Here are the top five (5) topics that we're tracking from this week. As always focusing on utilities, energy, water, regulation, and regulatory finance.

Below you'll find the summary of the five (5) headline topics we been researching this week Click on the links for more information regarding the:

1. National Petroleum Council (NPC) & DOE push big permitting reform and gas–electric coordination

   • DOE released major NPC studies on Dec 3, 2025 recommending streamlined federal permitting and coordinated planning between gas and electric sectors to modernize U.S. energy infrastructure and to tackle the problems regarding rapidly rising demand. World Oil+3The Department of Energy's Energy.gov+3Daily Energy Insider+3

2. Congress reshapes energy–water funding and oversight (spending bill + oversight letters & efficiency bills)

   • A Senate Energy–Water spending bill proposes cuts to clean energy programs but boosts funding for water projects, possibly highlighting shifting priorities in federal appropriations. Politico Pro+1

   • The House Energy & Commerce Committee advanced a package of energy-efficiency bills aimed at lowering costs (focusing on affordability) and improving reliability. Politico Pro

   • House Democrats sent FERC a letter on DOE’s proposed rule for large data-center loads, warning that surging AI/data-center demand threatens affordability and calling for careful oversight of DOE’s advanced notice of proposed rulemaking. Democrats, Energy and Commerce Committee

3. Congressional hearing on security of U.S. energy infrastructure and the grid

   • The House Energy Subcommittee held a Dec 3, 2025 hearing on the security of energy infrastructure, including the electric grid, displaying  heightened concern about cyber, physical, and capacity risks to keep an eye on. House Committee on Energy and Commerce+1

4. Grid-storage industry crushes its 35 GW by 2025 goal, making batteries central to utility planning

   • U.S. grid-storage developers exceeded their long-standing target of 35 GW by 2025, confirming batteries as a welcome mainstream power-sector asset, not just a niche pilot technology that can be brushed aside in near future. Canary Media+2SEJ+2

5. Water-utility regulatory finance in focus: WV American Water rate cases + broader stress on water models

   • The West Virginia PSC scheduled a Dec 15 public hearing on two rate cases from West Virginia American Water Co. (about $46M in water and $1.4M in sewer increases over two phases starting 2026), tied to more than $300M in infrastructure investments. West Virginia Public Service Commission+2WOAY-TV+2

   • In the UK, Thames Water reported a large profit swing driven by approximate change of 30% bill increases, yet still warned of “material uncertainty” and a potential move into special administration, underscoring how fragile some highly leveraged water-utility models might continue to be. The Guardian

We've also observed a cross-cutting trend: utilities and regulators are experimenting with “regulatory sandbox” pilots and flexible programs (like virtual power plants and advanced demand response), in an attempt to accelerate innovation while at the same time mitigating risk. Utility Dive+2PTD Today+2