Energy Update: Week of October 6th

Friends,

The Government shutdown continues into its second week. The House is not expected to be in session this week amid the ongoing stalemate and may not return until the Senate takes additional actions to re-open the government. It is hard to predict where this will go but next week seems to be a key moment. It is when agency reserve funds start to run out; and it will also be the first point at which government employees, federal officials and the military wont receive a pay check. All tend to provide additional pressure for action.

While the Senate works on voting on the CR, they will also vote today to close debate on a bloc of Trump’s nominees (final vote expected later in the week).  The energy nominations in the bloc includes FERC Commissioners Laura Swett and David LaCerte, DOE’s Catherine Jereza, Audrey Robertson and Tim Walsh, EPA’s Usha-Maria Turner and John Busterud and Interior assistant secretary Bill Kirkland. Only one hearing this week when Senate Environment hosts NRC nom Ho Nieh and EPA toxics nom Doug Troutman.

The Supreme Court gavels in its new term today! While the most high-profile cases are not specifically energy, climate or environment-related, they will tackle presidential authority, which could potentially fuel the Trump administration’s power to impact federal climate action and regulation. Speaking of the President, tomorrow he will meet with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Washington to address trade friction. The Canadian economy has been hit hard by Trump's tariffs on autos, electricity, steel, lumber and aluminum, with unemployment hitting 7.1% in August, and Carney is seeking tariff relief.

The most high-profile event this week was expected to be the Chamber of Commerce’s permitting event on Thursday on Capitol Hill, but it HAS BEEN POSTPONED due to the shutdown to early November. The Environmental Law Institute annual dinner and policy forum is tomorrow (with the dinner honoring Ben Grumbles); Wednesday features the Atlantic Council’s 2025 Energy & Defense Summit and CSIS‘s 2025 CSIS-West Point Conference looking at the future of critical minerals and national security; and finally on Thursday EESI holds a briefing on policy solutions to meet the reliability, resilience and affordability challenges facing the U.S. energy grid.

Call with questions.

Best,

Frank Maisano

(202) 828-5864

C. (202) 997-5932                                                                                                      

FRANKLY SPOKEN

"I think uncertainty in the regulatory environment is very damaging. However far the pendulum swings one way, it's likely that it's going to swing just as far the other way."

Shell USA president Colette Hirstius in an interview with the Financial Times.

ON THE PODCAST

Connaughton Talks Permitting with Columbia – This week on the Columbia Energy Exchange podcast, Bill Loveless speaks to former Bush 43 White House CEQ head Jim Connaughton about shifting motivations for permitting reform in DC, and whether policymakers can find enough common ground to push reforms forward.

Duke Energy CEO Headlines EEI Podcast – In a new episode of EEI’s Electric Perspectives podcast, Duke Energy President and CEO Harry Sideris discusses his vision for Duke Energy’s future, the company’s response to the devastating 2024 hurricane season, and how he and his team are working to deliver affordable, reliable electricity to millions of customers as demand continues to grow.

FUN OPINIONS

Coons: Energy Costs are High, Trump Needs to Help – In an opinion in Delaware Online, Delaware Sen. Chris Coons writes President Trump promised he’d bring down energy costs and secure our “energy dominance” — but if you’re a looking at your recent bills, you don’t notice it. Coons says both regionally and nationally, we simply have to produce more energy to keep it affordable. The good news is that there are more sources to produce safe, reliable and sustainable energy than ever before. In addition to legacy sources like oil and natural gas, hydrogen, wind, geothermal, solar and nuclear power are commercially viable and poised to become a larger part of our expanding energy supply.

FROG BLOG

Wood Mac: 10 Questions About Data Centers Answered – Our friends at Wood Mackenzie have an opinion blog that takes on some of the toughest questions about data centers. Rapid growth in these often-massive facilities is having a major impact on the evolving US and global tech and energy landscape.

FUN FACTS

Spending on Nuclear Power: A host of nuclear power startups are drawing billions of dollars in investment and significant political support even though none are producing any power for the grid. Now, some Wall Street analysts caution of a bubble in the making.

