Data center forecasts drive up Ohio power bills

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DATA CENTERS

• Ohio’s pipeline of dozens of potential data center projects is poised to drive up electricity costs regardless of whether the facilities even get built, as utilities prepare to construct the grid infrastructure needed to power them. (Canary Media)

NUCLEAR

• The Trump administration approves a $1.9 billion loan for NextEra Energy to restart an Iowa nuclear plant, making it the third company to receive significant government support to revive nuclear facilities to meet rising demand. (Canary Media)

OIL & GAS

• A pipeline leak that released 31,000 barrels of natural gas liquids from Line 5 in northern Wisconsin last month is the largest oil and gas spill reported in the state in more than 50 years, an analysis shows. (Wisconsin Public Radio)

RENEWABLES

• Ball State University researchers find that wind and solar projects caused no statistically significant drop in Indiana home values after analyzing residential sales near commercial projects from 2004 to 2024. (Elektrek)

SOLAR

• Ohio regulators reject Invenergy’s request to reconsider their denial for a 108 MW solar project outside Dayton. (WYSO)

UTILITIES

• Michigan Court of Appeals judges uphold a ruling to dismiss a challenge to an Ann Arbor group’s plan to ask voters whether to create a municipal utility and split off from DTE Energy’s grid. (Michigan Advance)

• Detroit City Council members want to explore options to reduce the city’s reliance on electric provider DTE Energy amid ongoing concerns about grid reliability and consistent storm-related outages. (Bridge Detroit)

• AEP and an electricity reseller argue in Ohio regulatory proceedings as state utility regulators decide how to treat submetering companies after the Ohio Supreme Court ruled they are utilities. (Ohio Capital Journal)

AIR QUALITY

• Ohio is among states that have passed legislation over the past two years to curb the use of community-collected air quality data in enforcement actions as part of a growing trend to limit public air quality monitoring. (Floodlight)

HYDROELECTRIC

• Consumers Energy seeks a 60-day extension to continue negotiations before Michigan regulators decide whether the utility can sell 13 of its aging hydroelectric dams to a private equity firm. (Bridge Michigan)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• Wisconsin will get 42 more electric vehicle charging stations at hotels, gas stations, and grocery stores near major interstates after a court ruling unlocks $25 million in federal funding that had been frozen by the Trump administration. (Wisconsin Public Radio)

• Michigan plans a trial run in early 2027 of a pay-per-mile road-funding program to determine whether such a program could replace gasoline taxes as more fuel-efficient and electric vehicles reduce revenue for road infrastructure. (MLive)