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.

Dates: 2026-02-22 to 2026-02-28

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

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

Federal Government News

EPA Finalizes Repeal of 2024 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards Amendments

The EPA has issued a final rule repealing key portions of the 2024 amendments to the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) for coal- and oil-fired electric generating units. The repeal rolls back stricter filterable PM emission limits for coal-fired EGUs, withdraws the requirement to exclusively use particulate matter CEMS for compliance demonstration, and restores the previous mercury emission standard for lignite-fired EGUs. EPA cited high compliance costs and insufficient technical justification for the changes enacted in 2024, and the rule now projects industry cost savings of up to $78 million annually. The agency clarified that the 2012 standards remain in effect, with a maximum filterable PM limit of 0.030 lb/MMBtu and mercury limits of 4.0 lb/TBtu for lignite units. The repeal aligns with recent executive orders emphasizing deregulation and energy reliability.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

FERC Approves New Inverter-Based Reliability Standards for Bulk Power System

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved multiple new reliability standards for integrating inverter-based resources (IBRs) into the Bulk Power System. NERC's submissions include new data and model validation requirements for distributed energy resources, steady-state and dynamic system model validation, and updated model verification definitions. Legacy facilities with no original equipment manufacturer support are excluded from certain requirements. FERC found the standards advance system reliability by ensuring planners and operators have improved data and models for IBR integration. The new rules will retire older standards and establish stricter compliance obligations for over 3,000 regulated entities, including annual review and record retention requirements.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

DOE Publishes Proposed Revision of Energy and Jobs Survey

The U.S. Department of Energy released a proposed revision of the Energy and Jobs Survey, aiming to update the annual assessment of the energy workforce in the U.S. The new survey includes additional questions on critical materials, data center supply chains, and adoption of artificial intelligence in the energy sector. DOE also commits to making the survey technology neutral. The agency estimates 58,226 annual respondents and seeks comments by April 27, 2026, on minimizing burden and improving data utility.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

NRC Proposes Incorporation of 2023 Edition of ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has proposed a regulatory amendment to incorporate by reference the 2023 edition of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code for nuclear power plant construction and inspection. The rule also includes updated regulatory guides approving recent ASME Code Cases, offering licensees additional voluntary alternatives for material, fabrication, and inspection requirements. The draft rule is open for public comment until April 28, 2026, and covers updates to maintain alignment with consensus standards and recent technological developments.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

White House Announces Policy Actions on U.S. Energy Production and Exports

A White House statement recaps a series of measures by President Trump to support energy independence: record LNG exports (over 100 million metric tons in 2025), increased federal drilling permits, new investments in nuclear power, and coal modernization funding. Regulatory actions include withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord, rescission of the Endangerment Finding, and a rollback of vehicle fuel economy mandates, with an intent to reduce consumer costs and expand domestic supply.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov

Legislative Updates

Protecting Domestic Mining Act of 2025

H.R. 1501, the Protecting Domestic Mining Act of 2025, is under consideration in the House. The bill focuses on energy policy affecting mining operations, with recent progress marked by subcommittee hearings.

Sources: www.congress.gov

Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2025

H.R. 755, the Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2025, has advanced in the House and is now placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 444. It addresses regulatory processes for critical minerals used in energy technologies.

Sources: www.congress.gov

Sloan Canyon Conservation and Lateral Pipeline Act

H.R. 972, the Sloan Canyon Conservation and Lateral Pipeline Act, recently passed the Senate without amendment by unanimous consent. The measure pertains to public lands and lateral pipeline development.

Sources: www.congress.gov

What We're Reading This Week

• US federal grants help jumpstart nuclear fuel supply chain: Federal grants are supporting the development of a domestic nuclear fuel supply chain in the U.S.
• Trump to announce data center energy deals during State of the Union: President Trump is expected to unveil energy agreements with tech firms for data centers in his upcoming address.
• Clean Energy Manufacturers Set to Muddle Through Fresh Tariff Turmoil: U.S. clean energy manufacturers are adjusting to a new round of international tariff uncertainties.
• As Electric Bills Rise, Trump Says Tech Companies Should Pay More: As U.S. electricity prices increase, President Trump calls for technology companies operating large data centers to cover higher costs.
• Ukraine is showing why electrification is key to Europe’s energy security: Ukraine’s experience is reinforcing the significance of electrification for European energy security.
• Europe's swelling wave of battery installations set to hit barriers: Europe’s rapid battery installation growth faces new infrastructure and regulatory bottlenecks.
• US takes step to solidify rules on nuclear fusion energy: U.S. agencies are taking initial steps toward establishing a formal regulatory process for nuclear fusion.
• Opinion | Don’t Look Now, but the Green Transition Is Still Happening: Despite shifting policies, clean energy investments and projects in the U.S. continue to accelerate.
• New Geothermal Technology Aims to Produce Clean Energy in Germany: New geothermal developments in Germany seek to provide renewable energy using advanced drilling techniques.

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