The Duck Curve#tariffs
UK sets February 2027 start for standard supplier tariff data APIs
The UK government has modified the Retail Energy Code, effective November 6, 2026, to add the final technical specification for Tariff Interoperability Phase 1a, which requires electricity suppliers in Great Britain to publish tariff pricing data through a standard public API by a planned go-live of February 18, 2027. Account-specific tariff data waits for Phase 1b, proposed for November 2027.
T1 wins a Section 232 solar waiver; wind import proclamation sets no tariff
T1 Energy said on October 22, 2026 that Commerce granted it a Section 232 waiver, having sought to import up to 1.725 GW of solar cells; a proclamation the same day found wind turbine imports threaten national security but ordered negotiations, not tariffs. The EU repealed its duties on Chinese solar glass, and LevelTen said Section 232 tariffs led a 4.9% rise in its P25 solar PPA index.
Michigan regulators approve 360 MW of DTE solar at $76 to $96 per MWh
The Michigan Public Service Commission approved DTE Electric's 125 MW Blazing Star solar purchase agreement and its own 50 MW Keystone and 185 MW Peatville projects on October 15, 2026. DTE puts their expected levelized costs at $96, $83 and $76 per MWh; together they fill 360 MW of a solicitation for at least 1,350 MW.
Shapiro moves to join consumer advocate's data center case against PPL
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro petitioned the Public Utility Commission on October 15, 2026 for party status in the Office of Consumer Advocate's complaint against PPL Electric Utilities, which seeks a separate data center rate class and rules making data centers pay for the transmission upgrades they cause and for PJM reliability programs. PPL counts about 31.8 GW of advanced-stage data center projects by 2034 against a current 7.8 GW peak.
USITC clears solar cell duties on India, Indonesia and Laos
The US International Trade Commission determined on October 14, 2026 that imports of crystalline silicon solar cells and modules from India, Indonesia and Laos materially injure a US industry, so Commerce will issue antidumping and countervailing duty orders. Commerce's final dumping margins run from 65.43% for Laos to 123.04% for India.
EU sees China hybrid exports cut by over half; Beijing says they can grow
EU trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said on October 9 that an understanding to moderate Chinese hybrid and plug-in hybrid exports to the EU opens the prospect of cutting them by more than half. China's Commerce Ministry says the arrangement builds upward from the 302,000 hybrids the EU imported from China in 2025. The final decision lies at the European Council on October 15–16.
WoodMac: four-hour storage undercuts gas peakers wherever both were modeled
Wood Mackenzie said on October 8, 2026 that four-hour battery storage is now less expensive than open-cycle gas turbines in all 43 markets where it modeled both, citing gas turbine shortages, fuel volatility and expanding battery manufacturing. Single-axis tracker solar is the lowest-cost new build in 43 of 48 modeled markets. For the US, a WoodMac spokesperson told Utility Dive four-hour storage is 65% to 75% cheaper than new open-cycle peakers for a 2026 commercial operation date.
Suniva closes $835M raise for 4.5 GW South Carolina solar cell plant
Suniva said on September 8, 2026 it completed an $835 million debt and equity raise to build a 4.5 GW solar cell factory in Laurens County, South Carolina, for 5.5 GW of US cell capacity with its 1 GW Georgia plant. The release puts it at approximately $600 million and 564 jobs, completion late 2027; South Carolina's April 14, 2026 announcement said $350 million. The raise precedes Section 232 minimum import prices on polysilicon, ingots and wafers, cells and modules effective December 4, 2026, which the proclamation says replace the safeguard relief Suniva petitioned for in 2017.
