The largest nuclear power plant operator in US to buy major natural gas producer
Constellation Energy, the largest nuclear power plant operator in the U.S., has announced its $16.4 billion acquisition of Calpine Corp., a private power company. The deal, one of the biggest in the nation’s energy sector, highlights the growing demand for electricity driven by data center operations.
Goldman Sachs projected that power demands from data centers will grow 15% annually through the end of the decade. Constellation said this latest agreement will help the company meet these increasing energy needs by adding Calpine’s extensive natural gas energy production to its portfolio.
Natural gas is considered a relatively clean-burning fuel. However, it emits greenhouse gases, including methane, that raise environmental concerns.
Experts caution that reliance on natural gas to meet surging energy demands could undermine efforts to combat climate change unless effective measures are implemented to manage emissions.
Energy strategists note that utilities face significant challenges in providing enough power for the expanding number of data centers without incorporating natural gas into their energy mix.
Calpine’s CEO Andrew Novotny said the merger would accelerate investments in clean energy, including nuclear power and battery storage technologies.
The companies expect the transaction to close within a year, pending regulatory approval. Constellation has also pledged to address any antitrust concerns by divesting assets if necessary.
Wildfires force thousands to evacuate Southern California
Three massive wildfires are burning out of control in Southern California, putting thousands of homes at risk. And President-elect Donald Trump shares his plans to acquire Greenland, the Panama Canal and bring Canada as the 51st state. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025.
Southern California wildfires force thousands to evacuate
Three separate wildfires are burning in the Los Angeles, California, area, and there is no end in sight, as strong winds are fueling the flames. The most extreme of the three is the Palisades Fire, which spans nearly 3,000 acres and has already forced 30,000 residents to evacuate.
Cities surrounding Pacific Palisades, including Malibu, issued evacuation orders. Officials there told all residents to prepare to leave their homes, whether they were under evacuation orders or not since the inferno was moving so quickly.
All hands are on deck to fight the #PalisadesFire in Southern California. California is deeply grateful for the brave firefighters & first responders battling the blaze.
We will continue to mobilize resources and support local communities as they respond to this severe weather. pic.twitter.com/JZrYy85e4z
The neighboring city of Santa Monica also issued an evacuation order for the northern part of the city. It also closed the area to the public, warning of an immediate threat to life.
As thousands of firefighters continue to battle the flames, authorities work to find the fire’s cause.
A second wildfire, dubbed the Eaton Fire, burns near Pasadena. A city spokeswoman said it has “created its own firestorm” with flying embers igniting at least a dozen other spot fires.
So far, the Eaton Fire has consumed about 1,000 acres. It engulfed homes and forced more than 100 people to evacuate from a nursing home — some in wheelchairs and on gurneys. A federal disaster declaration is now in effect for the Eaton Fire.
Crews are also battling the Hurst Fire about 100 acres in the San Fernando Valley, which is in the northern part of Los Angeles County. The Hurst Fire also prompted evacuation orders.
The Los Angeles County canceled schools in 19 districts Wednesday, Jan. 8. Plus, more than 200,000 people are without access to power, either because of the powerful Santa Ana winds or because a utility provider turned off electricity to prevent additional fires.
The forecast called for the winds to continue for days, producing gusts that could top 100 miles per hour in the mountains and foothills.
Biden administration asks federal appeals court to block 9/11 plea deals
The Biden administration asked a federal appeals court to block a plea agreement for accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The controversial deal would spare Mohammed from the death penalty for his role in planning the terror attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.
The deadly attack rocked the U.S. and began the war on terrorism.
In court filings Tuesday, Jan. 7, the Justice Department argued the government would be irreparably harmed if the guilty pleas were accepted for Mohammed and two co-defendants in the 9/11 attacks.
It said the government would be denied a chance for a public trial and the opportunity to “seek capital punishment against three men charged with a heinous act of mass murder that caused the death of thousands of people and shocked the nation and the world.”
The Defense Department negotiated and approved the plea deal but later revoked it.
