** The U.S. Interior Department orders environmental reviews for fossil fuel and mining projects — but not wind and solar projects— to be reduced to no more than a month, leading to praise from the oil and gas industry but criticism from environmental groups.
** The amount of power used by data centers has tripled over the past 10 years and could triple again in the next three years, Reuters reported, citing a report from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
** Indiana lawmakers narrowly passed a bill allowing utilities to bypass some local laws to build new power plants at former coal plant sites, but it specifically exempts wind and solar, creating concerns about the loss of local control.
** General Motors will increase production of transmissions at a Toledo, Ohio plant, shifting away from EV parts manufacturing to gasoline vehicles.
** North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong signs a bill limiting utilities’ liability from paying wildfire damages that previously had opposition from a majority of state lawmakers.
** German energy company RWE ceases U.S. offshore wind activity, including participation in the Community Offshore Wind project near New Jersey, citing the “uncertainty” created by the Trump administration’s hostility toward offshore wind.
World
** Several OPEC+ members will suggest the group accelerates oil output hikes in June for a second consecutive month, three sources familiar with OPEC+ talks told Reuters, as a dispute worsens between members over compliance with production quotas.
** Some tankers Chevron had chartered to move crude from Venezuela to the U.S. this month are now being marketed for spot contracts elsewhere, sources said, after state company PDVSA canceled loading permits and ordered the firm to return cargoes amid payment uncertainty related to sanctions.
** Toyota Motor (TM) Chairman Akio Toyoda has proposed acquiring supplier Toyota Industries in a possible 6 trillion yen ($42 billion) deal, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, in what would mark a pivotal buyout for Japan Inc and reshape its most powerful corporate group.
** Reuters reported that India’s Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd. is gearing up for clean energy investments in Andhra Pradesh, a southern state in the country. The proposed $5.63 billion investment can produce 7 gigawatts of energy.