Today’s headlines: Coal plant stay-open orders rack up millions

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.

COAL

• TransAlta is seeking tens of millions of dollars in reimbursement from utilities, grid operators, and a grid management firm for keeping its Centralia, Washington, coal plant ready to operate under a Trump administration order, even though the facility hasn’t run since December. (Washington State Standard)

• Retiring power plants ordered by the Trump administration to keep running are producing just a fraction of the power they had in previous years, even as the White House claims their generation is necessary to prevent grid emergencies. (Utility Dive)

DATA CENTERS

• The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s top Democrat Rep. Frank Pallone unexpectedly calls for a nationwide moratorium on data center development as Congress crafts legislation to protect ratepayers from data center-induced power bill price spikes. (E&E News)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• British energy giant Octopus and battery maker CATL launch a battery-swapping network for electric trucks in the UK and Europe, furthering a technology that’s made little progress in the U.S. (Electrek)

• Jeff Bezos-backed EV startup Slate Auto says it’s brought in more than 180,000 reservations for its low-cost barebones electric pickup, and customers will have a chance to secure their vehicle with a $300 deposit today. (Axios)

FOSSIL FUELS

• The U.S. and Qatar urge the EU to rework planned rules meant to curb methane emissions from oil and gas imports, claiming they can’t meet the regulations and would have to reduce European shipments. (Reuters)

• President Donald Trump directs the Justice Department to probe fossil fuel companies for alleged gasoline price gouging amid the country’s war with Iran. (NBC News)

NUCLEAR

• Three major Arizona utilities announce a collaborative siting study as they look to build nuclear power in the state, including at former coal plants. (news release)