Community solar saves a Superfund site

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.

SOLAR

• A 9.1 MW community solar project in Waukegan, Illinois, has repurposed a former contaminated landfill on school-owned property while helping residents save money on utility bills. (Canary Media)

• Several large solar projects are expected to come online in Kansas over the next few years, showing that the wind-reliant state may be on the cusp of a solar boom. (Canary Media)

CLEAN ENERGY

• Minnesota utilities’ efforts to meet a state target of 100% carbon-free power by 2040 could face challenges as electric vehicles, data centers, and new industrial loads push power demand upward. (Minnesota Reformer)

COAL

• The Trump administration orders three Indiana coal plant units to stay online past their anticipated closure date of Dec. 31, again citing grid emergency conditions even though the closures had prior approval from the regional grid operator. (Utility Dive)

• Environmental groups opposing the order tell NIPSCO they intend to challenge any imprudent costs related to crucial repairs needed to operate one of the units at the R.M. Schahfer plant. (Chicago Tribune)

CLIMATE

• The University of Nebraska eliminates a key climate change research department in an agriculture-heavy state that has long depended on reliable weather monitoring. (Grist)

GRID

• Evergy plans to build a $493 million transmission line that will start near Wichita, Kansas, at a major connection point for power generated from wind projects. (Topeka Capital-Journal)

• Some Indiana residents say they feel powerless to protect their trees from Duke Energy’s vegetation management program meant to avoid grid outages. (Indiana Public Media)

UTILITIES

• Regulated Michigan utilities are now required to notify customers how much their rate increase requests would cost if approved in an attempt to increase participation in utility issues. (Michigan Public)

• Residential electricity rates in Michigan have more than doubled over the past 20 years, outpacing inflation and increasing at higher rates than in 46 other states. (Detroit News)

NUCLEAR

• Illinois legislation aims to fast track the siting and permitting process for small modular nuclear reactors as state lawmakers look to keep pace with the data center construction boom. (25 News Now)

NEW FROM CANARY

• 10 big energy stories Canary Media is tracking in 2026 — Canary Staff