While Kentucky is getting a $2 billion electric vehicle battery factory to be built by a Japanese company and Hyundia plans to invest $300 million to add an electric vehicle assembly line at its Alabama plant, a Spanish EV manufacturer is starting construction of a new plant in Arlington, Texas. Wallbox, the Barcelona-based manufacture …
Lawsuit could affect wind industry growth in Iowa
A lawsuit by a tenant farmer in Iowa has the potential to change wind energy construction in Iowa. It’s a suit the wind industry is watching closely. The issue involves the tenant farmer who opposed construction of a wind farm on the land he leases even though the land owner approved of the project. …
US and World energy headlines
** The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the resulting increase in gas prices is responsible for most of the record increase in US inflation last month, US President Joe Biden says. “Seventy percent of the increase in prices in March came from (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s price hike in gasoline,” Biden says during a visit …
Increase in crude stored at Cushing hub
U.S. crude oil supplies grew this week and the same could be said of the crude in storage at the Cushing hub in northern Oklahoma. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported the amount of crude held at Cushing increased by 400,000 barrels to reach a total of 26.3 million barrels as of April 8, …
IPO boosts Kaiser’s wealth to $9 billion
Tulsa billionaire George Kaiser increased his fortune by more than $1 billion with a recent public offering of his Excelerate Energy inc. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index shows the IPO added $1.4 billion to his fortune and increased his net worth to $9.2 billion reported Bloomberg. Click here for Bloomberg
Supreme Court referee hears more utility bond cases
An Oklahoma Supreme Court referee heard arguments Wednesday as three utilities sought nearly $3 billion in ratepayer-backed bonds to pay for their 2021 February storm costs. The Oklahoma Development Finance Authority pitched the requests in all three separate hearings before referee Kyle Rogers. The hearings were held publicly but not aired live over the …
Crude still above $100 with a 4% jump
Crude oil prices rose 4% on Wednesday and hit a 2-week high even as U.S. crude inventories grew. The jump came as global markets are set to lose more Russian oil. West Texas Intermediate crude for May delivery went up $3.65 and settled at $104.25 a barrel in trading on the New York Mercantile …
ONG seeks rate hike
Documents show that a week before Oklahoma Natural Gas Company filed for Supreme Court approval of $1.4 billion in ratepayer-backed bonds to pay for February 2021 storm costs, the company also filed a request with the Corporation Commission to raise rates on its customers. The March 15 application by ONG asked regulators to increase …
Oklahoma regulators to meet Thursday
The Thursday morning meeting of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission will include an update on the commission’s Electronic Case Filing System. It will be part of a regular meeting that starts at 9:30 a.m. The agenda released on Wednesday indicated commissioners will receive a status and update on communication, training and utilizing the ECF system. …
National Sierra Club suspends Colorado chapter
All is not well in the Colorado chapter of the Sierra Club. The Sierra Club moved this week to suspend its Colorado chapter leadership for four years, citing “harmful and non-inclusive management culture” issues. E&E News reported the Club’s board of directors voted to put the Colorado organization under temporary leadership until 2026. The report …
