Energy Update: Week of February 9

Friends,

Congrats to the Seattle Seahawks, who won their second Super Bowl title, avenging their 2015 loss to the Patriots. Although former Michigan State Spartan Standout Kenny Walker III earned the Super Bowl LX MVP with a great game, it seems the Seattle defense was really the MVP. I found the entire Super Bowl rather uninspiring. There were no touchdowns until the 4^th quarter and New England could barely get a first down. The halftime show is always too long and even the commercials were underwhelming, although I did like the Budweiser eagle commercial and the Good Will Dunkin commercial.

The Milan Olympics are underway and Breezy Johnson won our first gold medal in the Women’s Downhill. The US also won the team figure skating competition with strong performance across all disciplines. Curling mixed doubles medals on the line today with the US in the mix and the US Women’s hockey team is 2-0 with a Pool A clash with Canada tomorrow.

This week, the EPA is expected to finalize its rule revoking the endangerment finding. Of course, we have been waiting for this for some time but all signs indicate that this may be the week. This clearly won’t be last word as the action will face serious legal challenges. My colleague Jeff Holmstead has been tracking all the action and can discuss. In Congress, House Energy has an energy legislation markup tomorrow while Senate Energy has a closed briefing from Energy Secretary Wright on recent developments in Venezuela. On Thursday, Senate Energy reviews a list of bills, including legislation to block offshore drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, expand seabed mining on the outer continental shelf and allow more motorized vehicles on public lands. Finally, the House will vote on the “Securing America’s Critical Minerals Supply Act” legislation that could provide a deeper look at supply chain vulnerabilities tied to critical minerals, with a focus on the energy sector.

Today, the biggest event in DC is the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners holding its Winter Policy Summit through Wednesday. UAW President Shawn Fain delivers a keynote address at the UAW Biannual Political Conference in DC which also goes into Wednesday. Up in New York City today to Thursday, International Partnering Forum (IPF), a major offshore wind conference organized by Business/wind advocacy group Oceanic. Turn Forward’s Hillary Bright and former USS Cole Commander Kirk Lippold will be on a panel to discuss the current state of offshore wind and national security questions. And tomorrow, HVACR trade association member companies from AHRI will blanket Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers and advocate changes to an important but outdated Energy and Policy Conservation Act (EPCA).

On your calendars for next week: BCSE/BNEF releases its 2026 Sustainable Energy Factbook next Tuesday, February 17^th at 2:00 p.m. in an embargoed press briefing on the release of the 14^th edition of the Sustainable Energy in America Factbook.

Our first Friday the 13^th occurs this week (we’ll have another Friday the 13^th next month as well) and of course, Valentine Day on Saturday. Call with any questions.

Best,

Frank Maisano

(202) 828-5864

C. (202) 997-5932

FRANKLY SPOKEN

“One thing that was really shocking for me coming out of the storm was that, in the Northeast during Fern, 40 percent of generation came from fuel oil or diesel, and that's simply because we don't have enough gas infrastructure to bring gas to New England."

FERC Chair Laura Swett to House Energy and Commerce's Energy Subcommittee members during a hearing yesterday on the commission's mission.

“Folks have talked about the wind resource in New England as sort of like the Saudi Arabia of wind, if you will. Offshore wind has been viewed as a real compliment to help maintain grid reliability during those peak winter periods, as well as contributing during hot summer weather, too.”

Katie Dykes, Commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Energy & Environmental Protection.

ON THE PODCAST

Rep. Harder Talks Permitting Legislation – In the irregularly-scheduled Green Tape Podcast programming, hosts Thomas Hochman, director of infrastructure policy at the Foundation for American Innovation and  policy advisor Pavan Venkatakrishnan visit with Rep. Josh Harder on his new bipartisan permitting certainty bill, the FREEDOM Act. Permitting certainty design choices: contractors, de-risking programs, and more.

