Connecticut’s electricity cost conundrum

This roundup of U.S. energy news headlines is part of our Canary Media Daily newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each morning.

GRID

• Former coal-fired power plants are becoming in-demand properties as developers look to re-use the facilities’ existing power lines for natural gas power plants, battery storage sites, or offshore wind connections. (Associated Press)

• Bonneville Power Administration officials say the Trump administration’s firings have exacerbated the entity’s existing line worker shortage, harming its ability to respond to grid emergencies. (Latitude Media)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• Hyundai begins supplying its electric vehicles with lithium battery packs made by SK Battery at a Georgia factory, making them eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit now that more than 60% of their components are made domestically. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

• EV manufacturing and repair training programs that arose to supply the growing industry with workers could peter out as the Trump administration continues to attack EVs. (Hechinger Report)

• The U.S. continued to cede ground to China on EV technology development and global sales. (Washington Post)

MANUFACTURING

• A new report finds six clean manufacturing projects totaling $6.9 billion in investment were canceled in the first quarter, indicating a downturn after years of investment following the Inflation Reduction Act’s passage. (Clean Investment Monitor)

WIND

• Repowering aging onshore wind turbines is creating new business opportunities for major industry players as President Trump issues executive orders to slow the industry’s growth. (CNBC)

POLITICS

• The Trump administration is reportedly pushing the International Energy Agency to stop advocating for a global shift to clean power and net-zero emissions. (Politico)

• China says President Trump’s order aiming to launch deep-sea mining violates international law. (BBC)

UTILITIES

• The CEO of utility company FirstEnergy expresses concerns about the high power bills about to hit some of its customers as a result of PJM’s last capacity auction and indicates his company is open to trying to delay some of the price hikes. (Utility Dive)

• Pacific Gas & Electric says expected increased demand from data centers should help the utility reduce residential rates. (Utility Dive)

SOLAR

• California nonprofit Bright Saver uses an innovative approach to deploy balcony solar panels without running afoul of local permitting laws. (PV Magazine)

HYDROGEN

• Advocates push back against a proposed hydrogen production facility in New Mexico and pipeline across the Navajo Nation, saying it would perpetuate energy colonialism. (Arizona Republic)