California pilots bidirectional EV charging

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

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• Bidirectional Energy launches a 120-home pilot program to test and establish guidelines for two-way chargers that allow customers to send power from their EVs to the grid or their houses. (Canary Media)

• Washington state awards 43 entities $37.3 million to fund installation of 754 new EV charging ports across the state. (news release)

STORAGE

• EDP Renewables brings online a 200-MW battery energy storage system for Arizona utility Salt River Project. (news release)

DATA CENTERS

• Seattle’s city council votes to enact a one-year citywide moratorium on data center development. (Seattle Times)

• Oregon regulators delay Portland General Electric’s proposed 29% rate hike for data centers to allow them to further review the utility’s application. (Oregonian)

• Microsoft asks Nevada regulators to establish a ratepayer protection tariff and a jurisdictional framework for allocating AI-driven data center load-growth costs. (Utility Dive)

• Arizona firm Lex Developments looks to reverse Pocatello, Idaho’s recent decision denying a permit for its proposed data center, saying the city did not follow proper procedure. (KIVI)

FOSSIL FUELS

• Trump administration cabinet members tout ​“energy dominance” and criticize California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s fossil fuel-curbing policies during last week’s visit to the state. (Politico)

• New Mexico advocates call on federal and state regulators to force oil and gas operators to clean up drilling sites in a popular recreation area in the northwestern part of the state. (Capital & Main)

• The federal Bureau of Land Management seeks public input on 14 proposed oil and gas leases covering 126,744 acres in Colorado slated for auction in December. (news release)

• A federal oil and gas lease sale in Wyoming generates nearly $35 million for 102 parcels covering 114,439 acres, but advocates say reduced royalty rates could cost taxpayers more than $50 million over the next decade. (news release, news release)

UTILITIES

• Insurers’ attorneys say newly available data and video bolster allegations that a Southern California Edison transmission line likely sparked the 2025 Los Angeles-area Eaton Fire. (Los Angeles Times)

• Pacific Gas & Electric warns northern California customers it may implement public safety power outages this week as high temperatures and winds heighten fire hazard. (CBS News)

• Southern New Mexico utility El Paso Electric proposes a rate hike, saying it needs extra funds to comply with state clean energy laws and to meet growing data center-driven demand. (Santa Fe New Mexican)

NUCLEAR

• Ute Mountain Ute tribal members push back against expanded operations at the White Mesa uranium mill in southeastern Utah, saying it could contaminate groundwater and harm cultural resources. (Deseret News, PBS Utah)

• Anfield Resources says it hopes to restart its long-idled Shootaring uranium mill in southern Utah next year. (Investing News Network)

• The Continental Divide Trail Coalition criticizes Gamma Resource’s proposed uranium mine in northern New Mexico, saying it threatens the popular hiking path’s views and solitude. (Source NM)

CLEAN ENERGY

• A community solar project goes online on the rooftop of a logistics real estate facility in Oakland, California. (Bay City News)

GEOTHERMAL

• Open Mountain Energy and Power Planet propose a 19.8-MW enhanced geothermal power facility in Nevada. (Think GeoEnergy)

• The Geysers geothermal complex in northern California brings online a 25-MW capacity expansion project. (news release)

HYDROPOWER

• Federal officials warn that diminishing water levels at Lake Mead in Nevada could cause Hoover Dam’s hydropower output to plummet within the next year, straining the Southwest grid and leading to higher electricity prices. (Circle of Blue)