Trump rollbacks, AI demand could drive surge in gas plants

CLIMATE: Electricity demand from AI data centers will likely lead to a surge in new fossil-fuel power plants if the Trump administration succeeds in repealing emissions rules, despite tech companies’ pledges to support clean energy, analysts say. (Washington Post)

ALSO:

• A coalition of countries, including the EU, Canada and Mexico, pledge aggressive new targets to cut emissions by 2035, with the U.S. dropping its support in anticipation of the Trump presidency. (E&E News, subscription)
• A judge rules that Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration can’t legally withdraw the state from a regional carbon market because only the state legislature has the authority to do so. (Virginia Mercury)

CLEAN ENERGY: While Energy Secretary nominee Chris Wright has downplayed the seriousness of climate change, his company has backed geothermal power and he sits on the board of a small modular reactor startup, which allies say shows an openness to new technology. (E&E News)

EFFICIENCY: Advocates anticipate a mixed bag for energy efficiency under Trump’s second term, expecting cuts in federal funding but noting that efficiency standards benefit U.S. manufacturers and have long had bipartisan support. (Utility Dive)

OVERSIGHT: Sen. Mitch McConnell confirms the incoming Republican Senate majority is planning to use the Congressional Review Act to repeal recently -issued Biden administration regulations. (E&E News, subscription)

HYDROGEN: Federal officials announce the first $22 million for a Midwest hydrogen production hub that could receive up to $1 billion, though it’s unclear whether the incoming Trump administration will support the technology. (E&E News)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• Analysts say President-elect Trump’s plans to roll back tax incentives for electric vehicles and clean energy manufacturing could harm the economy in Tennessee, which has seen $12.6 billion in investment in new clean energy projects since 2022. (Tennessee Lookout)
• An Indiana utility releases a study suggesting that utilities could use data and new rates for electric vehicle charging to avoid spiking costs for infrastructure as EV adoption grows. (E&E News, subscription)

GEOTHERMAL: A networked geothermal system in Massachusetts is one of a handful of projects nationwide demonstrating the potential of thermal systems to replace traditional gas utility service. (Utility Dive)

NUCLEAR: Federal regulators award a construction permit to a company to build a fluoride salt-cooled nuclear reactor in Tennessee. (Knoxville News Sentinel)

GRID:

• Stakeholders urge federal regulators to exempt tribal energy projects from generator interconnection fees and deposits aimed at discouraging speculative development, saying they disproportionately harm tribes. (RTO Insider, subscription)
• A new report says utilities are billing ratepayers for grid projects that are not addressing regional transmission needs. (Inside Climate News)

COMMENTARY: A group of researchers says that despite mixed signals, data shows that companies are mostly making progress on their goals to reduce emissions. (The Conversation)