POLITICS: President Biden outlines a plan to lower energy costs by boosting renewable energy, energy efficiency, and electric vehicles during a State of the Union address that only briefly touched on clean energy and climate. (E&E News, Insider)

ALSO: Biden’s speech apparently did little to convince Sen. Joe Manchin to support Build Back Better, as the swing-vote senator expressed familiar objections to the package following the speech. (E&E News)

RUSSIA:
• U.S. Senate Republicans introduce a bill to ban Russian oil imports and increase U.S. drilling, while Democratic Sen. Ed Markey introduces his own ban with a focus on boosting clean energy. (The Hill)
• The former head of Ukraine’s state-owned natural gas company is meeting with U.S. senators and the Biden administration to urge a full embargo on oil and gas from Russia. (Politico)
• The U.S. and allied world powers agree to release 60 million barrels of oil from their strategic reserves as gasoline prices surge amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. (Washington Post)
• U.S. utilities are not at heightened risk of a cyberattack as Russia attacks Ukraine, experts say, but they still shouldn’t let their guard down. (Utility Dive)
• ExxonMobil will end operations at a natural gas export facility in Russia that it operates and halt new investments as it retreats from the country. (Politico) 

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Ford will reorganize its electric vehicle and internal combustion businesses into separate units within the company in an effort to streamline EV production and maximize profits. (CNBC)
• General Motors sells its shares in struggling electric truck startup Lordstown Motors at a loss. (Bloomberg)
• Rivian’s planned $5 billion electric vehicle plant in Georgia becomes a wedge issue in the Republican primary for governor. (Washington Post)

OIL & GAS: Colorado regulators approve “strongest in the nation” rules that will significantly increase oil and gas reclamation bonds and levy new fees to fund abandoned well cleanup. (Colorado Newsline)

OFFSHORE WIND: Competing wind turbine production hub plans are cropping up across towns and neighborhoods in New York and New Jersey, although the area may have enough demand to support multiple facilities. (New York Times)

UTILITIES: The Tennessee Valley Authority and Oak Ridge National Laboratory sign an agreement to collaborate on decarbonization technology that includes carbon capture, hydrogen, electric vehicle charging, storage and nuclear. (Associated Press)

EFFICIENCY:
• Two Massachusetts incentive programs are driving the development of thousands of new units in residential apartment buildings designed to the highly energy-efficient passive house standard. (Energy News Network)
• Three pilot projects are being used to assess the potential for gas utilities to transition to underground thermal networks to heat and cool Massachusetts neighborhoods. (Canary Media)

NUCLEAR:
• After the U.S. Geological Survey removed uranium from its critical minerals list in a blow to producers, the Energy Department suggests it will include uranium on its own critical minerals list. (E&E News)
• U.S. senators from New Mexico and Texas introduce bipartisan legislation that would stop the Department of Energy from funding interim spent reactor fuel storage sites in their home states. (E&E News, subscription)

Kathryn brings her extensive editorial background to the Energy News Network team, where she oversees the early-morning production of ENN’s five email digest newsletters as well as distribution of ENN’s original journalism with other media outlets. From documenting chronic illness’ effect on college students to following the inner workings of Congress, Kathryn has built a broad experience in her more than five years working at major publications including The Week Magazine. Kathryn holds a Bachelor of Science in magazine journalism and information management and technology from Syracuse University.