Indiana could fast-track power plants at former coal sites

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Midwest Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each morning.

COAL

• Indiana lawmakers narrowly passed a bill allowing utilities to bypass some local laws to build new power plants at former coal plant sites, but it specifically exempts wind and solar, creating concerns about the loss of local control. (WFYI)

CLEAN ENERGY

• The clean energy manufacturing boom during the Biden administration is beginning to fade under President Trump, as $8 billion in investment has been canceled in the first three months of 2025, nearly four times the amount of investment that was canceled from 2022 to 2024. (Canary Media)

• Michigan clean energy advocates, developers, and utility officials say the state’s supportive zoning policies and efforts to build local support through education will be key to meeting long-term clean energy targets. (Michigan Advance)

FOSSIL FUELS

• An analyst and natural gas forecaster says Evergy’s plan to build two new Kansas gas plants is subject to fuel price volatility and that new data suggest prices could be higher than anticipated in the coming years. (Kansas Reflector)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• Ford announces that it has made advancements with battery cell technology that will allow lower-cost EVs to travel farther on a single charge, and will also help slow battery decay. (Detroit Free Press)

• General Motors will increase production of transmissions at a Toledo, Ohio plant, shifting away from EV parts manufacturing to gasoline vehicles. (Reuters)

• Nearly two dozen Illinois municipalities share funding from an Ameren program that helps cities craft custom transportation electrification plans. (Journal Courier)

UTILITIES

• North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong signs a bill limiting utilities’ liability from paying wildfire damages that previously had opposition from a majority of state lawmakers. (North Dakota Monitor; KXNET)

SOLAR

• While some Ohio residents have lodged concerns about losing farmland and their quality of life from solar projects, local educators say projects could bring a crucial new source of revenue. (WCMH)

COMMENTARY

• Advocates say sustained policy support for carbon-free energy has led to a steady decline in Minnesota’s share of coal generation, as well as emissions from the power sector. (MinnPost)

• After decades of progress on clean air and water, Trump administration moves that would allow more toxic pollution from power plants and other environmental rollbacks threaten a return to Ohio’s ​“bad old days of pollution,” environmental advocates write. (Ohio Capital Journal)