Utilities

The bond sale follows an upgrade by S&P Global Ratings but comes while the city is in the midst of an extreme drought.

Superior, Wisconsin, officials are mulling a bond-financed acquisition of the water system currently owned by private firm Superior Water, Light, and Power.

The rating agency cited the prospect of lowered debt service coverage ratios in the next three years.

Realty Income, a real estate investment trust concentrated in low-risk retail and industrial real estate, was the funding recipient on the $675 million deal.

The state's latest water plan outlines $174 billion of capital water needs over the next 50 years. "The era of cheaper water is over," said one state water official.

Texas is set to become the world's largest data center market by 2030, according to JLL.

S&P cited the system's structural challenges, physical risk exposure and uncertainty about the system's overall financial and operational trajectory.

A bill would make it easier for local governments in the area served by investor-owned PG&E to break off into public electricity utilities.

A California lawmaker introduced legislation that would require data centers that use excessive amounts of energy to pay a surcharge to avoid rate hikes on residents.

The Illinois Municipal Electric Agency hasn't lost Naperville yet, but the city council withdrew from contract extension negotiations last week.

Piper Sandler will price $100 million of electric revenue bonds for Iowa public utility Muscatine Power and Water on Wednesday.

The governor, in the final year of his term, asked lawmakers to approve reforms that would fix the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority's balance sheet.

The city's Department of Water and Power, which saw spreads widen after last year's deadly wildfires, upsized a revenue bond deal amid strong investor interest.

Moody's cited the enterprise's exceptional cash position and strong debt service coverage.

The state's Local Government Commission approved the borrowing Tuesday.

The Northeast's offshore wind projects are battling to keep building again after the Trump adminstration cited national security to pause five leases.

U.S. electricity consumption has shifted from limited to rising growth due to the proliferation of data centers, which poses challenges for public power.

Stargate data centers in Michigan and Wisconsin illustrate the risks to municipalities of such projects and the growing backlash to data centers.

Omaha Public Power District will go to market the week of Jan. 5 with about $164 million of Series 2026A separate electric system revenue refunding bonds.

Moody's cited narrowing financial flexibility and declining debt service.