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DOE Announces Site Selection for Energy Infrastructure and AI Data Centers on Federal Lands

LCG, July 24, 2025--The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the next steps in the Trump administration’s plan to accelerate the development of AI infrastructure by using Federal lands to lower energy costs and help power the global AI race, as previously outlined in President Trump’s Executive Orders on Accelerating Federal Permitting of Data Center Infrastructure, Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security, and Unleashing American Energy.

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Enbridge Announces 600-MW Solar Project in Texas to Power Meta Data Center Operations

LCG, July 22, 2025--Enbridge Inc. (Enbridge) today announced that it has reached a final investment decision on the Clear Fork solar project located near San Antonio, Texas. Meta Platforms, Inc. (Meta), has signed a long-term contract for all of the renewable power generated from the 600-MW project.

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Industry News

SMUD Considers Pumped Storage

LCG, September 4, 2003—Sacramento MunicipalUtility District is considering building a pumped storage plant to supply electricity during peak demandhours.

SMUD may apply for a federal license for pumpedstorage along with a renewal application for its 11dams and eight power plants along the American River.The plant would pump water uphill during times ofoff-peak demand and use the water’s potentialenergy to generate electricity during peak demand.

While pumped storage is, after all, energy-inefficient (since energy is always lost in the process), it can serve as a sort of giant battery togive an energy provider greater flexibility whenpower is produced. Cheap electricity produced at nightcan be stored by using that electricity to pump wateruphill, and then the same water can be allowed to falldownhill and through turbines during peak demand hoursto provide electricity.

The project will require extensive environmentalreview because it will affect fish and wildlife, aswell as recreation. So far, SMUD engineers havecontemplated blasting out a hillside next to theAmerican River in order to construct part of theplant; this underground network would connect to thesummit of Iowa Hill, where a new lake would becreated.

Several government agencies have warned SMUD thatthere is not sufficient time between now and the 2005deadline to fully investigate the project, and SMUD issure to meet opposition from local fisherman,residents, and farmers, who already feel SMUD has toomuch control over the American River’s water.

If the project passes environmental review andmakes it past local opposition, it willtake about four years to construct. The plant isexpected to generate 400 megawatts.

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