IN THE NEWS

OPAL Fuels, South Jersey Gas, Atlantic County Utilities Authority Open New RNG Facility in NJ – OPAL Fuels has joined with South Jersey Industries (SJI) and the Atlantic County (NJ) Utilities Authority to open a new RNG facility in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. Located at ACUA’s solid waste landfill, the RNG facility captures and processes landfill gas into RNG, providing a renewable, lower-carbon fuel alternative to diesel and conventional natural gas. The project marks a significant milestone for SJI, as it is the first project to deliver RNG into the pipeline system of South Jersey Gas, a subsidiary of SJI. The facility has a nameplate capacity of 2,500 SCFM of landfill gas and is anticipated to produce more than 650,000 MMBtu or over 4.6 million gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) per year of RNG. The RNG project represents the first collaboration between OPAL Fuels and SJI as part of their previously announced joint venture to develop, construct, own and operate RNG facilities. The anticipated Burlington RNG Facility, located in Florence Township, New Jersey, represents the second collaboration between the companies. A ribbon-cutting ceremony at the RNG facility in Egg Harbor Township is expected later this month.

New Paper Highlights SAF Ethanol Opportunity – A new paper by the nonprofit National Bureau of Economic Research offers a policy road map for expanding U.S. production of sustainable aviation fuel — a move researchers say could cut climate pollution while creating advantages for ethanol. The working paper released today outlines how the U.S. could meet a goal of producing 3 billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel annually by 2030. Implementing new policies to boost the supply of SAF could help farmers and the climate, said lead author James Stock of Harvard, who served on the president's Council of Economic Advisers for President Obama, and authored the paper with colleagues at Simon Fraser University; the University of California, Berkeley; and the think tank Resources for the Future.

EPA Attempts to Slow HFC Phasedown – Just prior to shutting down, EPA issued a rulemaking to reform its Technology Transitions Rule, a new action the agency is taking to meet its statutory obligations under the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act. EPA is proposing to extend the compliance deadlines on the use of HFCs in a number of subsectors, including residential air conditioning, retail food refrigeration, cold storage warehouses, and semiconductor manufacturing. AHRI Sr. Vice President of Government Affairs Samantha Slater said AHRI staff/members are reviewing the proposed rule and will have extensive comments by the deadline.  She added we have several well-established positions on the existing rule promulgated in 2023. Those positions include:

• Delaying the TT Rule transition dates which the reconsideration rule appears to do for some applications, would disrupt multi-year planning and investment by U.S. manufacturers. Companies have already retooled production, certified new equipment, and built supply chains around the current schedule.
• Maintaining the current dates avoids duplicative costs, dual inventories, and confusion in the marketplace. Delays would force manufacturers and distributors to manage redundant product lines and training programs.
• A delay would re-open the U.S. market to outdated, high-GWP equipment, giving foreign manufacturers a competitive advantage. This would penalize American firms that acted in good faith to comply with the AIM Act.
• Certainty under the AIM Act supports stable refrigerant supply, protects domestic jobs, and prevents fragmented state rules. Reopening the rule would invite a patchwork of requirements across jurisdictions.
• Over time, delays would increase costs for manufacturers, distributors, contractors, and end users. Staying on schedule lowers costs, supports investment recovery, and ensures affordable, energy-efficient equipment for consumers.
• As stated many times previously, it’s important to remember that the existing TT Rule applies only to newly manufactured equipment. Existing systems can operate through their full useful life, and components will remain available to ensure that servicing is not disrupted.

AGA Releases Winter Fuels Outlook – Natural gas remains a small slice of the family budget as the United States heads into the 2025-2026 heating season. AGA’s 2025 Winter Heating Outlook confirmed that while a colder than average winter may mean customers consume more natural gas to heat their homes, household natural gas bills are expected to remain about 8% below the higher prices of a few years ago. That’s good news as families sit down around the kitchen table. Natural gas spending accounts for only 1.1% of the average household’s annual expenses, or about $867. That is less than gasoline at $2,449, electricity at $1,763 and cell phone service at $1,270. These numbers are the result of a system that is adding supply and using energy more efficiently. Technically recoverable domestic natural gas resources are up 16% over two years ago. Production is at record levels, driven by American innovation that has made each well more efficient than ever before thanks to improvements in technology. Storage inventories are also above the five-year average as the withdrawal season begins. Thanks in large part to energy efficiency programs put in place and administered by America’s natural gas utilities,  which helps serve more customers while holding down bills regardless of the temperature.

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

CATO Forum on NATO Features Sen. Lee –The Cato Institute holds a conversation on the future of the NATO alliance with Senator Mike Lee tomorrow at Noon. This discussion will examine efforts at defense burden sharing and the challenges of balancing American interests with an ever-expanding menu of international commitments. We will also consider what principles should guide US engagement in Europe and opportunities for rebalancing the transatlantic relationship.

