GM’s EV pullback, Meta’s nuclear deal, and more headlines

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.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• General Motors will record $6 billion in charges in its fourth-quarter results as it pulls back from EVs amid weakening demand. (CNBC)

• Stellantis discontinues production of all of its plug-in hybrid models, including its Jeep Wrangler 4xe, though the company is still working on future range-extended models. (The Drive)

NUCLEAR

• Meta announces a deal with Vistra to secure power from and expand generation at existing nuclear power plants, and two more deals with TerraPower and Oklo to spur advanced nuclear power development. (Axios)

SOLAR

• Newly released data shows that solar arrays provided more power to Texas’ standalone grid in 2025 than did coal-fired power plants, marking the first time that has happened. (Houston Chronicle)

• Maine joins New Hampshire and Vermont in considering legislation that would authorize the use of small, plug-in solar systems. (Maine Morning Star)

VENEZUELA

• President Donald Trump claims oil companies will invest at least $100 billion in Venezuela, though few have publicly displayed much enthusiasm about reentering the South American market. (Politico, Texas Observer)

DATA CENTERS

• Data center load — mostly from facilities that have not yet been built — accounted for 40% of the costs in PJM Interconnection’s latest capacity auction. (Utility Dive)

MINING

• Mining giants Glencore and Rio Tinto are discussing a $207 billion merger that would create the world’s largest mining company, resuming talks that fell apart a year ago. (Bloomberg)

POLICY

• Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) signs sweeping energy reforms into law that, among other measures, incentivize battery storage development and lift a moratorium on large-scale nuclear construction. (Chicago Tribune)

LITIGATION

• Environmental groups file a lawsuit asking courts to block federal efforts to slow solar and wind development — actions the plaintiffs say are ​“premised on open animus.” (RTO Insider)