Today’s headlines: Polysilicon tariffs incoming, a microgrid-boosting bill, and more

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.

SOLAR

• The Trump administration is reportedly planning to set a price floor and institute tariffs on polysilicon and other products critical to solar and semiconductor production in an attempt to help U.S. manufacturers compete with China. (Reuters)

• Data show that solar generation outpaced coal, gas, and other electricity sources on Utah’s grid for the first time ever this May. (Deseret News)

GRID

• Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) proposes a bill that would put $200 million toward a federal microgrid pilot program and dedicate $500 million for states to explore the tech. (Utility Dive)

• Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) introduces a bill that would direct FERC to require that large power users pay for necessary transmission upgrades before they can join the grid. (Latitude Media)

• Data show solar and wind power curtailments in California continue to climb as new clean energy generation outpaces new grid capacity. (Reuters)

FOSSIL FUELS

• Eight major oil companies made more than $90 billion in profits from April through June, up from $50 billion during the same period last year, as oil prices skyrocketed amid conflict in the Middle East. (The Guardian)

• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the U.S. and Iran may come to an agreement today to allow traffic to return to normal in the Strait of Hormuz. (The Hill)

• Maryland’s last coal-fired power plant is on the verge of shutting down, but the closure could be delayed as much as two years until utility BGE can build new power lines and substations to replace the lost electricity flow. (Baltimore Sun)

DATA CENTERS

• Amazon is abandoning plans to build data centers on the campus of a Maryland nuclear plant following fierce local opposition. (Maryland Matters)

UTILITIES

• Investigators determine an idle Southern California Edison transmission tower sparked the 2025 Los Angeles-area Eaton fire that killed 19 people and destroyed more than 9,400 structures. (Los Angeles Times, Associated Press)