However, attorneys for the defendants argued the deal was already legally in effect and that U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who began the administration’s efforts to throw it out, acted too late.
Mohammed is set to enter his guilty plea on Friday, Jan. 10, if the appeal is not granted. His co-defendants, accused of lesser roles in 9/11, are due to enter theirs next week.
Harris, Johnson deliver eulogies for President Jimmy Carter
The 39th president died last week at the age of 100.
Carter’s body had been lying in repose since Saturday, Jan. 5, at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta before being transported Tuesday morning to Washington D.C.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson each delivered a eulogy during Tuesday’s ceremony
“We all know that his care for humanity didn’t stop at building homes,” Johnson said. “In the face of illness, President Jimmy Carter brought lifesaving medicine. In the face of conflict, he brokered peace. In the face of discrimination, he reminded us that we are all made in the image of God. If you were to ask him why he did it all, he would likely point to his faith.”
Harris highlighted Carter’s faith. She said, “James Earl Carter, Jr. loved our country. He lived his faith. He served the people. And he left the world better than he found it.”
Carter’s body will lie in state through Thursday morning, Jan. 9, and then be taken to the National Cathedral for a state funeral. Biden is expected to deliver a eulogy.
Trump suggests using military, economic force to expand America
In a wide-ranging press conference from Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, President-elect Donald Trump touched on a bunch of topics, including a $20 billion foreign investment to build data centers in the U.S. He also talked about his plans to revoke Biden’s recent ban on offshore oil and natural gas drilling as well as expansion strategies for the United States.
Trump reiterated his goals of acquiring the Panama Canal, which has been under Panama’s sole control since 1999, and Greenland, a territory of Denmark.
Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., is leading an American delegation currently in Greenland, though the country’s prime minister said he is there as “a private individual.”
The Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen responded to Trump’s remarks Tuesday, saying Greenland was not for sale.
Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte Egede reiterated this point, saying “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders. Our future and fight for independence is our business.”
A reporter asked the president-elect if he can assure that he would not use any military force to take control of either the Panama Canal or Greenland.
“I can’t assure you, you’re talking about Panama and Greenland,” Trump replied. “No, I can’t assure you on either of those two but, I can say this we need them for economic security. The Panama Canal was built for a military. I’m not going to commit to that now.”
In response to those remarks, the prime minister of Denmark called the United States its country’s “closest ally” and did not believe the U.S. would use any force to secure Greenland. Panama’s foreign minister repeated earlier comments from the country’s president that the sovereignty of the Panama Canal is not negotiable.
“[I’d use] economic force because Canada and the United States — that would really be something,” he said. “You get rid of that artificially drawn line, and you take a look at what that looks like. It would also be much better for national security. Don’t forget, we basically protect Canada.”
Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued his response in a post on X saying, “There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States.”The president-elect also spoke of one more geographical goal of his in the upcoming term: to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, saying it “has a beautiful ring to it.”
Not long after his remarks, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia said she directed her staff to begin drafting legislation for the name change.
Police: Former soldier used AI to plan Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion attack
New details are emerging about the man who blew up a Tesla Cybertruck outside Trump Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day. Las Vegas police said Tuesday the attacker used generative AI, including ChatGPT to plan the attack.
An investigation into former soldier Matthew Livelsberger, 37, found his search history on ChatGPT included questions about firearms and explosives. Straight Arrow News reporter Lauren Taylor has more details on the investigation into the Cybertruck explosion.
Girl Scout cookie season begins, 2 flavors discontinued
Girl Scout cookie season has arrived. The annual tradition is meant to teach young girls about entrepreneurial skills through selling boxes of cookies.
Almost everyone has a favorite, of course, but if yours is Girl Scout S’mores or Toast-Yay! Cookies — bad news. The Girl Scouts plan to retire those two flavors later this year.
The organization said discontinuing those two flavors may lead to something new and delicious.
