Major green steel plant on the rocks

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

HYDROGEN

• Cleveland-Cliffs’ ambitious plan to develop what may have been the first U.S. green steel plant in Ohio is all but dead as the plant continues to rely on fossil fuels in alignment with the Trump administration’s priorities. (Canary Media)

• The Cleveland steel plant was set to rely on hydrogen-ready technology, a promising industry in the U.S. that was already beginning to slow down as projects were canceled or scaled back. (Canary Media)

COAL

• Duke Energy reaches an agreement with coal producers to study whether it’s feasible to let a third party buy and continue operating units at a major Indiana coal plant, while also adding gas capacity at the plant. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)

UTILITIES

• FirstEnergy’s former in-house lobbyist takes the stand in a regulatory hearing over the HB 6 bribery scandal, describing how the utility met regularly with a then-consultant who would go on to become the state’s top regulator. (Ohio Capital Journal)

DATA CENTERS

• Minnesota environmental groups say a new law regulating water use and electricity costs of data centers doesn’t go far enough to address concerns with the facilities. (MPR News)

CLEAN ENERGY

• A new $1.5 million ad campaign is expanding to six states, including Indiana, and hitting conservative media outlets to urge lawmakers to preserve federal clean energy tax incentives that have boosted U.S. manufacturing. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)

• Senate Republicans’ version of a federal tax bill would still gut various clean energy and electric vehicle tax credits that Democrats and critics say would be nearly as damaging as the House’s version. (Associated Press)

PIPELINES

• A two-thirds majority of Iowa House lawmakers vote to hold a special session to override Gov. Kim Reynolds’ veto of a bill that would have made it harder to use eminent domain for carbon pipelines. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

• A federal court denies Michigan’s latest attempt to dismiss Enbridge’s lawsuit against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer after the state attempted to pull the company’s permit for operating Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac. (Michigan Advance)

• Three Michigan Republican Congress members introduce a bill to prevent future administrations from shutting down Line 5. (Up North Live)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• A long-vacant gas station in Athens, Ohio, is set to be converted into an electric vehicle charging station with four charging ports. (WOUB)

SOLAR

• A national solar trade group estimates 4,000 Indiana solar jobs are at risk while home solar installations would quickly become 30% more expensive under proposed federal incentive cuts. (Indianapolis Star)

GRID

• South Dakota regulators will take six months to study Otter Tail Power Co.’s proposed 12.5% electric rate increase that the utility says is needed for rising costs and infrastructure investments. (South Dakota Searchlight)