Alltricity Network eNews

Alltricity Network Member Information

The association's trusted network is accessible on LinkedIn. Working side-by-side in a cooperative manner, Alltricity Network members band together for the common goal of bettering the industry and improving service for utility customers. For more than 120 years, these key principles have proven successful and, more importantly, are tried-and-true methods for building strong business relationships.

Alltricity Network Champions is a prestigious group of Alltricity Network supporters with access to useful and beneficial promotional opportunities. Thank you, 2025 Alltricity Network Champions!

Visit https://www.alltricitynetwork.org/page/champions to view the full article online.

Industry Information

U.S. Rejects Bid to Lease Coal from Public Lands in Utah as Sales in Western States Fall Flat

U.S. officials rejected a mining company’s bid for more than 6 million tons of coal beneath a national forest in Utah, marking the third proposed coal sale from public lands in the West to fall through this month, the Interior Department disclosed. The failed sales mark a setback in Republican President Donald Trump’s push to revive a coal mining industry that’s been in decline for almost two decades.

Visit https://www.power-eng.com/coal/us-rejects-bid-to-lease-coal-from-public-lands-in-utah-as-sales-in-western-states-fall-flat/ to view the full article online.

ERCOT Increasingly Meets Rising Demand with Solar, Wind, and Batteries

Since 2021, electricity demand within the Texas electricity grid operated by ERCOT has steadily increased. In the first nine months of 2025, electricity demand in ERCOT, which manages about 90% of the state's load, reached a record high compared with the same period in previous years. Over those same months, ERCOT had the fastest electricity demand growth among U.S. electricity grids between 2024 and 2025.

Visit https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=66464 to view the full article online.

The SMR Surge: Nuclear’s Quiet Comeback is Now a Commercial Race

After decades of stagnation, nuclear energy is staging a comeback—and it’s no longer the gigawatt-scale reactors of the past leading the charge. Small modular reactors, once dismissed as niche or speculative, have moved to the center of a global energy and geopolitical pivot.

Visit https://www.forbes.com/sites/rrapier/2025/10/26/the-smr-surge-nuclears-quiet-comeback-is-now-a-commercial-race/?ss=energy to view the full article online.

Residential Electricity Prices Up More than 6% in August: EIA

The retail price of electricity for residential customers was up 6.1% in August over the same month last year, reaching an average of 17.62 cents/kWh, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s monthly update on electricity. Developers, analysts, and policy professionals see growing cause for concern as costs rise.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/residential-electricity-prices-up-more-than-6-in-august-eia/803849/ to view the full article online.

Next-Generation Geothermal Looks for its Wind and Solar Moment

Traditionally, geothermal power plants have only been an option in a limited number of areas in the U.S., namely those adjacent to geysers or volcanic activity. But in the past few years, companies have been adapting techniques honed in the oil and gas industry for fracking to make geothermal power an option for a far greater portion of the U.S.

Visit https://www.forbes.com/sites/current-climate/2025/10/27/next-generation-geothermal-looks-for-its-wind-and-solar-moment/?ss=energy to view the full article online.

Utilities See AI as Tool for Grid Modernization but Lack Expertise, Survey Finds

The overwhelming majority of utilities see artificial intelligence as a strategic focus, and 42% plan targeted AI deployments over the next two years, according to a National Grid Partners survey. Utilities see promise in AI use cases ranging from regulatory reporting and compliance to worker training and remote equipment monitoring, the survey found.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/utilities-see-ai-as-tool-for-grid-modernization-but-lack-expertise-survey/803980/ to view the full article online.

Energy Department Announces $100 Million to Restore America’s Coal Plants

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for up to $100 million in federal funding to refurbish and modernize the nation’s existing coal power plants. It follows the Department’s September announcement of its intent to invest $625 million to expand and reinvigorate America’s coal industry.

Visit https://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-department-announces-100-million-restore-americas-coal-plants to view the full article online.

Can AI Fix Solar’s Scalability Problem?

On paper, the global solar industry has never looked stronger. The International Energy Agency reports solar panel costs have fallen by about 80 percent in the past decade. As prices drop, investment is rising and governments are setting new records for renewable energy targets. Yet projects still take too long to move from plan to installation.

Visit https://www.forbes.com/sites/kolawolesamueladebayo/2025/11/04/can-ai-fix-solars-scalability-problem/?ss=energy to view the full article online.

SPP Proposes Landmark Merger of Transmission Planning, Interconnection Processes

The proposed “consolidated planning process,” or CPP, will provide more holistic identification and planning of multi-driver transmission solutions that benefit load and generation, SPP told FERC. It also will provide quicker processing of interconnection requests and better upfront cost certainty for interconnection customers, SPP said.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/spp-consolidated-transmission-planning-interconnection-ferc/804590/ to view the full article online.

Member Announcements

Xcel Energy Seeks Proposals for New Power Generation

Xcel Energy is seeking proposals for power generation projects to increase the capacity of its Texas-New Mexico electric system to meet the forecasted increase in demand, as well as the needs of the growing regional economy. This Texas-New Mexico RFP seeks resources to meet identified power needs from 2030-2032.

Visit https://newsroom.xcelenergy.com/news/xcel-energy-seeks-proposals-for-new-power-generation to view the full article online.

