Maryland small nuclear company gets $500 million investment

NUCLEAR: A Maryland-based company that makes small modular nuclear reactors announces a $500 million round of funding, led by Amazon as it looks for clean energy sources for its increasingly power-hungry data centers. (Washington Post)

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ALSO: The owners of the Three Mile Island nuclear plant order a $100 million transformer, a major step in its plan to restart operations. (Reuters)

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FOSSIL FUELS: A group of New York prosecutors argues they could press criminal charges against oil companies for their role in fueling hurricanes and other climate disasters. (The Guardian)

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BUILDINGS:

• In New York City, environmental advocates fear new rules allowing property owners to buy carbon offsets rather than reducing emissions will create loopholes that undermine the city’s building performance standards. (Gothamist)
• Pennsylvania developers unveil the state’s first apartment community built to the rigorous Phius ZERO standard, which calls for high energy efficiency, elimination of fossil fuel use, and net-zero emissions. (news release)

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HYDROGEN: A large hydrogen fuel production facility in upstate New York was expected to make the state an industry leader, but work on the project has halted and its future is uncertain. (Heatmap News)

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EMISSIONS:

• A demonstration plant in upstate New York will aim to remove carbon dioxide from the air and use it to recycle mining industry waste. (Canary Media)
• At least three Maine beermakers install carbon recapture equipment to address a shortage of carbon dioxide needed for the brewing process. (Portland Press-Herald, subscription)

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OFFSHORE WIND:

• New Jersey’s nascent offshore wind industry offers opportunities for small, local businesses, but educating the community about the benefits is vital, says a panel of industry experts. (New Jersey Business Magazine)
• The governor of Connecticut adopts a cautious stance toward offshore wind development, while Massachusetts’ governor moves forward aggressively. (CommonWealth Beacon)

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CLEAN ENERGY: Massachusetts awards $1.75 million in grants to help cities and towns fund energy efficiency projects, climate planning, and clean energy campaigns. (WWLP)

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GRID: Maine utilities make grid updates they say will make the power system more reliable as the number of serious storms increases. (News Center Maine)

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COMMENTARY: New York’s $5 billion state energy efficiency program needs to do a better job reaching low-income residents and communities of color, says an environmental justice advocate. (City Limits)

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