More energy headlines

** Ian’s death toll rises to at least 62 people as search and cleanup efforts continue in Florida and the Southeast, even as flooding issues continue to worsen in parts of the state.

** More than 100,000 customers in Puerto Rico still don’t have power more than two weeks after Hurricane Fiona knocked out its grid.

** BNSF Railway Co. aims to invest more than $1.5 billion in a new Barstow facility that expands its role as an economic anchor in the High Desert and transforms the way global cargo moves across the U.S. from Southern California ports.

** After pandemic-related disruptions in Q2, Tesla ramped up its manufacturing capacity again last quarter, leading the company to make a record number of deliveries between July 1st and September 30th. The company built 365,923 electric vehicles during the period.

** Major automakers are expected to report modest declines in U.S. new vehicle sales on Monday but analysts and investors are concerned that a darkening economic picture, not inventory shortages, will lead to a drop in future car sales.

** Charging an electric car in Manhattan takes a little work — but it’s already much easier than finding a gas station. The borough has about 320 publicly accessible charging locations, according to data from the US Department of Energy, compared with just 29 remaining gas stations, according to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

** Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell on Sunday responded to Republicans criticizing Vice President Harris for a remark she made stressing equity in the administration’s response to climate change. The FEMA chief’s comments came after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) reelection campaign’s rapid response director said Harris’s comment is causing “undue panic” and urged her to clarify.

** A Georgia judge strikes down a key piece of the state’s $1.5 billion incentive package for electric vehicle maker Rivian, threatening the project while providing a potential pathway for residents elsewhere to challenge local property tax breaks.

 

 

World

** Norway’s military said on Monday it had posted soldiers to help guard major onshore oil and gas processing plants, part of a wider effort to boost security amid suspicion that sabotage caused leaks in the Nord Stream gas pipelines last week.

** Natural gas prices in Europe fell amid signs the continent will be able to navigate this winter with sufficient inventories, an influx of LNG and measures planned by the European Union. Benchmark futures declined as much as 7%. European demand is likely to fall by a record 10% this year, and another 4% next year due to the high prices, according to the International Energy Agency.

** Argentina is in talks with the country’s natural gas producers over financing for the second phase of a key pipeline to transport the fuel to consumption hubs, Neuquen province’s energy minister told Reuters.

** Greece will submit a technical proposal for a cap on natural gas prices to the European Commision later this week following consultations with other European countries, its energy minister said on Monday.

** Japanese companies are looking to invest in the Canadian province of Alberta to produce ammonia and methanol in the effort to build global supply chains of greener energy to fight climate change, a provincial minister said.