Today’s headlines: Small nuclear reactor complex planned, 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.

NUCLEAR

• Valar Atomics plans to build a complex known as ​“Project Beehive,” including 456 small nuclear reactors on 9,000 acres of federal land in Utah, with construction beginning by the end of the year. (NPR)
• Constellation and Amazon announce a 20-year power purchase agreement that will allow the energy company to invest $3 billion in improvements to the Calvert Cliffs nuclear plant in Maryland. (Maryland Matters)

FOSSIL FUELS

• President Donald Trump signals he might still impose a ban on diesel exports, despite strong opposition from some Cabinet members as well as the oil and gas industry. (Politico)
• The Trump administration tells France and Germany that the U.S. will stop diesel exports if the European countries don’t release fuel from their emergency diesel inventories to help ease soaring global prices. (Reuters)

RENEWABLES

• Clean energy growth in the U.S. could plunge as soon as 2028 if the Trump administration continues to block wind and solar permits, warns the American Clean Power Association. (Axios)
• California officially legalizes balcony solar, with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signing a bill allowing people to set up the plug-in panels at home. (KQED)

INFRASTRUCTURE

• South Korea will invest $200 billion in U.S. energy infrastructure, including $54 billion for a liquefied natural gas pipeline in Alaska, as well as a natural gas plant in Texas and eight new nuclear power plants across the country. (The Hill)

LITIGATION

• The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case in which a pair of oil companies seek to invalidate states’ attempts to make fossil fuel enterprises pay for damages caused by climate change. (Reuters)

EMISSIONS

• Unpermitted diesel generators at a New Jersey data center were likely one of the state’s top five sources of nitrogen oxide pollution before regulators stepped in in August. (Floodlight)
• EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Republican state lawmakers in New Hampshire celebrate the collaboration that led to the end of vehicle emissions inspections in the state. (New Hampshire Bulletin)

GREEN STEEL

• Green steel developer Stegra says it needs more capital than previously expected to complete its plant in northern Sweden. (Renewables Now)