USEA Looks at Trade in Caucasus – The US Energy Association holds a discussion tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. on navigating the new horizons for peace and trade in the South Caucasus. Former U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta delivers keynote remarks.

Forum Looks at Grid – Canary Media is holding a discussion tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. about how the traditional concept of "energy efficiency" is failing to resonate and how it must be reframed around affordability, reliability and customer empowerment. The panel of experts will discuss how to design the next generation of demand-side programs that build data trust and transform passive consumers into active participants in the energy transition. ASE’s Paul Glover leads the panel. 

R St Forum Moves to Permitting – Tomorrow at 5:00 p.m., R St holds its third and final session of its Preparing for Energy Load Growth series will explore how Congress can address this bottleneck. Experts will examine the economics and politics of transmission—including regional divides and federal-state tensions—and the role of federal government. The conversation will also highlight what bipartisan reforms could help build a more resilient and affordable grid.

ELI Annual Dinner, Policy Forum Set – The Environmental Law Institute holds its 2025 Annual Award Dinner tomorrow where they will honor Ben Grumbles and the Environmental Council of the States. ELI also hosts its pre-dinner panel conversation about the opportunities for cooperative federalism. We will highlight specific states and analyze how their recent innovative approaches to environmental and energy policy intersect with federal environmental law. We will also discuss other related topics, including how to ensure adequate funding in delegated and authorized primacy states, the importance of continued support through focused and foundational scientific research, the possibility of coordination on modernizing environmental protection – such as through responsible integration of AI into business processes, streamlining permitting, remote compliance evaluation, and more – and the potential nexus between the reduction in EPA’s workforce and a corresponding loosening of the oversight reins. The program will feature an opening keynote by retired U.S. Deputy Solicitor General Edwin Kneedler, who will offer remarks on federalism and the role of states in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Atlantic Council Holds Energy, Defense Summit – The Atlantic Council Global Energy Center's Energy and Defense Program holds its 2025 Energy & Defense Summit on Wednesday. The event will feature a panel discussion on "Aligning Defense Strategy with Energy Security Challenges", one on "Energizing Defense with Nuclear Technologies" and a discussion of military power, energy security and global competition. Speakers include Reps. Don Bacon, Buddy Carter, Ed Case, Sarah Elfreth and Chuck Fleischmann.

CSIS Looks at Critical Minerals – The Center for Strategic and International Studies; and the West Point Center for the Study of Civil-Military Operations, hold the 2025 CSIS-West Point Conference on Wednesday looking at the future of critical minerals and national security. The event features a keynote address by Army Gen. John Abizaid, former commander of the U.S. Central Command, It will also include panels on rare earths reshaping geopolitical dynamics and critical minerals and national security.

Senate Environment Host NRC, EPA Noms – The Senate Environment Committee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. looking at the nominations of Ho Nieh to be a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; and Douglas Troutman to be assistant EPA administrator for toxic substances.

Law group Looks at State Courts, Global Policies – The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies holds a virtual discussion on Wednesday at 12:00 p.m., on state courts setting global policy. Speakers include David Bookbinder of the Environmental Integrity Project and Columbia Law School’s Sabin Center Michael Gerrard, among others.

USEA Looks at Carbon Capture – The US Energy Association holds a virtual discussion on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. on CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage) Demystified. This event kicks off USEA’s series on CCUS and will explore the foundations of CCUS: what it is, what it isn’t, and why it matters now more than ever. The session will trace the history of carbon capture, explain its role across industries and introduce the terminology and value chains that define the field.

Chamber to Hold Permitting Push on Capitol Hill – The US Chamber holds a permitting event on Capitol Hill on Thursday.  The event will feature a forum and Policy panels, as well as visits to Congressional offices.  They will also have a press event at 1:00 p.m. at House Triangle. House Resources Chair Bruce Westerman will be among the speakers. 

Axios Hosts Energy Event – Axios holds a discussion on Thursday at 7:30 a.m. looking at building a more secure energy economy. Axios Live conversations will explore how informed policy decisions can advance U.S. investment in energy security. The event looks at the role of federal and state leadership in driving infrastructure modernization, domestic production and affordability for a more secure energy future. ND Rep. Julie Fedorchak and IL Rep Sean Casten will speak.

Carbon Capture Report Launched – On Thursday at 9:00 a.m., the Global CCS Institute will hold the launch event of the Global Status of CCS 2025 Report. The Global Status of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Report delivers an exciting snapshot of new developments and breakthroughs in CCS over the past year, unveiling the latest data on projects in operation and under development. Jeff Dennis of the Electricity Customer Alliance speaks.

