Around the Local
An in-depth look at the renewed role of nuclear energy in meeting America's growing power needs, including workforce implications and long-term infrastructure planning.
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Power generation outages are expected to increase significantly on the nation's largest electric grid. The anticipated surge raises concerns about grid reliability and highlights the critical need for skilled electrical workers to maintain infrastructure.
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IBEW Local 601 members protested outside a 16-story high-rise construction project in Champaign-Urbana, opposing the hiring of Bonus Electric Construction Company. Union members say the out-of-region contractor pays substandard wages below the area standard established by the IBEW, undermining wages and benefits local electrical workers have fought to maintain.
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IBEW Local 429 claims Nashville Electric Service turned away union linemen offering help during a crippling ice storm that left over 230,000 customers without power. NES denied the allegations, though emails reviewed by local media show contractors were told their help was not needed. IBEW leadership later disputed the reports as "unequivocally false."
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Gas-fired power plant development in the US nearly tripled in 2025, driven primarily by energy-hungry AI data centers. More than a quarter of all global gas power pipeline projects are now in the US, with over a third of newly proposed capacity explicitly linked to data center projects. The boom raises concerns about long-term emissions and threatens to derail climate goals.
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Trump administration officials have delayed finalizing the repeal of EPA's 2009 "endangerment finding" - the scientific foundation for most federal climate regulations - over concerns the proposal is too legally weak to withstand court challenges. The finding underpins greenhouse gas rules for vehicles, power plants, and other major pollution sources.
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Naperville Council voted 6-1 to reject a 36-megawatt data center despite IBEW's Anthony Giunti emphasizing construction would bring millions to the local economy and create long-term career opportunities. Labor leaders warned that rejecting the project removes years of high-paying skilled construction work from a vacant property.
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Winter storm conditions risk shuttering Appalachia gas wells and pipelines in bitter cold, potentially forcing more electricity outages in the East. PJM warned that pressure will mount across regional grids as the nation's largest grid operator exports power while managing unprecedented demand.
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FERC has directed PJM to create new rules facilitating co-location of data centers with power plants, potentially favoring on-site natural gas generation. The regulations aim to accelerate interconnection while addressing reliability concerns and avoiding lengthy grid connection delays that can stretch 5-7 years.
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America faces critical shortages of skilled electrical workers and electricity supply to support manufacturing reshoring and AI data centers. Morgan Stanley warns of a potential 20% power shortage by 2028 while Bureau of Labor Statistics projects nearly 80,000 electrician job openings over the next decade, with apprentice programs increasing 50% to address the gap.
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