When data centers meet coal

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Midwest Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning.

COAL

• A rural northwestern Indiana community grappling with a large coal plant that the Trump administration ordered to stay open is now also fighting a proposed Amazon data center with a gas plant nearby. (Canary Media)

PIPELINES

• Summit Carbon Solutions announces a new route for its proposed multi-state carbon pipeline that would no longer travel through North and South Dakota, where it faces lawsuits and strong landowner pushback. (North Dakota Monitor)

GRID

• Power prices increased 76% in the first quarter year over year in grid operator PJM’s territory, showing how growing energy demand from data centers is impacting customers, according to an independent market monitor. (E&E News)

SOLAR

• In Michigan, aDemocratic state representative from Detroit introduces community solar legislation that would ensure subscribers receive at least 10% savings on their electricity bill, and 20% for low-income participants. (Michigan Advance)

• Missouri regulators approve Ameren’s plan to build a 250 MW solar project next to the company’s nuclear plant in the state. (KOMU)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• Slate Auto, the startup making minimalist electric trucks with backing from Jeff Bezos, plans to add nearly 400 jobs and invest $10.4 million at its Detroit-area headquarters as it prepares to launch. (Crain’s Detroit)

DATA CENTERS

• The city of Cleveland rejects plans for a $1.6 billion hyperscale data center in a residential neighborhood, noting that it failed during a zoning review. (Signal Cleveland)

• At least 12 data centers have been proposed in Alliant Energy’s Wisconsin service area, though critics point to a lack of details in documents filed with state regulators. (Capital Times)

CLEAN ENERGY

• A multifamily housing project outside Cleveland is one of the first in the state to use a state clean energy bond to help finance its construction, which will include solar panels and measures to boost the building’s efficiency by as much as 55%. (Crain’s Cleveland)

BATTERIES

• Ford’s stock surges after Morgan Stanley announces it will back the automaker’s new battery storage subsidiary. (Detroit Free Press)

POLITICS

• A solar developer loses the Democratic primary for a Nebraska congressional seat, while Republicans are expected to take the seat in November. (E&E News)

• A top aide for Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted is a former FirstEnergy lobbyist who worked with the company as it was implicated in a massive bribery scheme in 2020. (Ohio Capital Journal)

COMMENTARY

• Michigan House Republicans’ recent vote to repeal the state’s clean energy standards indicate a major departure from the GOP’s previous support for energy efficiency and renewable energy laws, a clean energy advocate writes. (Michigan Advance)