Shah: Depoliticize Energy – In this week’s Columbia Energy Exchange podcast, Jason Bordoff speaks with Jigar Shah to discuss the current state of clean energy investing and innovation. Jigar is the co-managing partner at the clean tech advisory firm Multiplier and co-hosts the Open Circuit podcast. He directed the DOE’s Loan Programs Office during the Biden administration. Before that, he co-founded and was the president of the investment firm Generate Capital. Early in his career he co-founded the solar service company SunEdison.

FUN OPINIONS

Wright to Visit Venezuela, Say Oil is Coincidence – In an interview with POLITICO’s James Bikales, Energy Secretary Chris Wrights says it’s just a “nice coincidence” that the Venezuela happens to be full of oil after the US deposed its leader, Nicholas Maduro. “This was a geopolitical problem of a country that was a threat to all of its neighbors, a threat to the Western hemisphere, and a massive exporter of guns, of drugs, of criminals,” Wright tells James. “It may be a nice coincidence — but it is coincidental that Venezuela’s main product and giant resource is oil.” Wright also said he plans to “start the dialogue” with Venezuelan officials on the future leadership of PdVSA, but noted it is ultimately a “Venezuelan company.”

FROG BLOG

A Climate Questions Difficult to Answer – In a piece in The Atlantic, Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy scholar Noah Kauffman, writes the full effects of climate change are unknowable, and a more constructive public discussion about climate policy will require getting more comfortable with that. Models can predict catastrophic or modest damages from climate change, but not which of these futures is coming. Economists like me, trained to think about trade-offs, are uneasy with both camps. But, in practice, we have helped fuel the extremes of this dysfunctional debate.

FUN FACTS

Main EU Gas Supplies Swap Russia, US: After last week’s Seante Hearing on EU Energy Security featuring the Chamber’s Dan Byers, tis chart recognizes the real change in natgas imports to EU.

IN THE NEWS

AHRI to Hit Capitol Hill – HVACR trade association member companies will blanket Capitol Hill starting tomorrow to meet with lawmakers and advocate changes to an important but outdated law, the Energy and Policy Conservation Act (EPCA), that support American innovation, manufacturing and jobs. AHRI members are urging Congress to modernize EPCA to better reflect today’s technologies, provide manufacturers needed certainty and flexibility, and guard against rules that could limit consumer choice. A strong, updated federal standard would support manufacturers’ investments, consistency for consumers, and faster deployment of efficient technologies nationwide. During their meetings on Capitol Hill, AHRI members will share more about key improvements needed to modernize EPCA, including strengthening federal preemption to ensure a unified appliance energy policy. AHRI supports a single national energy policy that ensures safe, reliable, and affordable access to essential heating and cooling products, avoiding regulatory fragmentation that could harm innovation and consumers. AHRI members also want to see lawmakers maintain EPCA’s anti-backsliding provisions. Manufacturers invest time and significant capital to design and produce equipment that complies with established requirements, often building inventory years in advance. Without stronger provisions, sudden rollbacks could allow less-efficient products back into the market, undercutting compliant products already produced and leaving manufacturers with inventory they cannot competitively sell. Congress has an opportunity to support manufacturers and American jobs by ensuring investments made in good faith to meet federal standards cannot be rendered obsolete by abrupt policy reversals. AHRI and its members are committed to working with legislators, the U.S. Department of Energy, and other industry stakeholders to advance practical solutions that support affordability, manufacturing and jobs, national security, and a strong national energy policy framework. In addition to advocating for updates to EPCA, AHRI is committed to addressing the HVACR workforce shortage by supporting the next generation of aspiring technicians through its charitable foundation, the AHRI Rees Scholarship Foundation. AHRI will visit several lawmakers representing states home to the latest round of scholarship awardees, and you can learn more about the AHRI Rees Scholarship here.

Congressional Investigations expert Joins Bracewell – Thomas Moyer has joined Bracewell’s Washington, DC, office as a partner in its government enforcement and investigations practice. Moyer is a highly respected lawyer who advises public and private companies, their executives, and other institutions in navigating congressional investigations and high-profile white-collar defense matters. He joins Bracewell from Akin Gump.  Moyer has guided clients through some of the most significant congressional inquiries of the last 15 years. His multi-faceted practice advises clients on all aspects of government investigations, from preparing senior executives for high-profile testimony to managing complex document discovery and coordinating public messaging. He also represents clients in parallel internal investigations and in inquiries led by the Department of Justice, federal and state financial regulators, inspectors general and state attorneys general.

