Illinois gas customers refunded

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.

UTILITIES

• Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas reach a settlement with Illinois’ attorney general to reimburse customers $125 million for riders the state determined were spent on ineligible expenses. (Chicago Sun-Times)

• Minnesota saw a bigger share of its power come from nuclear and coal in 2025 than in 2024, while renewable energy generation stagnated. (Minnesota Star Tribune)

• The Michigan League of Conservation Voters calls out top utilities Consumers Energy and DTE Energy for collectively donating more than $150,000 to state lawmakers over the first few months of 2026. (Michigan Advance)

NUCLEAR

• Iowa lawmakers send a bill to Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds’ desk that would create a sales and use tax exemption for costs related to restarting decommissioned nuclear power plants. (Iowa Times Dispatch)

FOSSIL FUELS

• The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approves Xcel Energy’s plans for a new gas peaker plant in southwest Minnesota. (WCTrib, news release)

GEOTHERMAL

• New research suggests fracking technology could aid geothermal drillers looking to dig into North Dakota’s underground rock formations, though cost concerns and other challenges remain. (North Dakota Monitor)

STORAGE

• Commissioners in Wyandotte County, Kansas, approve a special-use permit and preliminary plan review for a $250 million battery storage project. (Kansas City Star)

SOLAR

• A Wisconsin city considers installing solar panels on its high school’s roof, which could offset as much as $1 million in electricity costs over 20 years. (Wisconsin State Journal)

• Milwaukee unveils a rooftop solar array atop a police station as it rolls out a campaign encouraging homeowners and utilities to invest in solar power. (CBS 58)

• Zeeland, Michigan’s board votes to put $100,000 toward fighting a proposed solar farm and to officially oppose developer RWE’s application with the state. (Fox17)

EFFICIENCY

• Renovations that include energy-efficiency upgrades begin on a 212-unit Minneapolis housing project. (Sahan Journal)

NEW FROM CANARY

• Top US nuclear regulator is rewriting its rules for new era of reactors — Alexander C. Kaufman

• For cheaper power, Virginia’s local utilities build small grid batteries — Elizabeth Ouzts

• SoCalGas customers spared paying $266M for hydrogen pipeline project — Jeff St. John

• Hydropower is in hot water. Will Trump’s DOE release funding to help? — Kathryn Krawczyk