Regulatory Pulse

Grid Pulse | June 4, 2026 — FERC's Large Load Rule Is Due This Month. The Clock Is Running on RM26-4.
FERC has committed to act this month on Docket RM26-4, the large load interconnection rulemaking — a decision that will reshape how data centers and other 20+ MW loads connect to the bulk power system, while NERC's Level 3 alert responses come due August 3. Read more...
Grid Pulse | June 3, 2026 — FERC's Large Load Ruling Is Due This Month: The Clock Is Running on RM26-4
FERC has committed to act on its large load interconnection rulemaking (Docket No. RM26-4-000) by the end of June 2026 — a decision that, alongside NERC's rare Level 3 Alert on computational loads, will reshape how data centers connect to the bulk power system. Read more...
Grid Pulse | June 2, 2026 — NERC Declares Computational Loads a Reliability Emergency: Level 3 Alert, August 3 Deadline
In May 2026, NERC issued a Level 3 Essential Action Alert requiring registered entities to address critical reliability risks from the rapid interconnection of computational loads to the Bulk Power System across seven operational domains, with responses due August 3, 2026. Read more...
Grid Pulse | June 1, 2026 — NERC's Historic Level 3 Alert: Data Center Loads Are Now a BPS Reliability Emergency
NERC issued only its third-ever Level 3 Essential Actions Alert on May 4, 2026, targeting sudden large-scale disconnections of computational loads (data centers) from the bulk power system, with seven mandatory actions due from registered entities by August 3, 2026. Read more...
Grid Pulse | May 31, 2026 — NERC Level 3 Alert Targets Data Center Load Risks to BPS Reliability
NERC issued a rare Level 3 Essential Action Alert in May 2026 requiring Transmission Planners, Planning Coordinators, Transmission Owners, and Balancing Authorities to complete seven near-term mitigation actions — with responses due August 3, 2026 — as AI data centers and other large computational loads pose demonstrated, immediate risks to Bulk Electric System reliability. Read more...
Grid Pulse | May 30, 2026 — DOE Emergency Order Holds Michigan Coal Plant Online as MISO Faces Elevated Summer Reserve Risk
DOE Order No. 202-26-22, issued May 18, 2026, requires MISO and Consumers Energy to keep the J.H. Campbell coal plant online through August 16, 2026, as NERC’s 2026 Summer Reliability Assessment identifies MISO at elevated risk for operating reserve shortfalls amid record 11 GW year-over-year demand growth driven by data centers. Read more...
Grid Pulse | May 29, 2026 — NERC Fires Level 3 Alert on Computational Loads: Registered Entities Have Until August 3
NERC issued a Level 3 Essential Action Alert on May 4, 2026, requiring registered entities to implement seven actions addressing computational load risks on the bulk power system — with responses due August 3, 2026 — as DOE's May 18 Emergency Order activating PJM data center backup generation underscores the urgency of large load reliability threats nationwide. Read more...
Grid Pulse | May 28, 2026 — NERC Issues Level 3 Alert on Computational Loads: Seven Actions Required by August 3
NERC issued a Level 3 Essential Action Alert in May 2026 requiring registered entities to complete seven near-term mitigation actions addressing reliability risks from computational loads — AI data centers and hyperscaler facilities — connecting to the bulk power system, with responses due August 3, 2026. Read more...
Grid Pulse | May 27, 2026 — NERC Issues Level 3 Alert: Computational Load Integration Now a Mandatory BPS Priority
NERC issued a Level 3 Essential Action Alert in May 2026 requiring registered entities to take seven near-term mitigation actions to address Bulk Power System reliability risks from the rapid integration of computational loads, with responses due August 3, 2026—while FERC prepares to act on large load interconnection rules by June 2026. Read more...
Grid Pulse | May 24, 2026 — NERC Level 3 Alert: Computational Loads Now a Critical Reliability Risk
NERC issued a Level 3 Essential Action Alert in May 2026 requiring Transmission Planners, Reliability Coordinators, and other registered entities to implement seven specific mitigation actions addressing critical reliability risks from the rapid integration of computational loads onto the bulk power system — with responses due August 3, 2026. Read more...
Grid Pulse | May 23, 2026 — NERC Issues Level 3 Alert on Computational Loads, Response Deadline August 3
NERC issued a Level 3 Essential Action Alert on computational loads in May 2026, requiring six categories of registered entities to respond to 29 questions assessing implementation of seven near-term reliability actions by August 3, 2026 — the strongest pre-emergency reliability signal NERC can issue, directly tied to the rapid growth of AI data centers and other large loads on the bulk power system. Read more...
Grid Pulse | May 20, 2026 — NERC Issues Level 3 Alert: Computational Loads Require Immediate Industry Action
NERC issued a Level 3 Essential Action Alert in May 2026 requiring registered entities interconnecting with computational loads — AI data centers, cryptocurrency mining, and large IT facilities — to demonstrate immediate reliability risk mitigation, with industry responses due via the NERC Alert System by August 3, 2026. Read more...
Grid Pulse | May 19, 2026 — NERC Level 3 Alert Orders Immediate Action on Computational Load Modeling
NERC's Board of Trustees approved a Level 3 Alert in April 2026 requiring Transmission Planners, Planning Coordinators, and Transmission Owners to immediately address computational load modeling risks from exponential data center growth, with mandatory responses due August 3, 2026. Read more...
Grid Pulse | May 17, 2026 — NERC Issues Level 3 Alert on Computational Load Modeling
NERC issued a Level 3 Alert directing transmission planners, planning coordinators, and transmission owners to immediately close modeling, protection, and operational gaps created by the rapid BPS integration of computational loads — AI data centers, crypto mining, and hyperscale facilities — with responses due August 3, 2026. Read more...
Grid Pulse | May 13, 2026 — NERC Level 3 Alert: Data Center Load Growth Puts the Bulk Power System on Notice
NERC has issued a Level 3 Alert — its highest severity — targeting six registered entity types over grid reliability risks from data center and computational load growth. Formal acknowledgment was due May 11. Full structured responses are required by August 3, 2026. Read more...
Regulatory Pulse: Week of April 14, 2026 — FERC Meeting, SPP RTO West, DOE Emergency Orders
This week's regulatory and market developments impacting electric utilities across North America. Here are the key updates your team needs to know. FERC April 2026 Open Meeting (April 16) The Commission is addressing demand response opt-out rules under RM21-14, solar interconnection waiver requests in PJM from Murphy Solar and Bells Solar, and ISO-NE's newly approved prompt capacity market implementation effective for the 2028/2029 commitment period. SPP RTO West Goes Live As of April 1, SPP's Integrated Marketplace now extends into the Western Interconnection. This is full RTO membership with centralized... Read more...