The Midcontinent ISO on Jan. 6 announced a strategic collaboration with Microsoft “that sets a new industry benchmark for grid modernization and supports a reliable and resilient energy transition,” the grid operator said. “By combining MISO’s deep operational expertise with Microsoft Azure and

Trina Storage in December announced its expanding strategic partnership with Lightshift Energy, a U.S. developer, owner, and operator of energy storage systems. This partnership will deliver a portfolio greater than 1 GWh of energy storage projects across the United States.

The last phase of local community solar projects facilitated by the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska (MEAN) in a collaborative effort with Omaha, Neb.-based Sandhills Energy went online in December.

Citing project uncertainties, California public power utility SMUD announced on Jan. 5 that it will not be purchasing power from the Coyote Creek solar energy project.

Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) announced on Jan. 6 that it has taken ownership of the third and final power plant in a major generation resource acquisition, originally announced in summer 2023.

Americans for a Clean Energy Grid in December released its new High-Capacity Transmission Permitting Tracker, a publicly accessible tool that shows the state and federal permitting status for major planned transmission projects nationwide.