A nuclear energy first in Michigan

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Midwest Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning.

NUCLEAR

• Bipartisan public support and a variety of subsidies are helping to restart a Michigan nuclear plant, the first U.S. plant to do so after being slotted for decommissioning. (Canary Media)

CLIMATE

• Speaking at an event in Indianapolis, EPA administrator Lee Zeldin says the Trump administration will rescind the 2009 endangerment finding from the Obama administration that gave the EPA power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks. (States Newsroom)

• Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has led some of the Midwest’s strongest climate policies, though some advocates say the state could pick up the pace on working toward the long-term goals. (Inside Climate News)

• Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach wants the Trump administration to investigate a Chinese clean energy nonprofit for alleged ​“environmental lawfare” that aims to increase U.S. reliance on a Chinese supply of solar panels and EV batteries. (Kansas Reflector)

DATA CENTERS

• Detroit-based DTE Energy is in talks with developers to add up to 7 GW of new load from data centers, which could lead the utility to ramp up battery storage and new generation. (Utility Dive)

PIPELINES

• An Iowa disciplinary board reprimands an attorney who has represented hundreds of landowners challenging pipelines for providing misleading or deceptive information during regulatory proceedings. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• Electric vehicle ownership has steadily grown in Michigan since 2020, as some form of EV now makes up about 3.8% of all vehicles on the road. (Michigan Advance)

• Illinois had its largest year-to-year increase in EV registrations last year, though the state is well short of its target of 1 million registrations by 2030, and some advocates worry losing federal rebates will make the goal even harder to reach. (Chicago Sun-Times)

GRID

• A company that installs sensors that track electric grid resiliency and energy efficiency nationwide says ComEd’s grid in Illinois has the highest rate of electric waste in the country, though the utility disputes the claims. (CBS Chicago)

• Michigan landowners say they have little power to stop a regional transmission company’s plan for two projects stretching about 94 miles that supporters say is needed to meet clean energy goals. (Detroit News)

SOLAR

• A 38-acre community solar project opens on Illinois farmland and is expected to save $3.5 million in electricity costs for low and moderate income subscribers. (Our Quad Cities)

NEW FROM CANARY 

• US aluminum producers need cheap, clean power. That may be tough to get. — Maria Gallucci

• A pioneering​‘second-life’ battery startup begins major Texas expansion — Julian Spector

• The country’s biggest energy market struggles to reform amid soaring costs — Jeff St. John