** The Palisades power plant in Covert Township, Michigan, on Aug. 25 became the first decommissioned U.S. nuclear plant to officially transition to “operations” status, owner Holtec International said in a statement.
** Since President Donald Trump took away $7,500 tax credits for EVs, demand for the vehicles has slumped, contributing to a widespread battery surplus. The shift has led to a divestment in battery factory plans, a hit to Trump’s goal of bolstering U.S. manufacturing. Meanwhile, China continues to lead the world in global battery production.
** Nearly one in four Cadillacs sold in the U.S. is electric, and its overall EV sales have surpassed other luxury brands, providing a roadmap for automakers looking to convert their customers to EVs.
** US President Donald Trump followed through with doubling tariffs on India to 50% on Wednesday, to punish the country for importing Russian oil and helping Russia finance its war in Ukraine. But the US is still trading with Russia. Last year, the US still imported $3 billion worth of goods from Russia, according to the latest data from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and Census Bureau.
** The North Dakota Supreme Court orders a lawsuit to proceed that challenges a state law requiring landowners to allow carbon storage projects beneath their property if 60% of affected landowners agree to the project.
** Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation this month that will require oil and gas well operators, not taxpayers, to clean up abandoned wells.
** The U.S. EPA proposes handing Wyoming regulators oversight of toxic coal ash storage and remediation in the state, saying it is part of an effort to advance “cooperative federalism.”
World
** ExxonMobil engaged in secret talks with Russia’s state-owned oil company about re-entering offshore drilling projects on the country’s Pacific coast, The Wall Street Journal reported.
** Wind power is one of the fastest-growing electricity sources, according to the BBC, and Romania is about to build its biggest wind farm yet. A new report by Renewable Energy Magazine details the new scheme, known as the Vifor project. This will make the Vifor project one of the largest onshore wind farms in Europe, with a total capacity of 461 MW of green energy.
** China is seeking to buy more Russian gas through an existing pipeline as talks between the two countries have failed to make progress on building a second link, thwarting Moscow’s quest for new outlets, two industry sources told Reuters.
** Iran has launched a speedy clean-up operation at a nuclear-related site in northern Tehran hit by Israeli airstrikes that will likely remove evidence of any nuclear weapons development work, a research group said on Wednesday.