Where things stand
LBNL and Brattle reviewed 55 of the 264 large-load tariffs Halcyon tracks and found, for tariffs proposed since 2025, a median threshold of 25 MW, a median minimum billing demand of 80% and a median term of 12 years, up from an average of 5 years before 2025 (LBNL and Brattle, August 10 2026). Study fees, ramps, hold-harmless clauses and exit fees are now standard. The dollar consequences for a 50 MW load in 15 markets are in the Large-Load Cost Table and in What 50 MW Costs in 15 US Markets; the bill arithmetic for a PJM plant is in A Factory Owner’s Guide to the PJM Capacity Charge.
The rules, by state, with the next date on each. Revised when a docket moves.
Texas: SB6 and Batch Zero
SB6, signed June 20 2025, applies at 75 MW: a $100,000 minimum study fee, disclosure of duplicate requests, disclosure of on-site backup at 50% or more of load that ERCOT can order deployed, proof of site control and uniform security (Bracewell). PUCT’s proposed 16 TAC 25.194 (March 12 2026) sets $50,000 per MW security at the intermediate agreement plus a non-refundable $50,000 per MW at the final one, study fees of $100,000 to $300,000, 100% CIAC and 80% forfeiture on withdrawal (Greenberg Traurig); for 75 MW that is $7.6 million of cash before energization. ERCOT’s Batch Zero (NPRR1325 and PGRR145) was approved by the board June 1 2026 and by PUCT June 18 2026 with 438 GW tracked, classification notices due August 2026, a final transmission plan in fall 2027 and Batch 1 applications in summer 2027 (ERCOT). Then on August 3 2026 the Governor ordered an audit of every datacenter in a 474 GW queue before any further approvals (Governor’s letter); PUCT waived the August 7 classification deadline on August 20 and ERCOT targets a December 10 2026 audit report, with the Batch Zero study no longer finishing by April 9 2027 (Utility Dive). The queue was 63 GW at end-2024 and 410 GW on March 26 2026 (ERCOT). A 50 MW load sits under the 75 MW line and outside all of it.
Ohio: AEP Ohio Schedule DCT
Approved by PUCO July 9 2025 (AEP): loads over 25 MW pay for at least 85% of contract capacity for up to 12 years (a four-year ramp at 50, 65, 80 and 90% then eight years), a 36-month exit fee, collateral of 50% of term minimum charges, and a $50,000 study fee for 50 to 100 MW (tariff page). By February 12 2026 AEP Ohio had 17,861 MW under signed contracts against a system peak of 8,000 to 10,500 MW (AEP Ohio). The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association has appealed the tariff and the 2023 moratorium to the Ohio Supreme Court (Ohio Capital Journal). The next study tranche opens October 1 2026 with applications due September 30. Columbus energizes in 2031 to 2033 in our table.
Georgia: PSC rule and the 10 GW build
The PSC rule of January 23 2025 (effective February 1) puts customers at or above 100 MW on customised contracts of up to 15 years, up from 5, with minimum bills and upstream generation and transmission cost recovery (Georgia PSC). The PSC approved about 10 GW of new Georgia Power generation on December 20 2025 with a stipulation of $8.50 a month of “downward pressure” on bills in 2029 to 2031 (Capitol Beat). Southern’s contracted large load reached 17 GW by August 2026, including OpenAI’s 3.2 GW, 25-year contract near Savannah from 2028 (Utility Dive). Below 100 MW the rule does not bite, which is why Atlanta is the fastest large market in our table.
Virginia: JLARC, GS-5 and the SCC
JLARC’s December 2024 report put the Dominion-zone cost of unconstrained datacenter growth at $16 to 18 billion by 2040 and $14 to $37 a month on a residential bill (JLARC Report 598). The SCC approved Dominion’s Schedule GS-5 on November 25 2025 (PUR-2025-00058): 25 MW threshold, 14-year term with a four-year ramp, 85% minimum for distribution and transmission and 60% for generation, $1.5 million per MW collateral (LBNL and Brattle, pp.4 to 7). On July 31 2026 the SCC ordered mandatory CIAC for direct-connect transmission serving large loads, with Dominion’s amended line-extension policy due within 90 days (SCC final order, PUR-2026-00056; Utility Dive). For 50 MW that is $75 million of collateral and a 2033 energization year.
