Midwest transmission upgrades get federal loan

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.

GRID

• The Department of Energy closes a $1.6 billion loan guarantee for American Electric Power to upgrade 5,000 miles of power lines through Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, and West Virginia. (Canary Media)

UTILITIES

• Minnesota tribes build momentum for energy sovereignty as they build clean energy projects and establish tribal utility commissions. (Minnesota Reformer)

EFFICIENCY

• A Minneapolis neighborhood cut natural gas use by 29% over a five-year period through collective energy efficiency efforts and help from local and federal rebates. (Star Tribune)

FOSSIL FUELS

• The Omaha Public Power District delays a vote on plans to close and convert part of a coal plant to run on natural gas following a lawsuit from the state attorney general. (KMTV)

• Ohio state senators propose a dedicated state fund for plugging orphan oil and gas wells that would also make it easier for drillers to get expedited reviews, along with other industry-friendly provisions. (Ohio Capital Journal)

• Ohio Democrats propose legislation to ban oil and gas drilling under Lake Erie to enact state-level protections if current federal protections are inadequate. (WTVG)

NUCLEAR

• Residents living near a shuttered Wisconsin nuclear plant are generally in favor of bringing power generation back to the site, but are concerned that a data center or other large development may follow. (Wisconsin Public Radio)

CLEAN ENERGY

• More than a dozen state attorneys general sue the Trump administration for terminating funds from the $7 billion Solar for All program, claiming the move violates a constitutional separation of powers. (Associated Press)

• Renewable energy development revenue reinvigorates an economically stagnant eastern Indiana county, though more counties could miss out as projects face growing political opposition. (Indianapolis Star)

• Two large solar project proposals totaling nearly 4,000 acres stirs local opposition and a landowner petition as municipalities consider next steps. (WKAR)

• Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers says the Trump administration’s plan to cut billions of dollars for hundreds of Department of Energy-supported projects threatens more than $1.5 billion of investment across 22 projects in Wisconsin. (Wisconsin Examiner)

BIOFUELS

• The developer of a large sustainable aviation fuel plant in South Dakota plans to shift investments to North Dakota, in part because of delays with developing the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline. (North Dakota Monitor)

DATA CENTERS

• Michigan advocates say Consumers Energy’s proposal to ensure data center costs aren’t pushed onto other ratepayers is too narrow and doesn’t account for all potential grid-related costs. (Planet Detroit)

• A Wisconsin legal group challenges a proposed transmission line to support a massive new data center, arguing that the utility couldn’t use eminent domain if the project solely benefits a private company. (Center Square)

NEW FROM CANARY 

• Chart: EV sales just hit a record in the US, but a cliff looms — Dan McCarthy

• This startup’s electric roasters cut carbon and costs from coffee-making — Jeff St. John

• Trump admin complicates New York’s clean-energy plans — Lauren Dalban