Some years bring gradual change. Others bring clarity—a collective understanding that a system we rely on is shifting and that new approaches are needed. For the United States energy landscape, 2025 became that year. Not because of a single dramatic moment, but through a series of thoughtful federal actions that, together, reshaped how the country talks about electricity, reliability, and the future of power supply.
The story began in April, when the White House issued the Executive Order titled “Strengthening the Reliability and Security of the United States Electric Grid.” Source: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/strengthening-the-reliability-and-security-of-the-united-states-electric-grid/
The tone of the announcement was not alarmist; it was honest and critical. The Administration acknowledged that demand for electricity was rising faster than expected, driven by new manufacturing, electrified transportation, and the explosive growth of data centers and AI infrastructure. At the same time, many older power plants were scheduled to retire in the coming years. Rather than focusing on blame or urgency, the Executive Order simply asked the Department of Energy (DOE) to take a fresh, region-by-region look at the grid and make sure the country understood its strengths, its constraints, and its future needs. It was a practical request that framed the rest of the year’s developments.
In July, DOE published its follow-on analysis, the Grid Reliability and Security Report, which offered a grounded picture of what lay ahead. Source: https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/DOE_Fact_Sheet_Grid_Report_July_2025.pdf
The report did not declare a crisis. Instead, it explained that a large wave of older power plants was set to retire by 2030, and that new firm power sources were not being added at the same pace. It noted that electricity use was climbing quickly as industries modernized and expanded. It also acknowledged that certain regions were beginning to feel the strain more than others. The message was clear but measured: the grid would need help, and many of the most effective solutions would come from new types of local and flexible power projects rather than relying solely on large central plants or long-distance transmission.
It was in this moment of clearer national understanding that PowerStack Microgrids was founded in August 2025.
Across the country, businesses, industrial users, and rural communities were experiencing the same challenge. They needed reliable, affordable electricity sooner than traditional utility upgrades could be delivered. Substations were overloaded, transformers were delayed, and multi-year timelines for new infrastructure simply didn’t match the pace of modern industry. PowerStack entered the market with a straightforward idea: put power directly where people need it. The company builds onsite energy systems that blend renewables, conventional generation, and energy storage to give customers the ability to produce their own electricity. These systems can operate alongside the grid or carry customers independently when needed. In many situations, they deliver electricity faster, more predictably, and more reliably than waiting on the overstressed bulk grid.
For large factories, logistics hubs, cold storage facilities, and industrial parks, onsite generation does more than keep their operations running. It also reduces the burden on local power lines and substations, creating spillover benefits for the surrounding grid and communities. PowerStack’s approach not only supports individual customers but contributes to broader grid stability during a time of national transition.
By September, the federal focus shifted from understanding the problem to accelerating solutions. DOE launched the Speed to Power initiative as a call for practical ideas on where new energy projects could be built quickly and how the government could support fast deployment. Source: https://www.energy.gov/speed-to-power
DOE invited energy developers, utilities, industrial customers, and community organizations to weigh in on real-world opportunities and challenges. The agency’s desire for tangible, near-term action became even more evident in the timeline: responses to the Speed to Power initiative are due tomorrow. This urgency underscored DOE’s commitment to moving from analysis to implementation, and it aligned perfectly with PowerStack’s model of rapid, onsite deployment.
In the fall, DOE asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to modernize the interconnection process for large electricity users and for facilities that pair generation, storage, and load on the same site. Source: https://www.morganlewis.com/blogs/powerandpipes/2025/11/doe-large-load-interconnection-proposal-risks-regulatory-collision-course
This step reflected a broader shift in how the country thinks about electricity. The traditional grid—large power plants feeding distant customers—remains essential, but it is no longer the only model. Today’s energy users, especially those with high or fast-growing demand, increasingly benefit from onsite power, powered industrial land, microgrids, and hybrid systems that can operate both with and without the grid. The federal government’s request for regulatory updates acknowledged that these modern energy approaches are no longer fringe ideas; they are a practical part of the country’s energy strategy.
As 2025 drew to a close, the DOE issued several temporary emergency orders under Section 202(c) to keep certain power plants online while new resources are developed. Source: https://www.powermag.com/federal-grid-interventions-enter-a-second-phase-as-doe-extends-emergency-orders/
These decisions were not dramatic interventions—they were measured steps to keep the system stable as new technologies, new projects, and new rules come into place. They showed that the grid is entering a transitional period, and that federal agencies are actively managing that transition with both short-term and long-term tools.
By the end of the year, the narrative was clear. The United States had taken a candid look at its grid, acknowledged the realities of modern energy demand, and begun reshaping both policy and planning to support the next era of growth. Centralized power plants will remain vital, but they will share the stage with local generation, customer-owned systems, microgrids, and flexible energy hubs that can be built quickly and serve both customers and communities.
PowerStack Microgrids was founded to operate at this exact intersection. Its onsite, hybrid energy systems give businesses and communities control over their power supply, improve local grid conditions, and deliver electricity in ways that are faster, more reliable, and often more economical than traditional utility expansions. In a year defined by clarity, PowerStack became part of the practical, real-world answer to the challenges and opportunities ahead.