** GE Vernova, the energy spin-off of GE, is investing an additional $80 million in its flagship grid solutions factory in Pennsylvania over the next two years to modernize the electric grid and meet growing demand.
** A former mining client of President Trump’s Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and top campaign fundraiser Brian Ballard is on the verge of securing a major win from the Trump administration. The developer behind the proposed Pebble Mine in southwest Alaska, one of the most controversial mining projects in the country, is in talks with the Environmental Protection Agency to reverse a veto that has blocked the mine since 2023.
** California lawmakers remove provisions from a proposed bill that would have slashed rooftop solar net metering compensation when customers sell their homes, drawing relief from advocates and homeowners.
** ConocoPhillips proposes drilling oil and gas exploratory wells in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska near its Willow project.
** Wyoming residents push back on Radiant Industries’ proposal to establish a nuclear microreactor manufacturing facility in Bar Nunn, saying it would be too close to town.
World
** Despite almost 200 countries originally agreeing to begin the transition away from fossil fuels in 2023, the U.N. Human Rights Council has passed a motion that would back away from requiring that commitment. According to Reuters, the United Nations passed a motion on climate change without the controversial amendment that directly called on countries to transition away from fossil fuels.
** A new energy storage plant featuring sodium- and lithium-ion batteries has opened in China’s Yunnan province. The energy storage station, operated by China Southern Power Grid, is approximately 33,333 square meters in size and features over 150 battery compartments, according to CnEVPost.
** Tesla launched on Tuesday its Model Y at about $70,000 in India, a significant markup relative to its other major markets, reflecting the country’s high tariffs on electric vehicle imports which CEO Elon Musk has long-criticised.
** As Inside EVs reported, Ionity announced it will begin rolling out new ultra-fast chargers across Europe in the second half of 2025. These chargers will be capable of adding up to 186 miles of range in under eight minutes, making road trips and daily commutes much more convenient for EV drivers.
** China’s naphtha imports will hit record levels this year as new plants and caution over U.S. propane and ethane purchases will drive demand and support refiners’ margins for the petrochemical feedstock, analysts and traders said.