GOP candidates’ attacks on climate action fall flat

POLITICS: Analysts say the 2023 election shows that a strategy by some Republicans to attack climate policy was ​“dead, flat wrong,” as Democrats made gains even in states where clean energy was a prominent issue. (E&E News)

ALSO: Advocates say Democrats’ electoral victories in Virginia will likely preserve landmark climate and electric vehicle laws that have been targeted by Republicans. (Inside Climate News)

NUCLEAR:

• A coalition of Utah utilities and an Oregon startup cancel their proposed small modular nuclear reactor power plant in Idaho after failing to gain enough subscribers to make the increasingly expensive project financially viable. (Deseret News)
• The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency tells the U.N. General Assembly that nuclear power will be critical in the fight to limit climate change. (Associated Press)
• The Illinois Senate passes a bill to lift the state’s moratorium on new nuclear plant construction but only apply to plants up to 300 MW in capacity. (WICS)
• Pacific Gas & Electric applies to keep the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant running for up to 20 years after its scheduled 2025 retirement. (KCBX)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• The U.S. Senate votes to overturn a ​“buy America” exemption for electric vehicle charger components, a move the White House says would undermine domestic manufacturing. (The Hill)
• New York City’s public housing authority proposes new e-bike storage regulations for its facilities, offering a less stringent alternative to its previous plan of banning the bikes entirely. (The City)

EFFICIENCY: While interest in heat pumps is surging, installations have slowed recently due in large part to high interest rates. (New York Times)

UTILITIES: Maine is considering new kinds of electric rates to encourage more widespread home adoption of electric vehicle chargers and heat pumps while easing the strain these technologies add to the power grid. (Energy News Network)

CLEAN ENERGY: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is poised to sign legislation that moves permitting for commercial wind, solar and battery storage projects from local governments to state regulators in an effort to speed up development. (Bridge)

SOLAR:

• Automaker Hyundai partners with two other Korean companies to embark on solar plant development in the U.S., beginning with a 459 MW solar farm in Texas. (Korea Economic Daily)
• The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory releases a database and map showing every utility-scale solar installation in the nation. (news release)

GRID: ISO New England wants an extra year to host its next forward capacity auction to give it more time to assess and update its accreditation policies. (Utility Dive)

COMMENTARY: An energy policy analyst summarizes the ways state and federal policy have saved nuclear plants that were once at risk of closure. (Forbes)