UTILITIES: Public Service Company of New Mexico officials say they may have to keep the San Juan coal power plant operating beyond its scheduled June retirement date to avoid power outages this summer. (Santa Fe New Mexican)

GRID:
• Energy experts say the U.S. Department of Energy’s forthcoming transmission upgrade plan should focus on linking the Eastern and Western Interconnections to facilitate integrating renewables into the grid. (S&P Global)
• California officials plan to use federal infrastructure funds to upgrade or build high-voltage transmission lines to facilitate renewable energy imports and exports. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Studies find climate change-exacerbated heat and drought will increase power demand and deplete hydropower capacity on the Western grid, leading to outages and electricity price spikes. (E&E News, subscription)
• San Diego Gas & Electric completes a pilot project on a zero-emission, battery-equipped microgrid able to power 66 homes and businesses for five hours. (City News Service)
• The Bonneville Power Administration delays its entry into the Western Energy Imbalance Market to perform more computer system testing and training. (RTO Insider, subscription)

OIL & GAS:
• California officials explore ways to help more than 100,000 fossil fuel industry workers who will likely lose their jobs as the state phases out oil and gas drilling and gasoline-powered vehicles. (E&E News)
• Alaska regulators seek $42 million in federal infrastructure funds to plug and remediate 12 orphaned wells on remote state or private land. (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
• Alaska officials say oil and gas royalties, taxes and lease payments generated more than $1 billion for state coffers last year. (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
• Hawaii regulators approve a U.S. Navy plan to drain up to 5 million gallons of water per day from a well contaminated by its leaky Red Hill fuel storage facility. (CNN) 

SOLAR:
• A Hawaii court delays a previously approved solar project proposed for Maui by allowing opposition groups to intervene in a new hearing before state regulators. (Maui Now)
• California’s senate advances a bill that would create an instant, online residential solar permitting process in counties with 150,000 residents or more. (news release)

STORAGE: A solid-state, cobalt-free battery company establishes a pilot production facility in Livermore, California, after receiving a grant from the state. (news release) 

HYDROPOWER: Federal officials seek public input on a plan to ensure Glen Canyon Dam retains high enough water levels to continue generating hydropower during the ongoing Western drought. (KUER)

CLIMATE: New Mexico lawmakers advance a bill creating requirements for achieving the state’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. (The Paper)

NUCLEAR: Leaders of a tiny Wyoming coal town welcome Bill Gates’ plan to build an advanced nuclear reactor there, but many residents and coal industry employees are wary. (Casper Star-Tribune) 

COMMENTARY: New Mexico officials urge state lawmakers to pass a clean fuel standards bill they say would reduce air pollution, spur $470 million in clean energy investments and create nearly 4,000 jobs without driving up gas prices. (Santa Fe New Mexican)

Jonathan hails from southwestern Colorado and has been writing about the land, cultures, and communities of the Western United States for more than two decades. He compiles the Western Energy News digest. He is the author of three books, a contributing editor at High Country News, and the editor of the Land Desk, an e-newsletter that provides coverage and context on issues critical to the West.