Siemens to Invest $1B in New Grid Techs – Siemens Energy is deepening its investment in grid and power-generation equipment, planning to spend $1 billion to restart gas-turbine manufacturing at an existing North Carolina factory, a high-voltage switchgear plant in Mississippi, and expansions in four other states. Both data centers and general utilities are driving demand for these types of equipment. The program will include several brownfield expansions, increasing transformer production and servicing plus strengthening the manufacturing of large gas turbines on American soil. It also includes construction of a brand-new factory in Mississippi that will build essential grid components. With that approach, Siemens Energy is pursuing a strategy of targeted expansion to ensure the efficient use of manufacturing capacity to meet market demand. Siemens Energy will create more than 1,500 highly skilled roles in manufacturing, operations and engineering to help deliver more power to more people throughout the country. Siemens Energy places great importance on providing high quality education, training and development opportunities that enable people at all stages of their careers to make a lasting contribution to the future of the energy industry in the United States.

POLITICO Poll Look at Energy Views – A POLITICO Poll performed by Public First Americans think Democrats are more committed to reducing energy costs than Republicans, but not by a commanding margin – putting the issue of affordability firmly in jump ball territory for November’s midterm elections, according to. Of the 2,093 adults polled, 37 percent believed Democrats were better on the issue compared with 25 percent who felt that of Republicans. That leaves a wide-open lane of 38 percent of people with no firm opinion on the matter.

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

NARUC Winter Meetings Set for DC – Today through Wednesday at the Westin Downtown in DC, the National Assn of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) holds its Winter Policy Summit.  Speakers include FERC Chair Loretta Swett, Commissioner Judy Chang, NERC’s Jim Robb, AGA CEO Karen Harbert, NRECA CEO Jim Matheson, EEI CEO Drew Maloney and Duke Energy Florida/Midwest CEO Louis Renjel.

Offshore Wind Conference Set for NYC – The International Partnering Forum (IPF), a major offshore wind conference organized by Business/wind advocacy group Oceanic today to Thursday in New York City at the Sheraton Times Square.  The event is where marine renewable technology meets execution, especially now with wind under pressure from the Trump Administration.  U.S. and global leaders in wave, tidal, floating solar, and large-scale ocean energy projects will speak about turn ideas into action on projects, ports, vessels, grid, and transmission. Turn Forward’s Hillary Bright and former USS Cole Commander Kirk Lippold will be on a panel to discuss the current state of offshore wind and national security questions. 

Atlantic Forum to Look at Global Trends – Tomorrow at noon, the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security will host the report launch of Global Foresight 2036, featuring Atlantic Council senior directors and experts discussing how global affairs may unfold in the decade ahead on geopolitics, great-power competition, climate change, and emerging technologies. The event will highlight survey findings from Global Foresight 2036, assess the future of US grand strategy, China, and Europe, uncover under-the-radar phenomena, and preview a video exploring the future of artificial intelligence.

House Oversight Looks at Non-Profits -- The House Ways and Means Committee holds a hearing tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. looking at foreign influence in American non-profits.  The committee will look at ways foreign actors have funneled millions of dollars through networks of tax-exempt organizations to create, support, and fuel disruption and illegal activity across the country. Some have suggested there will be investigations/discussions of environmental groups. 

House Energy Marks Legislation -- The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee holds a markup tomorrow at 10:15 a.m. addressing some pending legislation, mostly focused on vehicles and driver assistance issues. See the full list of bills here.

Senate Energy Updated on Venezuela – The Senate Energy Committee gets a closed briefing tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. on recent developments in Venezuela. Energy Secretary Wright will provide the briefing.