PJM and FERC
FERC rejected the Talen and Amazon Susquehanna ISA 2 to 1 on November 1 2024 (Utility Dive), directed PJM to write co-location rules in December 2025, and on June 18 2026 issued show-cause orders to six RTOs on study speed, cost shifts, co-location and flexible service (Utility Dive). PJM’s board on July 27 2026 excluded new large loads without their own supply from future forecasts, created an Interim Resource Adequacy Service under which such loads curtail near emergencies from June 1 2027, and set a 6.8 GW backstop auction at a $555 per MW-day cap running September 30 to October 21 2026 with results December 2 2026 (Utility Dive; docket ER26-3380). The BRA has cleared at the cap three years running: $329.17 (2026/27), $333.44 (2027/28), $325.00 (2028/29) per MW-day (PJM 2028/29 results). MISO filed a zero-injection interconnection agreement in August 2026 promising 90-day reviews for co-located generation that never exports (Utility Dive).
Other states
| State | Instrument | Terms | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | I&M Industrial Power Tariff, Cause 46097 | 70 MW+; at least 12 years after a ramp of up to 5; exit fees | approved February 19 2025 | AEP |
| Utah | SB 132 | large load defined at 100 MW within five years; may contract separate generation | law, March 2025 | Latitude Media |
| California | CPUC D.25-07-039, PG&E Rule 30 | transmission-level retail interconnection with customer advances and refunds | approved July 2025 | PG&E |
| Pennsylvania | PUC model large-load tariff | CIAC recovering all interconnection costs incl. network upgrades | final order April 2026 | LBNL and Brattle, p.8 |
| Colorado | Xcel filing 26AL-0137E | 50 MW+; $120,000 deposit; 15-year contracts; 80% minimum; exit fee equal to remaining minimum bills | pending, filed April 2 2026 | Colorado Sun |
| Oregon | PUC Order 26-154, PGE Schedule 96 | 20 MW+; 90% minimum G&T demand; 10 to 30 year terms; 100% of distribution upgrades | approved May 7 2026 | Oregon PUC |
| North Carolina | Duke Carolinas Schedule HLF, E-7 Sub 1329 | 50 MW+ at 80% load factor or 100 MW+; 75% minimum; 10 or 15 years; 25% exit penalty from 2027 | proposed June 2026 | Latitude Media |
The calendar
| Date | Event | Why it matters | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 30 2026 | AEP Ohio DCT study-tranche applications due; tranche opens October 1 | the only scheduled entry point to Columbus capacity | AEP Ohio |
| September 30 to October 21 2026 | PJM backstop auction, 6.8 GW, $555 per MW-day cap | up to $1.38 billion a year of new cost, allocation to be decided | Utility Dive |
| About October 29 2026 | Dominion files amended line-extension policy (90 days from July 31 order) | sets the CIAC a direct-connect load pays in Northern Virginia | SCC order |
| December 2 2026 | PJM backstop auction results | the 2029/30 capacity charge scenario resolves | Utility Dive |
| December 10 2026 | ERCOT audit report on the 474 GW queue | decides which Batch Zero requests survive | Utility Dive |
| 2026, date open | PUCT adopts 16 TAC 25.194 | $50,000 per MW security becomes law at 75 MW | Greenberg Traurig |
| June 1 2027 | PJM Interim Resource Adequacy Service applies to loads connecting after this date | new large loads without supply become curtailable near emergencies | Utility Dive |
| Summer 2027 | ERCOT Batch 1 applications open | first new entry point after Batch Zero | ERCOT |
| Fall 2027 | ERCOT final Batch Zero transmission plan | fixes energization years for Dallas and Houston loads | ERCOT |
| 2027 onward | Duke HLF 25% exit penalty in force, if approved | changes the exit math in the Carolinas | Latitude Media |
The Large-Load Interconnection Cost and PJM Capacity Charge Estimator calculators carry the rates on this page. For a plant under 25 MW the sequence that saves four to six months is in The 2 MW Plant Service Upgrade Nobody Budgets Right.
What would change this tracker
- The ERCOT audit removing more than half of the 474 GW. Our energization years for Dallas and Houston (2028 to 2029) assume Batch Zero proceeds in 2027 with a smaller queue; an audit that leaves most of it in place pushes both past 2030.
- The Ohio Supreme Court vacating the AEP Ohio DCT. Every Midwest tariff written since July 2025 copies its 85% and 12-year structure; a reversal reopens Indiana, Pennsylvania and Colorado.
- FERC dictating a national large-load interconnection standard after the show-cause responses. The chair said FERC would “dictate solutions” if RTOs failed to; a federal rule replaces this state-by-state page with one table.