EESI Hosts Grid Reliability Forum – The Environmental and Energy Study Institute holds a briefing on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. about policy solutions to meet the reliability, resilience, and affordability challenges facing the U.S. energy grid. This briefing will outline policy options and technological innovations to address these challenges. Panelists will expand on several aspects of grid modernization, including the buildout of new transmission lines, bringing online new power generation and energy storage capacity, and improving energy efficiency. They will also describe the state of permitting reform in the 119th Congress.

LA Biz Council Sustainability Summit Set – The Los Angeles Business Council’s 19^th Sustainability Summit will be held in LA on Thursday at USC. Speakers will include LA County Supervisor Lindsay Horvath, CEC Commissioner Nancy Skinner, Cal Resource s Secretary Wade Crowfoot, Cal ISO CEO Elliot Mainzer and many more.

IN THE FUTURE

Bracewell’s Tax Expert to Speak at SAF Congress – The Sustainable Aviation Fuel North American Congress will be held on October 14^th to 16^th in Houston at the Marriott Marquis Hotel. SAF North America 2025 brings together more than 800 decision-makers from across aviation, energy, and government to tackle the biggest challenges in SAF scale-up, infrastructure, and policy. Speakers will include all major airlines, DOE’s Valerie Reed and Blake Simmons, Bracewell’s tax expert Tim Urban and many more.

Hydro Forum to Explore New Opportunities – The National Hydropower Association holds its Clean Currents forum from October 14^th to 17^th in Pittsburgh, PA.

Semafor World Economic Summit Set for DC – On Wednesday October 15^th and Thursday October 16^th, the Fall Edition of Semafor’s World Economy Summit will be held in Washington DC at the Gallup Great Hall. The event features on-the-record interviews on the state of global growth and finance, AI advancements, powering global energy needs and the forces reshaping the world economy.

Ethanol Summit Set for DC – Global Ethanol Summit (GES), organized by the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council (USGBC), will be held on Sunday October 19^th to Wednesday October 22^nd in Washington, DC. GES will include participants from more than 40 countries, expanding global ethanol markets through innovation, renewable solutions and trade.  Former Energy Secretary Ernie Moniz, RFA head Geoff Cooper and Growth CEO Emily Skor are among the many speakers.

API Hosts Permitting Forum – The American Petroleum Institute holds a special panel discussion and reception on Monday, October 20^th at 3:00 p.m. at its office looking at the future of US energy infrastructure and permitting reform.  Speakers are expected to include key Hill leaders.

Agri-Pulse Hosts Ag Jobs, Clean Energy Forum – As world leaders prepare to convene at COP30 in Belém, Brazil this November, American agriculture stands at a pivotal moment to demonstrate its leadership in sustainable food systems innovation. Agri-Pulse and JBS hold a forum on October 21^st at 2:00 p.m. in the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. to spotlight how U.S. farmers, ranchers, and their supply chain partners are already delivering the solutions the world needs. This timely forum will showcase real-world success stories and policy recommendations from the Sustainable Business COP (SB COP)—a global collaborative of private-sector companies—demonstrating how American agriculture is proving that productivity and sustainability go hand-in-hand.

Former FERC Chair Headlines Power Forum – POWER eXchange holds a forum in Denver on October 28^th to look at Data Center questions. Former FERC Chairman Mark C. Christie will keynote, bringing two decades of regulatory insight on reliability, market design, and the future of power and digital infrastructure.

BPC Permitting Summit Features Key Congressional, FERC Leaders – On October 29^th, the Bipartisan Policy Center holds its Permitting Summit 2025, a half-day event bringing together congressional leaders from both sides of the aisle, key administration officials, and leaders from industry and the nonprofit sector. Through keynote addresses, fireside chats, and expert panels, speakers will explore the questions above and the policy and political dynamics shaping permitting reform. Key speakers include Seb. Dave McCormick, Reps. Bruce Westerman and Jared Golden, FERC Chair David Rosner and FERC Commissioner Lindsay See. 

VA, NJ, NY City Election Day – Tuesday November 4^th.

COP 30 Meeting – The 30^th UN climate conference will take place on November 10-21 in Belém, Brazil. The event will bring together world leaders, scientists, non-governmental organizations, and civil society to discuss priority actions to tackle climate change. COP30 will focus on the efforts needed to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5°C, the presentation of new national action plans (NDCs) and the progress on the finance pledges made at COP29.