This week, federal intervention clashed with state plans as the U.S. Department of Energy ordered a Michigan coal plant to stay online, despite state approval for its closure. Simultaneously, grid reliability faced significant challenges, including a major data center outage in South Dakota and a costly delay at Switzerland's Goen nuclear plant. Amidst these tensions, states like New York are advancing clean hydrogen projects, while newer energy sectors are seeing market consolidation and bankruptcies. These shifts spotlight the complex balancing act between securing grid modernization, funding the energy transition, and keeping energy costs affordable for consumers.