the departures of Commissioner Mark Christie and Chairman Willie Phillips earlier this year. FERC’s first meeting under new leadership coincided with an agenda that underscored urgency and a new strategic direction. The summary below outlines the Commission’s discussion and key actions.
Bringing Data Centers to the Grid: FERC’s Emerging Large Load Framework
On October 23, 2025, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright directed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to consider an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANOPR) to initiate rulemaking procedures to “ensure the timely and orderly interconnection of large loads to the transmission systems.” Under the ANOPR, “large loads” are defined as those with a capacity of 20 MW or more, aligning with the definition of “large generation sources” in FERC’s Order No. 2003.
Governors of PJM States Intensify Pressure on PJM for Reform
A bipartisan group of governors of PJM Interconnection (PJM) member states has intensified calls for reforming PJM after what they have described as a “crisis of confidence,” citing high electricity prices, interconnection delays, and lack of transparency and state participation in the RTO’s decision-making processes.
Interconnection Reform Critical to the Efficiency of Energy Markets
The U.S. power grid is undergoing a period of rapid change, with federal agencies such as the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) initiating programs and regulatory actions to address the integration of new generation and transmission resources. According to a recent DOE report, the U.S. grid is facing the retirement of 104 GW of firm capacity (generation that can operate continuously) by 2030, and the planned addition of 209 GW of new generation in the same period. The White House is concerned that the retirement of “baseload” power plants will impede President Trump’s economic goals; as such, press reports say that the administration is expected to issue new emergency orders preventing fossil fuel plants from retiring.
Agencies Collectively Move to Overhaul Environmental Review Regulations
On July 3, 2025, numerous federal agencies initiated an effort to revise the manner in which they comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA, a cornerstone of environmental governance and project development in the U.S., has historically been implemented through regulations from the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). The DC Circuit questioned the legality of those regulations, as well as CEQ’s authority to implement them. And at the direction of President Trump’s February 25, 2025 Executive Order 14154 — “Unleashing American Energy” — CEQ rescinded its NEPA implementing regulations. In place, CEQ provided guidance for agencies that instructed them to update their NEPA procedures by February 2026 in a manner consistent with recent statutory amendments that prioritizes “efficiency and certainty over any other policy objectives.” Today, we are getting our first glimpse into what that process will look like.
FERC Accelerates Natural Gas Infrastructure Expansion Through Key Waivers and Rulemaking
On January 20, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order No. 14156, Declaring a National Energy Emergency, which directed federal agencies to “identify and use all relevant lawful emergency and other authorities available to them to expedite the completion of all authorized and appropriated infrastructure [and] energy . . . projects.” On June 18, 2025, in alignment with this Executive Order and in response to two petitions filed by the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (“INGAA”), the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) advanced a package of regulatory actions aimed at accelerating the development of natural gas infrastructure.
FERC Orders Action on Co-Location Issues Related to Data Centers Running AI
Earlier today, at the February 20, 2025 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Open Meeting, FERC Commissioners voted unanimously to launch a review of issues associated with the co-location of large loads at generating facilities at PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (PJM). The review will look at whether the PJM tariff needs to establish rules to provide clarity on co-location while ensuring grid reliability and fair costs to consumers.
PJM Limits Renewable Energy Resource Capacity Values for Allocation of Capacity Interconnection Rights
On April 7, 2023, the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an Order Accepting Tariff Revisions Subject to Condition (183 FERC ¶ 61,009) approving a PJM Interconnection LLC (PJM) proposal to limit the power capacity values of wind, solar, and hybrid resources within PJM’s recently adopted grid reliability framework.
