New Jersey Halts Offshore Wind Transmission Plan Amid Project Cancellations; Alabama Blocks Solar Farm Ban; FERC Faces Pipeline Delay for Data Centers

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities has terminated a 2021 agreement with PJM Interconnection to develop transmission infrastructure for offshore wind energy, citing the cancellation of multiple wind projects in the state.

In a letter to PJM, the board stated,

"New Jersey is now facing a situation in which there will be no identified, large-scale in-state generation projects under active development that can make use of [the agreement] on the timeline the state and PJM initially envisioned."

Robert Freudenberg of the Regional Plan Association acknowledged the decision but emphasized its temporary nature:

"We cannot fault the Sherrill Administration for making this decision today, but this must only be a temporary setback."

The termination leaves uncertainty over whether New Jersey will proceed with transmission plans amid rising electricity demand, though any offshore wind developments remain contingent on federal approval.

Alabama Blocks Statewide Solar Farm Ban

Alabama lawmakers have effectively killed a bill that would have imposed a statewide ban on solar farms, following amendments and procedural objections.

The Alabama State Senate initially considered the ban earlier this year amid concerns over a Meta-backed solar facility in Stockton, a rural area south of Montgomery. After passing the bill in late March with an amendment limiting the ban to Mobile and Baldwin counties, senators failed to secure unanimous consent to transmit it to the Alabama House after the 26th day of the legislative session, rendering it dead.

FERC Opposes Pipeline for Data Center Project

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is delaying approval for the 17-mile "Green Chile" natural gas pipeline, citing insufficient documentation to prove it will not harm historic properties under the National Historic Preservation Act.

The pipeline is intended to power Project Jupiter, a data center project backed by OpenAI and Oracle. Environmental groups have opposed the facility, though previous litigation attempts to block it have failed.

Tennessee Nonprofit Challenges Data Center Ban

A free-market nonprofit in Tennessee has filed a federal lawsuit against Hawkins County, arguing that its ban on data centers is unconstitutional.