EnergyOnline
Services

RSS FEED

EnergyOnline.com rss

News

Amazon Announces Plans to Invest $12 Billion in Data Center Campuses in Louisiana

LCG, February 23, 2026--Amazon today announced plans to invest $12 billion to develop and construct state-of-the-art data center campuses in northwest Louisiana that will support cloud computing technologies. Amazon is partnering with STACK Infrastructure, the developer and owner of the campuses, to lead the construction and development of the data center facilities. Amazon has already invested in solar energy projects in Louisiana, bringing up to 200 MW of new carbon-free energy onto the grid.

Read more

EIA Estimates Record U.S. Electric Generating Capacity Additions in 2026, with Solar in the Lead

LCG, February 20, 2026--The EIA today issued an "in-brief analysis" that estimates U.S. power plant developers and operators plan to complete a record installation of 86 GW of new, utility-scale electric generating capacity that is connected to the U.S. power grid in 2026. Last year, 53 GW of new capacity was added to the grid, which was the largest capacity installation in a single year since 2002. Thus the estimate of 86 GW of new capacity in 2026 is a whopping 33 GW greater than the year prior. It should be noted that over 20 GW of the 86 GW of new capacity this year is estimated to be completed in December.

Read more

Industry News

SMUD Considers Pumped Storage

LCG, September 4, 2003—Sacramento MunicipalUtility District is considering building a pumped storage plant to supply electricity during peak demandhours.

SMUD may apply for a federal license for pumpedstorage along with a renewal application for its 11dams and eight power plants along the American River.The plant would pump water uphill during times ofoff-peak demand and use the water’s potentialenergy to generate electricity during peak demand.

While pumped storage is, after all, energy-inefficient (since energy is always lost in the process), it can serve as a sort of giant battery togive an energy provider greater flexibility whenpower is produced. Cheap electricity produced at nightcan be stored by using that electricity to pump wateruphill, and then the same water can be allowed to falldownhill and through turbines during peak demand hoursto provide electricity.

The project will require extensive environmentalreview because it will affect fish and wildlife, aswell as recreation. So far, SMUD engineers havecontemplated blasting out a hillside next to theAmerican River in order to construct part of theplant; this underground network would connect to thesummit of Iowa Hill, where a new lake would becreated.

Several government agencies have warned SMUD thatthere is not sufficient time between now and the 2005deadline to fully investigate the project, and SMUD issure to meet opposition from local fisherman,residents, and farmers, who already feel SMUD has toomuch control over the American River’s water.

If the project passes environmental review andmakes it past local opposition, it willtake about four years to construct. The plant isexpected to generate 400 megawatts.

Copyright © 2026 LCG Consulting. All rights reserved. Terms and Copyright
UPLAN-NPM
The Locational Marginal Price Model (LMP) Network Power Model
Uniform Storage Model
A Battery Simulation Model
UPLAN-ACE
Day Ahead and Real Time Market Simulation
UPLAN-G
The Gas Procurement and Competitive Analysis System
PLATO
Database of Plants, Loads, Assets, Transmission...
CAISO CRR Auctions
Monthly Price and Congestion Forecasting Service