United Power Enters Agreement with Aypa Power for Fortress Solar-Plus-Storage Project in Morgan County

United Power, Inc., today announced it has entered into an agreement with Aypa Power for the Fortress project, a hybrid renewable energy project that will combine 200 megawatts (MW) of solar with 150 MW / 600 megawatt-hours (MWh) of battery energy storage near the City of Brush in Morgan County.

Visit https://www.unitedpower.com/united-power-enters-agreement-aypa-power-fortress-solar-plus-storage-project-morgan-county to view the full article online.

Austin Energy Signs Battery Storage Deal, Advancing Climate and Reliability Goals

Austin Energy is taking a major step forward in meeting the City’s climate and reliability goals, agreeing to a large-scale battery storage contract with Jupiter Power to provide up to 100 megawatts of electricity from a utility-scale battery storage facility. This initiative supports Austin Energy’s goal of achieving 125 megawatts of battery storage by the end of 2027.

Visit https://austinenergy.com/about/news/news-releases/2025/austin-energy-signs-battery-storage-deal to view the full article online.

APS Uses 'Growth Pays For Growth' Model to Develop New Natural Gas Plant

Arizona Public Service (APS) announced plans to develop a site west of Gila Bend, Ariz., capable of adding up to 2,000 megawatts (MW) of reliable, flexible generation to the state’s energy portfolio. The Desert Sun Power Plant will be a state-of-the-art natural gas facility designed to meet Arizona’s rapidly growing needs, support unprecedented demand from extra-large energy users and enhance integration of renewable energy resources – all while protecting affordability for residential and small business customers.

Visit https://www.aps.com/en/About/Our-Company/Newsroom/Articles/APS_Uses_Growth_Pays_For_Growth_Model_to_Develop_New_Natural_Gas_Plant to view the full article online.

City of Austin Appoints Stuart Reilly as General Manager of Austin Energy

The City of Austin announced that Stuart Reilly will be the new General Manager of Austin Energy. Reilly, who was selected after a national search, officially assumed the title on November 2, 2025. Reilly currently serves as Austin Energy’s Interim General Manager and brings more than 18 years of experience in public power, including six years in executive leadership roles at Austin Energy. His expertise spans utility operations, grid resilience, clean energy and financial strategy.

Visit https://austinenergy.com/about/news/news-releases/2025/city-of-austin-appoints-stuart-reilly-as-general-manager-of-austin-energy to view the full article online.

Owner Communities Extend Contracts with Platte River Power Authority

The Town of Estes Park and the cities of Fort Collins, Longmont, and Loveland signed an extension of the organic contract that established Platte River Power Authority in 1973. This milestone agreement extends the life of their partnership in the wholesale electric generation and transmission utility through 2075, reaffirming a shared commitment to delivering reliable, environmentally responsible, and financially sustainable energy.

Visit https://prpa.org/news-releases/owner-communities-extend-contracts-withplatte-river-power-authority/ to view the full article online.

TEP Celebrates Launch of Roadrunner Reserve with Governor Hobbs and Local Leaders

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs toured Tucson Electric Power’s largest local battery energy storage system, which supports energy resiliency in Arizona as TEP pursues its clean energy goals. Hobbs was joined by state and local elected officials at a ribbon cutting ceremony and site tour of TEP’s Roadrunner Reserve I, located near Interstate 10 and South Rita Road in Tucson. The 200-megawatt (MW) battery energy storage system can power 42,000 homes for four hours.

Visit https://www.tep.com/news/tep-celebrates-launch-of-roadrunner-reserve-with-governor-hobbs-and-local-leaders/ to view the full article online.

SRP Board of Directors Approves Converting Springerville Unit 4 to Natural Gas

The SRP Board of Directors approved converting the SRP-owned coal-fired Springerville Generating Station (SGS) Unit 4 to run on natural gas. The decision is the lowest-cost option to preserve the plant’s 400-megawatt (MW) generating capacity, enough to serve 90,000 homes, which is important to meeting the Valley’s growing power need in the early 2030s.

Visit https://media.srpnet.com/srp-board-of-directors-approves-converting-springerville-unit-4-to-natural-gas/ to view the full article online.

White Paper

Cheaper than Lithium, Just as Powerful — Sodium Batteries are Finally Catching Up

Researchers discovered how to stabilize a high-performance sodium compound, giving sodium-based solid-state batteries the power and stability they’ve long lacked. The new material conducts ions far more efficiently and supports thicker, energy-dense cathodes. Because it relies on a proven technique, it’s also easier to scale up for real-world use. This could bring safer, cheaper, greener batteries much closer to reality.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251016223116.htm to view the full article online.

Japanese Scientists Unveil a Quantum Battery that Defies Energy Loss

A team of researchers has designed a theoretical model for a topological quantum battery capable of long-distance energy transfer and immunity to dissipation. By exploiting topological properties in photonic waveguides, they showed that energy loss can not only be prevented but briefly enhance charging power. This breakthrough may lead to efficient nanoscale batteries and pave the way for practical quantum devices.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251023031612.htm to view the full article online.

Breakthrough Links Magnetism and Electricity for Faster Tech

Engineers at the University of Delaware have uncovered a way to bridge magnetism and electricity through magnons—tiny waves that carry information without electrical current. These magnetic waves can generate measurable electric signals within antiferromagnetic materials, offering a possible foundation for computer chips that operate faster and use less power.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251104094141.htm to view the full article online.

Alltricity Network (formerly known as RMEL)