PG&E restarts fire-damaged battery energy storage system

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BATTERIES

• Pacific Gas & Electric restarts its Elkhorn battery energy storage system in Moss Landing, California, following a January fire in Vistra’s adjacent facility. (Canary Media)

• Grid-scale battery energy storage firm Powin says it may shutter its Oregon offices this summer and lay off about 100 workers in the state. (Oregonian)

• A Colorado company proposes expanding its Wyoming magnesium smelter to increase production of the battery material to 100 tons annually. (WyoFile)

• Eos Energy Enterprises plans to incorporate its zinc-based long duration battery storage system into the Paskenta Band’s microgrid under development in California. (Microgrid Knowledge)

• California researchers find battery recycling could be a significant source of lithium and reduce the need for new mines. (news release)

FOSSIL FUELS

• Arizona’s head utility regulator says the Trump administration’s effort to reopen the recently retired Cholla coal plant in the northern part of the state would cost ratepayers nearly $2 billion, citing the complexity of managing the grid. (Hoodline)

GEOTHERMAL

• The U.S. Interior Department implements ​“emergency” procedures aimed at fast-tracking geothermal permitting on federal land and applies them to three or Ormat Energy’s proposed projects in Nevada. (news release)

NUCLEAR

• The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission approves Oregon-based NuScale Power’s 77 MW small modular nuclear reactor design. (news release)

• Experts say a potential uranium mining renaissance in Western states would be driven by commodity prices, not expedited permitting. (Associated Press)

DATA CENTERS

• An Alaska startup proposes a bitcoin mining data center on the North Slope that would be powered by a new 50 MW gas plant. (Northern Journal)

• Frontier Infrastructure acquires 16 natural gas turbines to power planned data centers in Wyoming and Texas. (Data Center Dynamics)

CLIMATE

• Montana youth advocates file a federal lawsuit seeking to block the Trump administration’s executive orders promoting fossil fuels and suppressing climate science and clean energy, arguing the policies violate their constitutional right to life. (Sierra)

• California launches an online tool designed to forecast and rank heat risks and help communities address climate change-exacerbated heatwaves. (Action News Now)

SOLAR

• The Gila River Indian Community plans to install floating solar arrays on an Arizona reservoir in an effort to power irrigation operations and reduce evaporation. (Inside Climate News)

• Colorado researchers find that solar panels’ shade and water shedding properties can boost grasslands’ productivity during dry years. (The Conversation)

GRID

• California’s grid operator says a federal regulatory judge’s order allowing Lotus Infrastructure to recover increased costs for its Ten West Link transmission project will harm ratepayers and undercut consumer protections. (Utility Dive)

UTILITIES

• Nevada legislation that would require NV Energy to disclose detailed utility shutoff data stalls in the Assembly’s budget committee due to the bill’s estimated $7,600 price tag. (Nevada Independent)

NEW FROM CANARY

• As the U.S. House’s clean energy incentive-slashing budget bill heads to the Senate, all eyes are on North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, who is among Republicans who argued against a wholesale repeal of IRA tax credits, Elizabeth Ouzts reports.

• Jeff St. John breaks down the U.S. Energy Department’s cancellation of $3.7 billion in funding for industrial decarbonization projects under the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations.

• The Texas Senate lets three House-passed bills die that would’ve curtailed the state’s booming wind and solar power development, Kathryn Krawczyk reports.