July 12, 2026 to July 18, 2026

This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions, political announcements, and other government-related news concerning power generation and transmission, wind and solar, utilities, midstream companies, batteries and energy storage, LNG, biofuels, as well as nuclear. Once a week, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

Want to track other GR news in adjacent industries? Don't miss this week's updates in Oil & Gas and Construction. Also consider subscribing to our Utilities & Power - Ottawa edition covering critical GR news north of the border.

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🇺🇸 Federal Government News
• 📜 Legislative Updates
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

Federal Government News

NRC Proposes Modernization of Licensing and Safety Regulation for Reactors

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a comprehensive proposed rulemaking to revise reactor licensing, safety oversight, siting, and quality assurance requirements, open for comment through August 31, 2026. Initiated under Executive Order 14300 and the ADVANCE Act, the proposed rule provides voluntary alternatives for emergency preparedness (EP) regulations, amends site permit duration, expands risk-informed and performance-based options, and introduces a streamlined QA appendix. Applicants may submit alternative criteria for system performance, request general licenses for pre-approved construction, and rely more heavily on risk insights for analysis. Minimum decommissioning funding assurance for new reactor types may now utilize design-specific cost estimates instead of formulaic minimums. Other elements include revisions to seismic siting requirements, codification of best-estimate break size for ECCS analysis, revised rules for ESBWR and ABWR design certification content, and updates to technical specifications for Tier 1/Tier 2 design changes. Draft supporting guidance and a full regulatory analysis are available for review.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

EPA Issues Corrections to New Source Performance Standards for Combustion Turbines

The Environmental Protection Agency published technical corrections to the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for stationary combustion turbines, affecting subparts KKKK, GG, and recently enacted KKKKa. Effective August 17, the amendments clarify fuel category definitions, subcategory thresholds, terminology for 'combustion turbine,' performance test intervals, reporting requirements, and specific emission standard applicability. Notably, the 14-month performance testing interval replaces the 12-month requirement, the NOx standard threshold reverts to 30 MW for certain subcategories, and distinct compliance methods for temporary combustion turbines are established. Table 1 corrections address inadvertent omissions for temporary turbine rows and subcategories. The EPA clarifies that these amendments align the regulatory text with previous intent and public record.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

White House Launches ‘Gold Eagle’ Cybersecurity Initiative

The White House announced the initiation of the Gold Eagle cybersecurity program to coordinate national vulnerability response across critical infrastructure sectors. As authorized under President Trump’s June 2 Executive Order 14409, Gold Eagle leverages advanced AI for dynamic detection and coordinated mitigation of cyber exploits, aiming to accelerate threat identification and reduce redundant scanning. The initiative is a joint effort involving the Treasury, DHS, CISA, Department of War, and private entities, focusing on streamlined threat intelligence sharing among electric, financial, and government stakeholders. In the launch statement, participating cabinet officials described Gold Eagle as crucial to supporting grid protection, AI-enabled cyber innovation, and U.S. cyber leadership.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov

Legislative Updates

SECURE Grid Act (H.R. 7257): Grid Security Standards

The SECURE Grid Act advanced to the Senate, where it was referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources after House passage. The bill aims to establish new standards for electrical grid cybersecurity and physical protection, with provisions for mandatory vulnerability assessments. No further action has been scheduled at this time.

Sources: www.congress.gov

Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act (H.R. 7266)

Following House approval, the Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act was received in the Senate and referred to the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The legislation would provide technical assistance and grants for cyber resilience to rural and publicly owned utilities.

Sources: www.congress.gov

Energy Threat Analysis Center Act of 2026 (H.R. 7305)

This bill was received in the Senate, assigned to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. It would authorize the establishment of a consolidated Energy Threat Analysis Center within the Department of Energy to coordinate threat intelligence relevant to the electric, oil, and gas sectors.

Sources: www.congress.gov

Next-Generation Geothermal Research and Development Act (H.R. 8790)

The Next-Generation Geothermal Research and Development Act was placed on the Union Calendar (No. 655), advancing potential initiatives for competitive federal geothermal R&D. Provisions include expanded geothermal demonstration projects and direct use studies.

Sources: www.congress.gov

A bill to amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (S. 5028)

S. 5028 was introduced in the Senate last week, referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The bill sets a Federal standard requiring recovery of full, incremental upgrade costs for infrastructure serving large-load electric customers.

Sources: www.congress.gov

What We're Reading This Week

• Trump has spent billions on energy. An electricity boom has yet to materialize.: Despite historic federal investment, U.S. electricity generation and transmission capacity have not matched administration projections.
• Trump cuts to clean energy linked to $83 billion in delayed or canceled projects: Researchers attribute recent project cancellations and slowdowns to shifts in federal clean energy policies.
• Data Centers to Add Billions in Power Costs in 13 States: Projected expansion of data centers is forecast to drive significant new power demand and higher system costs in PJM states.
• SLB partners with Liberty Energy to supply modular parts, power to data centers: Partnership aims to deliver modular substations and power solutions targeting the data center market.
• Battery bank or generator? How to choose the best backup power for your home during an outage: AP gives practical guidance on home backup power selection amid severe storm and outage risk.
• German government plans €13.3 billion energy relief package for 2027: German cabinet outlines a multi-year plan to offset high energy and grid charges for consumers.
• The EU's plan to overhaul its carbon market: Brussels is preparing revisions to the Emissions Trading System with implications for European industrial and power operators.
• E.U. Proposes Changes to Emissions Trading System: European lawmakers are advancing proposals to amend emissions trading, with possible knock-on effects for cross-border electricity trade.
• Slash power taxes, UK employers and energy sector urge new PM: British business and energy groups call for relief on power taxes to stabilize the market.
• Focus turns to building stronger institutions in Africa to speed shift to renewable energy: AP covers the policy focus on institutional capacity as African countries target new renewable energy investment.

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