Trump weighing executive order to protect gas stoves: Report
President-elect Donald Trump is considering an executive order to protect gas-fueled appliances like stoves and heaters. The executive order would shield the appliances from regulations designed to phase them out of American homes and businesses, according to what two sources familiar with Trump’s plans told Reuters on Tuesday, Jan. 7.
Republican leaders including President-elect Trump have criticized local Democratic efforts to reduce the use of gas-powered appliances in construction projects over concerns about climate change and people’s health.
At least one federal study looked into a potential link between respiratory conditions such as asthma and gas-fueled appliances.
Dozens of Democrat-run cities, including San Francisco and Berkeley, California, have tried to limit the use of gas stoves in new buildings in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
New York state also approved a law in December that bans natural gas stoves and furnaces from most new buildings.
However, those efforts have faced legal challenges.
Berkeley, the first city to pass such a ban, was blocked from enacting the rule by a federal court in 2023 and repealed the law last year.
In protest of the regulations, at least 20 Republican-led states have passed legislation outlawing local governments from banning natural gas appliances in buildings.
Meanwhile, details of Trump’s potential executive order are still unclear.
The sources told Reuters that the order may be similar to efforts in Congress to limit federal dollars going toward state and local measures to limit or impose regulations on gas-powered devices that increase their cost.
According to the latest numbers from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, more than 75 million American households use natural gas for at least one appliance. Natural gas is used mostly for heat and hot water.
The survey by the administration also found that 2 out of every 5 American homes have a gas stove.
Kyiv ends flow of Russian gas to Europe after denying transit agreement
Ukraine cut off access to a crucial Russian natural gas line running through the country and parts of Europe on Wednesday, Jan. 1. The move marks the end to more than 60 years of Moscow‘s control over European energy markets.
The gas kept flowing for the past three years despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, Kyiv expectedly declined to renew a transit agreement with Russia, ending access to the pipeline.
The last remaining European Union nations buying Russian gas through Ukraine, including Slovakia and Austria, will now lean on alternative energy supplies.
Hungary will continue to rely on Russian natural gas via Turkey through the TurkStream pipeline underneath the Black Sea. Other regions are not as fortunate.
Transnistria, a pro-Moscow region of Ukraine’s neighbor Moldova, relies on the Russian pipeline. Now, the region no longer has access to heat or hot water amid freezing temperatures. Only hospitals and critical infrastructure are being supplied with heat and hot water.
Electricity remains flowing for now, but the region’s main power plant already switched to coal. Authorities said there is only enough fuel supply left for 50 days.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the end of the transit agreement was “one of Moscow’s biggest defeats,” calling on the United States to supply more gas to Europe. He added that it’s Europe’s “joint task” to support Moldova “in this period of energy transformation.”
New York aims to make fossil fuel companies pay $75 billion for pollution
A new law in New York is aiming to make fossil fuel companies pay up for pollution. State lawmakers, including Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said these oil, gas and coal companies are now on the hook for projects to reduce the effects of climate change.
Hochul signed the bill into law on Thursday, Dec. 26, under which fossil fuel companies will be fined $75 billion over 25 years for damage caused to the climate.
The money will reportedly go into a fund to pay for infrastructure projects related to mitigating the effects of climate change or a so-called “Climate Superfund” starting in 2028.
Democratic lawmakers are praising the legislation.
“The companies most responsible for the climate crisis will be held accountable,” State Sen. Liz Krueger, D-NY, said.
Fossil fuel companies will be charged based on the amount of greenhouse gases they released into the atmosphere between 2000 and 2018.
The law applies to any company the New York Department of Environmental Conservation deems responsible for more than one billion tons of global greenhouse emissions.
However, the law will not begin fining companies right away.
First, the state must come up with rules to identify the biggest polluters and then notify the companies of the penalties. Afterward, the state must determine the infrastructure projects the funds will go toward.
Oil, coal and gas companies are reportedly expected to challenge the law in court.
The American Petroleum Institute, which is the oil industry’s top lobbying group, responded to the law in a statement.
