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Ford rethinks EVs

By Jonathan P. Thompson

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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.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

  • Ford announces an $8.5 billion writedown of its EV assets and a move away from production of large EVs, part of a bigger $19.5 billion restructuring that will see the automaker reinvest in plug-in and other hybrid cars, smaller EVs, and gas trucks and SUVs. (CNBC)

  • Ford also ends production of its all-electric F-150 Lightning and plans to launch a battery-powered version with a gasoline engine instead to be manufactured in its Dearborn, Michigan, facility. (Detroit News)

FOSSIL FUELS

  • The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa files a lawsuit accusing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of violating federal environmental laws when approving a reroute of Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 oil pipeline. (WPR)

  • Ohio State University expects to bring its new gas-fired combined heat and power plant online in May 2026 following years of delays and budget overruns. (Columbus Dispatch)

  • An EOG Resources oil well explodes in Carroll County, Ohio, during drilling operations, but resulted in no injuries. (WOIO)

DATA CENTERS

  • Michigan lawmakers introduce legislation that would repeal the state’s data center tax incentives, following widespread public opposition to the facilities over their water and power use. (Inside Climate News)

  • Southfield, Michigan’s city council greenlights Metrobloks’ proposed 100 MW data center, saying economic benefits outweighed residents’ environmental concerns. (Planet Detroit)

  • Minnesota environmental advocates file a lawsuit seeking to block a proposed data center in Pine Island. (Post Bulletin)

UTILITIES

  • Ohio lawmakers introduce legislation that would allow residential and small commercial customers to participate in demand response programs compensating them for reducing power use during peak demand. (Cleveland.com)

  • Former FirstEnergy Corp. executives ask an Ohio judge to stifle the company accountant’s testimony in their upcoming trial over alleged bribery. (Signal)

  • Analysts predict increased natural gas prices could drive up heating costs in Iowa and other Midwestern states by as much as 20% this winter. (Des Moines Register)

GRID

  • Illinois analysts find growing data center-driven electricity demand combined with stagnant solar and wind development could lead to power capacity shortfalls and prolong the life of fossil fuel plants, endangering climate goals. (Chicago Sun-Times)

  • Observers say growing power demand from large industrial users and the need for new transmission threaten North Dakota’s status as a low-cost-energy state. (North Dakota News Cooperative)

  • Independent power producers urge federal regulators to reverse MISO’s $280 million auction ​“settlement adjustment,” saying it creates market uncertainty and will stymie new investments. (Utility Dive)

  • A substation outage in northeastern Indiana leaves thousands of utility customers without power. (WANE)

CLEAN ENERGY

  • Wisconsin lawmakers consider legislation that would allow farmers and developers to build community solar projects outside of utilities’ and cooperatives’ control. (WPR)

  • Solstice brings online its 2.5 MW Harmony community solar project in Lena, Illinois, with a medical center as its anchor subscriber. (news release)

CARBON CAPTURE

  • Green Plains says biogenic carbon from its Nebraska ethanol plants is now being captured and piped to southeastern Wyoming for geologic sequestration. (Carbon Herald)

  • A Republican Iowa lawmaker proposes a bill that would give developers more leeway in altering routes for carbon dioxide pipelines and other energy infrastructure. (Radio Iowa)

COMMENTARY

  • An Indiana columnist urges state policymakers to require new data centers to pay for 100% of their own energy needs and prevent utilities from passing on costs to other consumers. (Indianapolis Star)

NEW FROM CANARY

  • California’s plan to boost plug-in heat pumps and induction stoves — Alison F. Takemura

  • Nippon Steel’s U.S. investments​‘at a crossroads’ — Alexander C. Kaufman

  • Texas’ energy market redesign could leave battery developers in limbo — Julian Spector

  • North Carolina training site pairs sheep grazing with solar. — Elizabeth Ouzts

  • Climate group files complaint against global steel giant ArcelorMittal — Maria Gallucci

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