Federal Mandate Freezes 22 Gigawatts of Renewable Power Amidst Rising Demand

Washington, Saturday, 17 January 2026.
A July 2025 Interior Department mandate requiring personal Secretarial sign-off has paralyzed 22 gigawatts of renewable energy projects. This regulatory bottleneck forces reliance on costlier coal generation just as AI-driven electricity demand surges, creating a critical infrastructure choke point that federal courts began dismantling this week.