The AI Power Bill Is Coming… Who’s Going to Pay for It?
Artificial intelligence may be transforming business, but someone still has to pay for the electricity. And increasingly, that question is becoming a national issue. The U.S. Energy Information Administration now projects that electricity consumption will reach record levels in both 2026 and 2027, driven in large part by AI data centers, electrification and continued commercial and […]
65 Billion Barrels: A New Chapter in U.S. Energy Strategy
The global energy chessboard just moved again. The United States has announced a historic oil agreement involving Venezuela that provides U.S.-backed interests access to 17 Venezuelan oil fields containing approximately 65 billion barrels of proven reserves — more than the roughly 46 billion barrels of proven crude reserves currently attributed to the United States. The agreement also […]
The Grid Just Said “Enough”
For months, we’ve been talking about the explosion in electricity demand created by AI, data centers and the electrification of the U.S. economy. Now the conversation is changing. It’s no longer just about where the additional electricity will come from. It’s becoming a question of who gets the power—and who pays for it. PJM, operator […]
Summer Grid Stress Is Building. Are Your Energy Costs Next?
As summer temperatures rise across North America, so does pressure on the electric grid. Utilities, grid operators, and energy suppliers are preparing for what could become one of the most challenging summer demand seasons in recent memory. While most businesses focus on their next utility bill, larger market forces are quietly shaping what customers may […]
The Iran Ceasefire Is Not the End of Energy Risk
After months of military conflict, ceasefire negotiations between the United States and Iran have provided some relief to global energy markets. Oil prices have retreated from their highs, and market participants are cautiously optimistic that the worst may be behind us. However, large energy consumers should resist the temptation to assume that energy markets have […]
U.S. – China Summit: What It Could Mean for Energy Prices & Large Energy Consumers
This week’s U.S.-China summit is drawing significant attention across the financial and commodity markets — and for large energy consumers, the outcome could directly impact electricity and natural gas pricing heading into the second half of 2026. Why does this matter? China remains one of the world’s largest consumers of energy, natural gas, industrial metals, […]
Energy Market Volatility Alert
The escalation of the Iran conflict is creating significant volatility across global energy markets — and the impact is already being felt here in the U.S.—–As a Tuesday, April 7th 8 pm (EST) deadline looms Oil prices have surged sharply in recent weeks, driven by supply disruptions and uncertainty around key shipping routes. While this is […]
Market Update (April)
April 1, 2026Sterling Utility Management – Market Update Energy Markets React to Escalating Iran Conflict Over the past several weeks, global energy markets have experienced significant volatility driven by the escalating conflict involving Iran. While headlines have largely focused on oil, the broader implications extend well beyond crude pricing — directly impacting electricity, natural gas, […]
Market Update (March Mid-Month)
Energy Markets Tighten as Geopolitics, Demand, and Policy Collide Following our earlier March outlook, the energy landscape has shifted meaningfully over the past two weeks—introducing new volatility and reinforcing a key theme: energy risk is no longer seasonal… it’s structural. The ongoing conflict involving Iran has escalated into a material global supply disruption, particularly with threats to […]
Iran Conflict & U.S. Power & Gas Prices
The ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel is no longer just geopolitical drama — it’s rippling into global energy markets and affecting U.S. energy costs in ways that matter to manufacturers, property management portfolios, and major industrial energy consumers. 🚢 Why the Middle East Still Matters to U.S. Prices Even though the […]