Forum Looks at Water Security – The George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs holds a virtual discussion on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. focused on water security and transboundary cooperation in Central Asia. This event brings together experts and practitioners to critically assess how Central Asian societies and institutions are responding to these pressures. The discussion will explore practical and policy-oriented pathways for strengthening adaptive capacity, enhancing societal resilience, fostering cross-sectoral and systems-based responses, and ensuring that essential services—particularly in the health sector—are better equipped to cope with climate-related risks.

CSIS Looks at AI Grid Issues – On Wednesday at 11:00 a.m.,  the Center for Strategic and International Studies, All India DISCOMs Association (AIDA) and the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) hold a virtual discussion on AI-Ready policy actions to advance grid digitalization. The event will feature senior leaders and experts from India and the United States.

Hudson Forum Takes On Fusion – The Hudson Institute holds a discussion on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. focused on the national and economic security implications of fusion energy. The first expert panel will focus on fusion and its relationship to the US nuclear deterrent. The second panel will examine how supply chains and the US industrial base can best facilitate fusion deployment.

Brookings Forum Looks at Resilient Homes – On Wednesday at 1:30 p.m., the Brookings Institution and Economic Architecture hold a discussion that brings together innovators and leaders to explore how resilience can be built at a collective and community scale. Drawing on real-world experience—from community-led rebuilding efforts after wildfires to strategies that strengthen small businesses as anchors of recovery—the conversation highlights structural innovations that make collective action easier and more rewarding across communities and local economies.

Senate Energy Reviews Legislation – The Senate Energy Committee is reviewing a list of bills on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. including legislation to block offshore drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, expand seabed mining on the outer continental shelf and allow more motorized vehicles on public lands.

Forum Showcases Teddy Roosevelt Library – ConservAmerica holds a forum on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. to provide a behind the scenes look of Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, ahead of its Grand Opening to be held on July 4, 2026 - a centerpiece of America's 250th Birthday Celebrations. Ed O'Keefe, CEO of the Library Foundation, will reignite your enthusiasm for Theodore Roosevelt and the Bully Pulpit, along with Jeff Reinbold, CEO of the National Parks Foundation.

IN THE FUTURE

National Ethanol Conference Set – The National Ethanol Conference will be held on February 14^th to 16^th in Orlando. NEC is the most widely attended executive-level conference for the ethanol industry. Past events have welcomed industry leaders from across the United States and 20 countries. Since 1996, the Renewable Fuels Association’s NEC has been recognized as the ethanol conference for the latest, timely information on marketing, legislative, and regulatory issues facing the industry. Our friends Kevin Book and API’s Wil Hupman are among the speakers, along with ethanol industry experts.

Forum Looks at Emissions, Decarb – On Tuesday February 17^th, NYU’s Institute Policy Integrity hosts a webinar featuring emissions-accounting experts Aaron Bergman, Jesse Jenkins, Gavin McCormick, and Christine Pries to discuss the trade-offs in the proposed revisions and their broader importance. The design of the Scope 2 framework shapes investment decisions and consumer behavior, and the revisions could have implications for decarbonization across the global economy.

BCSE, BNEF to Roll Out 2026 Sustainability Factbook – The Business Council on Sustainable Energy and Bloomberg New Energy Finance will roll out the 2026 Sustainability Factbook on February 18^th.  Details to come. The Sustainable Energy in America Factbook provides valuable year-over-year data and insights on the American energy transformation.

Carbon Forum Set for San Diego – The Carbon Solutions Forum is set for Wednesday and Thursday, February 18^th and 19^th in San Diego.  The event will examine what early CCS projects are revealing and how execution strategies are shifting. Our friend Jon Dearing of National Cement will be on CCUS and integrating carbon capture into energy and industrial facilities.  EPA’s Scott Mason and DOE’s Valerie Reed are also speakers.

Bracewell Hosts Maritime Fuels Summit – On Thursday February 19^th,   by the Maritime Innovation Coalition and Bracewell host a Maritime Fuels Policy Summit event. We will welcome an exciting slate of government officials to participate in panels from mid-morning through the afternoon, including luncheon speakers. The agenda includes discussions of the congressional agenda, opportunities for progress on appropriations, energy, tax, important federal regulations, and international agreements.

