Goldman Sachs analysts led by Carly Davenport warn that the U.S. faces a widening “power bill crisis,” with electricity costs surging in deregulated regions such as California, Maryland, and the Mid-Atlantic while remaining stable in states with abundant fossil or renewable generation. In the past three years, residential power bills jumped 29% in those high-cost areas, roughly 20 points above CPI, versus about 5% in more resource-rich states. Davenport attributes the disparity to coal retirements, volatile natural-gas markets, and “public benefit” charges tied to clean-energy mandates. The report forecasts national power-bill growth averaging 3% through 2029, potentially doubling if utility capital spending accelerates. Goldman notes that affordability now poses a “regulatory risk” as utilities enter a historic investment cycle to modernize grids strained by AI data-center demand and electrification, a dynamic likely to heighten localized political and ratepayer tensions.
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Transportation engineer, Hayden Clarkin details asking ChatGPT to design a “comprehensive intercity rail system for the Midwest” The AI nearly succeeded. The resulting plan proposed five “higher-speed” trunks and nine regional lines, connecting cities from Chicago to Philadelphia and the Twin Cities with frequent, clockface service and modest infrastructure upgrades. Clarkin praised its logic and coverage, noting it “nailed the fundamentals,” but faulted it for relying on diesel and overlooking geography, freight ownership, and electrification. ChatGPT’s model underestimated terrain and abandoned routes, yet produced detailed timetables and realistic cost breakdowns. Clarkin sees the experiment as both promising and humbling: evidence that AI can streamline planning and expose inefficiencies, but also a reflection of “how small our infrastructure dreams have become.” The exercise, he writes, “shows not the country we could be, but the one we’ve become.”
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The New York Times reports that Roger Ver, the early Bitcoin investor known as “Bitcoin Jesus,” has reached a tentative agreement with the U.S. Justice Department to resolve a tax fraud case by paying roughly $48 million. Ver, who renounced his U.S. citizenship in 2014, had been charged with concealing Bitcoin holdings and failing to pay taxes prior to expatriation. According to reporters Kenneth P. Vogel and David Yaffe-Bellany, the deal would defer prosecution, with charges dropped if Ver complies with its terms. The case reflects a broader shift under the Trump administration, which has “systematically dismantled” crypto enforcement efforts, including dropped SEC lawsuits and presidential pardons for Ross Ulbricht and the BitMEX founders. Ver, who was arrested in Spain last year, wrote, “I’d LOVE to say more... Unfortunately, that means ‘no comment.’” The agreement underscores changing regulatory priorities in the digital asset sector.
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Luxor Technology has launched Luxor Energy, a new business division aimed at helping Bitcoin miners manage electricity costs and market exposure as power strategy becomes central to mining profitability. The firm, best known for its mining pool and ASIC brokerage, has secured a Texas Retail Electric Provider (REP) license, allowing it to sell power directly to miners across the ERCOT grid. According to Luxor, the REP integrates “Level 4 QSE” capabilities for real-time market participation, enabling miners to bid load or provide ancillary services. Clients can post collateral in Bitcoin and even auto-pay electricity bills from mining rewards. Luxor also unveiled “Intelligent Mining,” an optimization tool linking LuxOS firmware with live market data to maximize uptime efficiency. Early tests in West Texas show profitability gains of up to 14%, signaling a shift from hashrate competition to sophisticated energy management in the digital asset industry.
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