On October 2, 2026, Oracle announced it would subscribe to a portion of the output from the Point Beach nuclear power plant in Wisconsin, potentially saving customers of the state's utilities around $300 million in fuel costs. This move comes after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved, but suspended until February 28, 2027, an emergency request by PJM, the grid operator for thirteen U.S. states, to procure additional electricity capacity. FERC questioned the cost allocation key proposed by PJM, which is central to determining how the costs of new power generation are shared among consumers. On the same day, PJM began its annual review of data center requests, for the first time involving an independent consultant. With Amazon's recent commitment and a freeze on a Florida county’s data center plans, the issue of who should bear the cost of electricity for AI data centers remains a pressing concern. Oracle’s move involves purchasing energy directly from the Point Beach nuclear plant, which is currently managed by We Energies under a power purchase agreement with NextEra Energy. Oracle’s subscription would reduce the costs We Energies must pass on to other customers. A new contract signed by We Energies’ parent company, WEC Energy, with NextEra Energy covers 86% of the plant’s production for the next two decades, starting in 2030 and 2033 for the two reactors. This contract, which is awaiting approval from the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC), is part of Oracle’s Project Lighthouse, a campus in Port Washington that the company says it will fully fund for energy costs. However, Oracle and We Energies have not yet disclosed the amount of energy Oracle will purchase, the duration of the commitment, or the power involved. These details are expected to be submitted to the PSC in the coming months. FERC approved PJM’s emergency procurement but suspended it for five months, citing concerns about the cost allocation method. PJM had requested a special procedure to secure new power generation capacity for fifteen years, in response to a shortfall in the 2027/2028 capacity auction. The FERC emphasized that the allocation of costs among consumers is the responsibility of the states, though it praised a 2026 White House initiative and a pledge by data center developers to protect retail consumers from price hikes. The Commission also highlighted that the cost-sharing approach could potentially misalign with the actual benefits derived from the new capacity. PJM has not yet finalized its plan for allocating costs, and its news updates have been limited since late September. PJM has also initiated a review of data center energy needs, using an independent consultant for the first time. Twelve major energy distributors, including Dominion Energy and Exelon, submitted requests for large load adjustments, primarily for data centers, for the 2027 long-term forecast. These adjustments are crucial for predicting future electricity demand. PJM’s new consultant, Charles River Associates, is evaluating trends in data center demand, including the impact of AI, with results expected in October and a final forecast by January 2027. Meanwhile, Amazon has outlined its own energy practices, stating that its data centers will cover both energy and infrastructure costs, and it has abandoned confidentiality agreements with governments. In Florida, Osceola county has frozen data center projects, pending a report due in July 2027. In Texas, the attorney general is investigating hundreds of data centers over water usage. These developments highlight the evolving landscape of energy regulation and the growing role of AI in shaping electricity demand.