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Energy & Environment

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The Big Story

Wright pushes FERC to expedite data centers

The Trump administration issued a proposal late Thursday would aim to help artificial intelligence (AI) data centers get connected to the electric grid more quickly.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright sent the proposal to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that he hopes will accelerate the connection of data centers to the grid, according to a department press release.

Data centers use a large amount of power, and, in some cases, are expected to raise electricity prices.

Wright’s rule particularly seems to favor centers that come with their own “dispatchable” power sources — allowing such facilities to have their studies “expedited.”

It’s not entirely clear how dispatchable is defined, but it often refers to fossil fuel and nuclear plants that can be turned on and off at will. It may also refer to renewables if they come with batteries that can store the power they produce.

Under law, the secretary is able to send proposals to the independent commission, but it will ultimately be up to FERC whether to go through with it.

Read more at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, I’m Rachel Frazin — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

Programming note: I’m off Monday and Tuesday so there won’t be a newsletter. I’ll be back on Wednesday.

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Essential Reads

How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:

Inflation hit 3 percent in September as energy prices squeezed households

Annual inflation rose to 3 percent in September as a jump in gasoline and energy prices pushed price growth to its highest level since January.

Full Story

FEMA rejects western Maryland flood aid request

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) denied his state’s appeal for federal disaster relief for flooding in May.

Full Story

What We’re Reading

News we’ve flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:

Critical Florida corals now ‘functionally extinct’ due to off-the-charts ocean temperatures (CNN)
Europeans vow to choke Russian oil sector after Trump sanctions (Politico Europe)

On Tap

Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:

Wednesday, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on consultations under the National Historic Preservation Act.
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will vote on whether to advance sevearl pieces of legislation and nominees to the EPA, Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Tennessee Valley Authority.