Freedom is back on the menu at the Department of Energy, MISO is cracking down on market tricksters with names like Ketchup Caddy, and FERC is giving the Western U.S. its own transmission sandbox. While Trump dials back Biden-era regulations, the markets are making moves of their own—demanding more rigor, faster interconnection, and ironically, more federalism in electricity. It’s a strange time to be in power—but if you’re paying attention, it’s a profitable one.

DOE Yanks Appliance Rules, Embraces Deregulated Dishwashing

The Department of Energy has pulled the plug on several energy efficiency rules, including standards for ceiling fans, electric motors, and even the humble dehumidifier. Secretary Chris Wright framed it not as a regulatory rollback but as a “return of freedom to the American people”—a phrase more suited for a revolution than a refrigerator rule. The decision to ditch the motor standards, which were widely supported by utilities and manufacturers, raised eyebrows even among industry insiders who usually cheer deregulation.

Critics argue this move sacrifices long-term savings for short-term politics. The now-withdrawn electric motor rule alone was projected to save $56 billion in utility costs over 30 years. But that’s not the point—this is about signaling. The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 has called for the elimination of appliance standards altogether, and Wright’s DOE is obliging. It’s not about saving energy; it’s about saving face. And possibly, winning over a voter whose microwave now turns on faster.

MISO Targets Fraud After Demand Response Scams Surface

MISO is rewriting its demand response rulebook after uncovering market manipulation from companies like Voltus and—yes, really—Ketchup Caddy. These players allegedly gamed the system by claiming power cuts that never happened, registering phantom resources, and inflating baselines. The changes, filed with FERC, will require legal ownership verification, mandatory officer attestations, and the end of self-scheduling for demand response.

This is the energy market’s version of Enron in miniature—fake supply, fake savings, real payouts. The reforms aim to restore credibility, but they also reveal how loosely these markets were being policed. When a condiment-themed shell company can siphon real dollars out of a critical infrastructure market, it’s safe to say reform is overdue. MISO wants this fixed by July. Investors should hope it’s in time to prevent deeper confidence rot.

FERC Approves Western Expansion, Hints at Faster Permitting

FERC just greenlit the Southwest Power Pool’s plan to launch RTO West, a new regional transmission organization to cover the Western Interconnection. This is a major leap forward for the West’s fragmented grid, promising day-ahead markets, better planning, and more coordinated transmission. But don’t break out the champagne yet—seams issues, especially between market and non-market areas, remain unresolved.

Beyond RTO West, FERC also signaled major changes to permitting. Chairman Mark Christie announced the agency would scrap the Biden-era environmental justice analysis, streamline NEPA reviews, and prioritize speed. “If it’s needed, build it,” Christie said. And in an age where permitting delays have become a bigger obstacle than financing, that may be the most important policy shift of all. In other words: buy the shovel makers, not the wind talkers.

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Conversation Starters

• Yahoo Finance – TotalEnergies Bets Big on Batteries in Germany – The oil giant is doubling down on grid-scale storage with 221 MW of new projects and a 2 GW pipeline in Europe’s tightest power market.
  

• APS Journal – Controversial Device Claims to Harness Earth’s Rotation for Power – A Princeton-led team says it generated electricity from the planet’s spin using a hollow magnetic cylinder—skeptics remain, but the math checks out.
  

• Wall Street Journal – Where Will We Get the New Transformers? – A biting op-ed that skewers the EPA’s EV dreams by asking the obvious: where’s the grid hardware to support any of this?

Good Bet, Bad Bet

Good Bet: TotalEnergies (TTE) Grid-Scale Batteries, Euro Style
TotalEnergies is no longer just oil and gas—it’s now one of the most aggressive players in the battery storage space. With €160 million going into six new projects in Germany and a 2 GW battery pipeline, the company is positioning itself as the European champion of clean firm power. Their vertically integrated model—owning both the hardware (via Saft) and the trading desks—is a killer combo. In an era where intermittency is the bottleneck, Total is buying the valves.

Bad Bet: Whirlpool (WHR)
While the DOE’s deregulation might sound like a win for manufacturers, companies like Whirlpool are now stuck in limbo. With some rules scrapped, others paused, and lawsuits sure to follow, manufacturers face uncertainty on product development, labeling, and compliance. Add in higher energy costs from less efficient appliances and a fragmented market message, and WHR is in for a turbulent spin cycle. Expect headwinds, not tailwinds.

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