“This type of legislation represents nothing more than punitive fee on American energy, and we are evaluating our options moving forward,” the statement said.
New York is now the second state to pass such legislation fining fossil fuel companies for pollution. Vermont became the first this summer.
Maine becomes latest state to sue oil companies over climate change
During the week of Nov. 25, Maine became the latest state to sue major fossil fuel companies over climate change. The Pine Tree State alleged the companies deceived the public about the effects fossil fuels had on the environment.
The state wants damages dating back to the 1960s. That’s when the state said the companies first learned about what fossil fuels could do to the climate. The state is also seeking money for climate adaptation.
“For over half a century, these companies chose to fuel profits instead of following their science to prevent what are now likely irreversible, catastrophic climate effects,” Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey, a Democrat, said.
Maine is particularly dependent on oil for home heating. Over half of the state’s houses rely on oil over electricity or alternative fuels.
“These baseless claims ignore the state’s historic dependence on oil and natural gas, do nothing to address the risks of climate change and waste taxpayer dollars,” a spokesperson said.
Maine joins eight other states, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia, who have pending climate lawsuits against oil companies.
However, many government-related climate lawsuits have struggled. New York tried a different legal approach with its suit against ExxonMobil in 2019. They said the company misled investors about climate-related costs and brought securities fraud charges. A judge threw that suit out.
The city of Baltimore also filed a lawsuit similar to what many states have filed. In July 2024, a state judge dismissed that suit. The judge ruled that state courts were not the place to settle the case. In addition, she concluded that Maryland’s laws didn’t have power over emissions that occurred outside the state.
Trump administration expected to introduce several pro-oil energy policies
The incoming Trump administration is expected to implement several pro-oil energy policies shortly after taking office. These measures include expanding oil drilling and reviving liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, according to a recent report from Reuters.
An early priority of the president-elect’s transition team will reportedly be lifting the Biden administration’s pause on new LNG export permits and approving pending ones. The pause had been introduced to mitigate methane emissions — a greenhouse gas that is 28 times more harmful than carbon dioxide and makes up around 95% of LNG.
However, an October study by National Manufacturers Association found that the pause on LNG exports could reduce U.S. tax revenue by approximately $46 billion.
Additionally, the incoming administration plans to expedite approvals for oil drilling permits on federal lands and expand offshore drilling opportunities along U.S. coastlines.
Another proposed initiative involves replenishing the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which was depleted under Biden to address rising oil prices during the conflict in Ukraine and economic challenges from the pandemic.
Rebuilding the reserve could stimulate short-term oil demand in the nation and encourage U.S. production.
These policies reflect commitments made by Trump to the oil and gas industry during his campaign. While Big Oil donors did not meet Trump’s alleged funding request of $1 billion, they did provide him with more financial support during this election cycle than in either of his previous campaigns.
Texas AG sues Biden admin over dunes sagebrush lizard’s endangered status
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration, alleging that officials violated the Endangered Species Act by designating the dunes sagebrush lizard under it. Paxton claims the reptiles have been “unlawfully” classified as endangered, a move he says is designed to limit oil and gas development in Texas, where the lizard’s habitat overlaps with key energy production sites.
“The Biden-Harris administration’s unlawful misuse of environmental law is a backdoor attempt to undermine Texas’s oil and gas industries which help keep the lights on for America,” Paxton said in a statement. “I warned that we would sue over this illegal move, and now we will see them in court.”
The lawsuit targets the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Department of the Interior, and other federal authorities. Paxton argues that Texas is already managing conservation efforts for the species at the state level, and that federal intervention leaves private landowners and businesses uncertain about what areas fall under protection.
“Because of this, the federal government’s action would unduly undermine vital economic development in the Permian Basin, subjecting Texas industries and private landowners to regulatory uncertainty and ambiguity about what they can do with their own land,” Paxton’s office said in a statement.
The federal government’s decision to list the lizard as endangered has also faced opposition from other Texas officials, with Sen. Ted Cruz introducing a bill in July to remove the species from the endangered list, though the effort failed.
