Data Center Insights — Navigating Data Center Power Supply
AI Today in 5: October 6, 2025, The DOE Edition
The State of Energy Storage: What You Need to Know
For decades, global mineral supply chains were built on the "no borders" assumption, with limited regard to trade, regulatory or other geopolitical barriers. That assumption no longer holds true; and nowhere is its shattering...more
Nuclear energy is back at the center of the national conversation – but what does that actually mean for the industry? Orrick nuclear partner Amy Roma joined the Columbia Energy Exchange podcast alongside Jason Bordoff and...more
In this article, the authors analyse the legal concept of force majeure and highlight the market impact of the recent Middle East developments. They then examine the key contractual provisions governing force majeure in...more
Appropriations season is fully underway on Capitol Hill, with House lawmakers advancing a series of funding measures that collectively point to a more constrained fiscal landscape for clean energy and environmental programs...more
Across the American Southwest, water scarcity and oil and gas development increasingly overlap in the same geography. Texas and New Mexico sit atop some of the nation’s most productive hydrocarbon basins, especially the...more
Small modular reactors (SMRs), a type of advanced nuclear reactor, are gaining renewed attention for their ability to deliver firm, dispatchable power with a smaller footprint and potentially shorter construction timelines...more
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) just removed a significant barrier to new nuclear power by announcing a new categorical exclusion for advanced nuclear reactors in its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing...more
The Congressional Research Service (“CRS”) issued a May 12th report titled: Data Centers and Their Energy Consumption: Frequently Asked Questions (“Report”). ...more
The developer behind a proposed battery storage facility in Watsonville will withdraw its application from Santa Cruz County to instead seek approval through the state....more
The US Department of Energy (DOE) published a Secretarial Determination in the Federal Register on May 14, 2026 adding the Kingdom of Thailand to the list of Generally Authorized destinations in Appendix A to 10 CFR Part 810....more
Technological advancements in geothermal exploration and drilling are reducing uncertainty and lowering risk profiles, making private investors and lenders more willing to commit capital that was historically constrained by...more
The Maritime Administration (MARAD) inside the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a Request for Information on developing commercially viable, system-centric small modular reactors (SMR) for maritime use. The...more
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released National Science and Technology Memorandum 3 (NSTM-3), a policy directive that addresses executive branch agency implementation of Executive Order 14369...more
This is the first article in a series about the Trump Administration’s approach to cybersecurity, including its recently released “Cyber Strategy for America.” The series will address the latest developments affecting a...more
The Defense Production Act (DPA) has evolved into a powerful federal tool for addressing energy‑related emergencies, supply chain disruptions, and industrial capacity constraints. While historically associated with military...more
Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Connections brings the latest developments in energy investing, legal insights, company activity, and industry events straight to your inbox....more
Energy policy in the United States is undergoing a significant shift, with direct implications for how energy infrastructure is permitted, financed, and built. These federal policy changes are redefining which projects move...more
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has taken two significant and closely related regulatory actions that together mark a pivotal step in modernizing the licensing of new nuclear reactors in the United States. First,...more
The domestic battery race is being won by companies, such as NOVONIX, that are developing innovative IP and meeting critical operational and/or commercial milestones based on that IP. Continued investments, including through...more
The NRC has issued a proposed rule, Part 57, which would establish a new framework to fast-track the licensing and deployment of microreactors that meet certain entry criteria, potentially reducing licensing timelines to 6–12...more
On April 20, 2026, President Trump issued five Presidential Determinations authorizing the Department of Energy (“DOE”) to deploy Defense Production Act (“DPA”) Title III incentives—including loans, loan guarantees, purchase...more
The May 2026 Washington Update highlights the administration’s 2027 budget release and the opening of the congressional appropriations process. Secretary Wright’s testimony to both House and Senate committees highlights...more
Key Takeaways - What Happened: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued draft interim staff guidance (ISG or draft guidance), DANU-ISG-2026-XX, “NRC Application Pathway for Reactor Designs Previously Authorized...more
This update summarizes recent Presidential Determinations issued under Title III of the Defense Production Act (DPA), which is intended to expand U.S. industrial capacity. These actions authorize the U.S. Department of Energy...more
The State of Tennessee has submitted its response to the U.S. Department of Energy's Request for Information (RFI) on establishing Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses....more