Trump-branded Fermi America data center stalling (TX). CEO Toby Neugebauer departed abruptly; shares down 75% in six months. The Texas Panhandle project, co-founded by former Energy Secretary Rick Perry, has no publicly confirmed anchor tenant. An independent Cleanview report documents mounting logistical hurdles. A cautionary tale for communities banking on a single developer's promises. (Axios)
Port Washington, WI data center TIF referendum clarified. Voters approved giving residents input on future tax incremental financing (TIF) districts over $10 million, but the existing $458 million OpenAI/Oracle data center TIF is unaffected. Business groups have filed a legal challenge. Another front in the Wisconsin data center backlash. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Evansville, IN data centers emerging as county election issue. A secretive “Project Raider” expects a 600-MW load addition — enough to power roughly 450,000 homes — in Gibson or Posey County. Citizens Action Coalition notes 30+ data centers proposed or under construction statewide. (Courier & Press)
Plant Vogtle's $36 billion cost still reverberating in Georgia. Two years after completion, Georgia Power customers absorbed nearly 25% rate increases with no formal prudency review. Georgia has no consumer utility counsel. Relevant as the nuclear SMR pipeline grows — the IEA reported 45 GW of conditional SMR agreements this week. (Utility Dive)
CyrusOne data center zoning approved in Sangamon County, IL. County board member defends vote citing rural siting, union construction jobs, and STEM funding. CyrusOne is owned by Brookfield/KKR with estimated 6-8x leverage. Compare to the Illinois ComEd testimony warning demand could double the entire system. (State Journal Register)
Enbridge Line 5 reroute stay hearing (WI). Iron County Circuit Judge hearing arguments on the 41-mile pipeline reroute around the Bad River Band reservation. Decision expected after April 27 briefs. (Wisconsin Examiner)
U.S. power purchase agreements hit record prices. Solar PPA prices rose 4.7% and wind rose nearly 8% in Q1 2026 (LevelTen Energy). Rising costs affect corporate renewable procurement and data center power strategies. (Utility Dive)
PECO rate hike update: The April 16 and April 17 stories tracked PECO's withdrawal from legislative pressure to gubernatorial intervention. Utility Dive adds new detail: PECO signaled it may return to owning generation — reversing decades of Pennsylvania deregulation. If utilities in deregulated states start building power plants again to serve data center load, ratepayers are back on the hook for construction risk.
14 states tax break transparency update: The Good Jobs First report (first flagged April 18) appeared in Ohio Capital Journal via States Newsroom on April 19, reaching a wider audience. Texas's $3.1 billion experience shows what happens when a state does track the numbers.
Xcel Energy brings 258 MW of new solar and battery storage online (TX/NM). 150 MW solar near Earth, TX; 72 MW solar and 36 MW battery near Hobbs, NM — replacing retired natural gas units. (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)