States boost the grid

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.

FEDERAL ACTION

• Energy Secretary Chris Wright suggests the Loan Programs Office could remain a critical tool to get nuclear power plants off the ground, while consumer advocates say LPO loans can help utilities build out new generation and transmission to cut power prices. (X, E&E News)

• Senate Democrats continue to push Republicans to preserve clean energy tax credits as budget negotiations continue. (E&E News)

OFFSHORE WIND

• The developers behind the planned 1.5-GW Atlantic Shores offshore wind installation off New Jersey officially drop the project following the loss of a major partner, a state power contract, and a key EPA permit in recent months.. (Maritime Executive)

BATTERIES

• U.S. battery recyclers face ​“a limbo moment” because the Trump administration has endorsed efforts to produce critical minerals while also threatening tariffs and the repeal of clean energy tax credits. (Grist)

• Battery storage has grown so much the Texas state grid operator projects a less than 1% chance it will have to implement rolling blackouts during peak August heat this year, but it warns the proposed rollback of clean energy tax credits could damage its ability to keep up with demand. (San Antonio Express-News)

• Panasonic’s $4 billion electric-vehicle battery plant in Kansas, which is projected to bring 4,000 new jobs to a community of 6,500, drives an influx of new housing developments to meet anticipated demand. (Kansas City Star)

HYDROGEN

• Air Products has fallen behind on its plans to build a blue hydrogen facility in Louisiana as projected costs have nearly doubled, offering a snapshot of how low-carbon hydrogen has fallen by the wayside as Trump champions oil and gas instead. (Wall Street Journal)

DATA CENTERS

• Amazon announces plans to spend $20 billion on two data center complexes in Pennsylvania, including one adjacent to a nuclear power plant from which it will draw electricity — the largest private sector investment in the state’s history. (Associated Press)

OVERSIGHT

• Federal pipeline safety regulators ramp up enforcement again after a slowdown during the Trump administration’s first few weeks. (E&E News)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• Tesla shares are down 24% for the year so far, with the blowup between CEO Elon Musk and President Trump accelerating its losses. (Houston Chronicle)

LITIGATION

• Lawyers for investment firms appear in a Texas court to fight charges that they conspired to fight climate change by buying up shares of coal companies to reduce production. (New York Times)

NUCLEAR

• California advocates urge regulators to reject Pacific Gas & Electric’s plan for managing a legislature-mandated fee to fund the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant’s continued operations, saying it risks becoming a shareholder-enriching ​“slush fund” without adequate oversight. (CalMatters)