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The Electric Grid Needs Huge Upgrades by Katherine Blunt & Jennifer Hiller

William Attardi on March 13, 2026

The U.S. power industry is embarking on an AI-driven expansion of the electric grid, a build-out that promises to be one of the most expensive since World War II. Utilities around the country are planning to spend tens of billions of dollars to build new high-voltage transmission lines to carry electricity from power plants over long distances. Many companies this year announced plans to substantially increase capital expenditures to build the new capacity, in large part to serve demand from data centers. The White House this month announced that seven of the nation’s largest tech companies had agreed to pay for all the costs associated with powering new data centers. The Electric Grid Needs Huge Upgrades. No One Knows Who Will Pay for Them. – WSJ

Senators Introduce Bill to Modernize America’s Electric Grid

William Attardi on March 9, 2026

A new bipartisan legislation to modernize the nation’s electric grid and meet America’s growing energy demand. This bill cuts permitting delays, incentivizes advanced transmission upgrades, strengthens state grid planning, and accelerates the deployment of innovative grid technologies to lower costs and improve grid reliability for American families and businesses. The REWIRE Act provides a commonsense path forward: rather than building new infrastructure from scratch, it upgrades existing transmission lines with advanced conductors that can double capacity (a process known as “reconductoring”). By reducing congestion and bypassing lengthy permitting requirements, reconductoring could reduce grid costs by $85 billion by 2035 and $180 billion by 2050. Senators Introduce Bill to Modernize America’s Electric Grid – electrifiED

Interior Department Moves to Cut Red Tape for Oil and Gas Industry

William Attardi on March 9, 2026

The S. Department of the Interioris proposing updates to reduce costly regulations on the offshore oil and gas industry, freeing up billions of dollars for investment, exploration, production, and job growth. The proposal would roll back requirements from a 2024 rule that forced companies to set aside about $6.9 billion in supplemental financial assurance. Roughly $6 billion of that burden would have fallen on small businesses, which make up most of the operators on the Outer Continental Shelf. The change is expected to save the industry about $484 million each year in compliance costs. Interior Department Moves to Cut Red Tape for Oil and Gas Industry – electrifiED

U.S. Jobs Suffer Broad, Surprise Drop-Off by Justin Lahart

William Attardi on March 8, 2026

The U.S. lost 92,000 jobs in February, a widespread and unexpected downturn for a job market that continues to struggle across a broad range of sectors. The employment numbers, reported Friday by the Labor Department, fell far short of January’s gain of 126,000 jobs. They were also much worse than the gain of 50,000 jobs that economists polled by The Wall Street Journal had expected to see. The unemployment rate ticked slightly higher to 4.4%. While that is still low, the Friday report exposes troubling weaknesses in a labor market that has shown very little employment growth in recent months. rdHkKlPag6piGjbFnd01-WSJNewsPaper-3-7-2026.pdf

AI Is Outpacing America’s Power Grid. Nuclear Must Become a National Priority by Mark Whitney

William Attardi on March 6, 2026

Nuclear energy is an immediate, national strategic imperative. Advanced nuclear technologies, including smaller, faster-to-build reactors, deliver reliable, scalable and zero-carbon power. Unlike wind or solar, nuclear operates 24/7, which is exactly what hyperscale AI data centers require. The early movers are acting:

The message is clear: secure dependable, carbon-free power now, or face capacity shortages and rising costs. AI is outpacing America’s power grid. Nuclear must become a national priority. | Utility Dive

Paramount Wins Bidding War for Warner Discovery After Netflix Drops Out by Joe Flint

William Attardi on February 27, 2026

Netflix says it wouldn’t match Paramount’s revised offer for storied entertainment company. Earlier this week, Paramount submitted its revised bid of $31 a share, or about $81 billion. Pending regulatory approval, Paramount will own not only Warner Bros. and HBO, but also many popular cable networks including CNN, TNT, TBS and Food Network. The deal would represent a ground shift for the entertainment industry, which is trying to adapt to seismic shifts in audience habits and technology. If Paramount’s transaction ultimately closes, it will add CNN to a portfolio that already includes CBS News, likely raising concerns from media watchdogs. David Ellison has revamped CBS News since taking over Paramount. He installed Bari Weiss, the provocative founder of the digital news and opinion outlet the Free Press, as editor in chief and has said he wants CBS News “to speak to that 70% of the audience that would really define themselves at center-left to center-right.” Paramount Skydance Wins Warner Bros. Discovery Bidding War – WSJ

DOE Allots $171.5 Million to Expand US Geothermal Energy

William Attardi on February 27, 2026

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a funding opportunity of $171.5 million to support next-generation geothermal field-scale tests for both electricity generation and exploration drilling to support characterization and potential confirmation of promising geothermal prospects. The activities enabled by this opportunity will help advance geothermal technology, innovation, and exploration, in turn supporting the potential for geothermal energy to provide affordable, reliable, around-the-clock domestic electricity to Americans nationwide. Although the United States leads the world in geothermal electricity capacity with about four gigawatts, DOE analysis shows the potential for at least 300 gigawatts of reliable, flexible geothermal power on the U.S. grid by 2050. DOE Allots $171.5 Million to Expand US Geothermal Energy – electrifiED

The World’s Largest Energy Lender Has a New Head: Here’s How It Could Shape U.S. Policy by Pippa Stevens

William Attardi on February 24, 2026

Former Apollo executive Gregory Beard was recently tapped to run the Office of Energy Dominance Financing, the largest energy lender in the world, with some $289 billion in loan authority. Beard has only been at the helm for a few weeks, but he has big plans for the agency, including dispensing capital at a record rate. Under President Joe Bidenand his climate-focused administration, the agency was supercharged, acting as a green bank of sorts. Staff quadrupled, and the Inflation Reduction Act grew available funds by tenfold. But with the new administration, the office has changed course, shedding the green angle that President Donald Trump has called a scam. In addition to an official name change, the agency is now focused on six areas: nuclear; coal, oil, gas and hydrocarbons; critical materials and minerals; geothermal; grid and transmission; and manufacturing and transportation. The world’s largest energy lender has a new head: Here’s how it could shape U.S. policy

 

What Are Stablecoins and How Do They Work?

Stablecoins are less volatile than other cryptocurrencies (like Bitcoin) and due to crypto assets’ inherent instability, stablecoins are growing in popularity with both crypto and traditional markets. Stablecoins are a type of crypto asset, but one that offers a way to bridge the gap between fiat currencies like the U.S. dollar and cryptocurrencies. Because they are price-stable digital assets that behave like fiat but maintain the mobility and utility of cryptocurrency, stablecoins are a novel solution to crypto volatility: price stability is built directly into the assets themselves.  There are four primary stablecoin types, identifiable by their underlying collateral structure: fiat-backed, crypto-backed, commodity-backed, and algorithmic stablecoins.  What Are Stablecoins and How Do They Work? | Gemini