UTAH ASSOCIATION OF ENERGY USERS
WHO WE ARE
UAE provides a wide range of regulatory services to its members to keep electricity and natural gas rates affordable for the organization's members, many of whom compete globally. UAE is actively involved in the representation of industrial customers before the Utah Legislature and Public Utilities Commissions. The organization provides expert testimony in utility proceedings for Rocky Mountain Power (PacifiCorp) and Enbridge Gas Company on electricity issues and natural gas issues, including gas transportation.
At the regional and federal levels, UAE provides leadership and intervention on behalf of its members before the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) - the electric reliability council in the West - and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). On policy issues, UAE works to support our members' overall policy plans by resolving issues with administrative, legislative, and regulatory entities. UAE also participates in and monitors what is occurring at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on issues that impact the region and state.
January Newsletter:
Power Shifts, Policy Plays, and the Next Energy Frontier
The January 2026 UAE Monthly Energy Update kicks off the year with a sweeping look at how energy, geopolitics, and technology are colliding across Utah and the West. Here’s what members are reading:
🌍 How California Turned a Small Utah Town into a Global Energy Hub
Delta, Utah sits at the crossroads of coal’s past and hydrogen’s future. A deep dive into the Intermountain Power Project shows how California’s energy policies reshaped Utah’s economy — and why Delta could become one of the world’s first large-scale hydrogen power hubs.
⛏️ Utah’s Bid to Solve the Critical Minerals Crisis
State leaders want Utah to become the nation’s top destination for critical mineral mining and processing. With China dominating global supply chains, Utah’s “Mission Critical” plan could reshape national security and industrial policy.
⚡ PacifiCorp Shifts Power as Washington Goes Coal-Free
Coal is officially out of Washington’s rate base. PacifiCorp is reallocating gas and wind resources across states, raising big questions about cost allocation, fairness, and who pays as energy policies diverge.
🔥 Wyoming Eyes a Massive New Gas Power Plant
A proposed 2,000-MW natural gas facility would complement one of the largest wind projects in the country — highlighting the growing role of gas as a reliability backstop for renewables.
⚛️ Meta Goes All-In on Nuclear
Meta’s landmark deal with TerraPower could finance up to 6.6 GW of advanced nuclear power, making it one of the largest corporate nuclear commitments in U.S. history — and signaling where data center power is headed.
🔗 Transmission Battles in Colorado
A major new transmission line meant to unlock renewable energy is stalled by local opposition, wildfire fears, and land-use disputes — underscoring how hard it is to build infrastructure, even when everyone wants clean power.
🔮 Western Energy Stories to Watch in 2026
From the launch of CAISO’s Extended Day-Ahead Market, to SPP’s Markets+, to the explosive growth of AI-driven power demand, this forward-looking section flags the issues that will define the year ahead.
👉 Become a UAE member today and join Utah’s leading network of energy users shaping the region’s future.