The dunes sagebrush lizard, which has seen its habitat decline by nearly 50% since 1982, was officially listed as endangered in June. The USFWS states that this decline, accelerated by oil and gas activity, has left the species “functionally extinct” in 47% of its known habitat.
The species’ range sits atop one of the busiest oil fields in the U.S., and opening new wells in this region could reduce the lizard population by half within a 250-meter radius of drilling sites, according to federal data.
The USFWS, however, contends that horizontal drilling provides a way for companies to access oil and gas deposits without disturbing the lizard’s habitat. The agency highlighted that 100 oil and gas operators have also agreed to adopt conservation practices to minimize harm to endangered species in the region.
USFWS said in a statement: “Conservation efforts for imperiled species can be greatly expanded through collaborative approaches that foster cooperation and the exchange of ideas among stakeholders.”
The lawsuit comes as the federal government is still working to clarify which areas of Texas will be subject to the new endangered species protections. If the protections remain in place, oil and gas operators could face fines up to $50,000 for violations, and individuals could face criminal penalties and jail time for conducting activities in restricted areas.
BP to sell off US wind energy assets while prioritizing oil and gas investments
BP announced its decision to divest from its U.S.-based onshore wind turbine operations. The move signals a shift in strategy, with the company refocusing on its core business of oil and gas production, a pivot that comes amid changes in leadership and investor dissatisfaction with its previous emphasis on renewable energy.
Under BP’s new CEO Murray Auchincloss, the company is putting more emphasis on oil and gas operations in response to pressure from investors who have expressed concerns about the financial returns of its renewable energy ventures.
BP shares dropped around 23% from the company’s 12-month high in October 2023. In line with this revised approach, BP already paused the development of new wind power projects and prioritized investing in and even acquiring new oil and gas assets.
Currently, BP operates wind energy assets in seven U.S. states. Those projects generate approximately 1.7 gigawatts of electricity, which is enough to power over half a million homes. The company’s portfolio in this sector is valued at around $2 billion.
“BP Wind Energy’s assets are high-quality and grid-connected but are not aligned with our plans for growth,” William Lin, BP executive vice president for gas & low carbon energy, said. “So we believe the business is likely to be of greater value for another owner. This planned divestment is part of our strategy of continuing to simplify our portfolio.”
In a statement announcing the divestment from American onshore wind energy, BP said that it will integrate future renewable energy with its solar energy branch. The British oil and gas giant emphasized that clean energy remains an “important part” of its long-term strategy, but that through this move it aims to streamline operations and become a “higher value company.”
Ukraine’s continued attacks on Russian oil refineries are no doubt hurting Russia militarily and financially. In the last few months, Ukrainian drone and missile attacks struck dozens of refineries, depots, storage units, and ferries full of fuel.
Now, Russia — the nation Sen. John McCain once said was a “gas station masquerading as a country” — will no longer publish data on the production of oil products in the country. Like so much else in Russia, the amount of oil produced is now a state secret.
Interfax was the first to report the news, saying Russia’s Federal Statistics Service — or Rosstat — would no longer report information on the monthly production of diesel fuel, fuel oil, or liquefied propane.
The AFUstruck a ferry loaded with railroad tankers full of fuel at Port #Kavkaz in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. In the still-frame image below, you can clearly see the railroad tankers on the deck of the ferry and the ferry's bow to the far right.
Rosstat already stopped publishing data on gasoline production back in May. At the time, Russia’s energy ministry said the move was made because disclosing such information could be an opportunity for bad actors to manipulate the market.
The White House urged Ukraine months ago to stop attacking Russia’s oil-producing infrastructure, but the Biden administration’s restrictions on Ukraine against strikes deep into Russian territory only apply to U.S.-supplied weapons.
And considering Ukraine’s battle plans are largely centered around the idea of taking out the archers before they can shoot their arrows, it’s a safe bet scenes of black smoke billowing from Russian facilities aren’t likely to dissipate anytime soon.