NGA Winter Meeting, POLITICO Govs Summit Set – The National Governors Association will host the 2026 Winter Meeting in Washington, DC on  Thursday and Friday February 19^th and 20^th. The Winter Meeting is the most well-attended annual gathering of Governors, and we look forward to welcoming special guests and national experts for solutions-driven conversations on pressing national issues including education, energy, economic growth, artificial intelligence and more.  POLITICO will hold its annual Governors Summit alongside the meeting featuring a series of forward-looking conversations with governors from across the country about how state leaders are setting the agenda for America’s next chapter.

Forum looks at Trade Clean Energy Nexus –ACP convenes a NEXUS forum on trade and supply chains on February 23^rd and 24^th at Convene Hamilton Square. The event unites the experts working at the intersection of energy and trade for deep-dive conversations around procurement, compliance, tariffs, and more.

State of the Union Set – House Speaker Mike Johnson invited Trump to give the State of the Union address on February 24^th.

WaPo Hosts AI Power Forum – The Washington Post is hosting a forum on Wednesday February 25^th at 9:00 a.m. to look at powering the AI Age. The event will feature conversations about how America can build new sources of energy and strengthen its energy security.

Forum looks at Legal Questions of DeReg Agenda – On Wednesday, February 25^th at 2:00 p.m., NYU’s Institute Policy Integrity hosts a webinar where staff members will examine a year of widescale federal deregulation and the legal vulnerabilities of these efforts. Several of our attorneys will review the aggressive and sometimes unprecedented legal theories the Trump Administration has used in its pursuit of deregulation, along with the key issues and strategies behind upcoming litigation against regulatory rollbacks.

Yergin, Pascal Discuss Chamber Copper Report – On Tuesday February 27^th on Capitol Hil, the US Chamber holds an in-person Critical Minerals Working Group briefing featuring S&P experts Dan Yergin and Carlos Pasquel. The session will highlight the release of S&P’s study, “Copper in the Age of AI: Challenges of Electrification.” This important new study analyzes the global outlook for copper supply and demand through 2040, focusing on copper’s essential role in meeting the growing requirements of electrification, digitalization, and technologies such as AI, data centers, electric vehicles, and defense.

EPSA Competitive Power Summit Hosts Danley, Rosner – The Electric Power Supply Assn holds its 5^th annual Competitive Power Summit on March 3^rd at the Grand Hyatt.  The event features a day of expert panels and featured speakers discussing critical issues facing competitive power and the U.S. electric system, as well as what it takes to build what’s needed at the pace required to keep power both reliable and cost-effective.  Headline speakers include DOE’s James Danley and FERC Commissioner and former Chair David Rosner.

CCS Forum Set – The Global CCS Institute holds its annual Europe Forum on Carbon Capture and Storage on March 4^th in Brussels, Belgium. The event is a key platform for policy leaders, NGOs, industry experts, academics, financial institutions, and the public to explore the latest developments in carbon capture and storage (CCS) across Europe.

Water Power Week to Highlight Key Hydro Role – The week of March 9^th, the National Hydropower Association holds its annual Water Power Week 26 in Washington, DC. Sen. Lisa Murkowski will headline the event. 

Energy Abundance Forums Set – The American Energy Abundance Alliance, a new initiative of BCSE, is holding the 2026 Energy Abundance Forum in Washington, DC on March 11^th and 12^th  to address connect with fellow BCSE members and learn the latest updates on energy policy.

CERA Week Set – CERAWeek is on for March 22^nd to 26^th. The event is the most prominent energy Conference of the year and features three mutually reinforcing platforms: The Executive Conference, the Innovation Agora and Partner Programs. The industry's foremost thought leaders convene to cultivate relationships and exchange transformative ideas. Our programs are designed to advance new ideas, insight and solutions to the biggest challenges facing the future of energy, the environment, and climate.