GRID: Federal energy regulators tell a U.S. Senate committee that power plants are being retired more quickly than they’re being replaced, forecasting a “looming reliability crisis in our electricity markets.” (Utility Dive)

ALSO:
• More Americans are installing generators and battery storage as climate change drives more frequent blackouts, but high prices still keep the vast majority from accessing backup power. (New York Times)
• A public-private initiative that launched in Minnesota to co-locate transmission and communications infrastructure along public rights-of-way will expand its mission nationally. (Utility Dive)

EMISSIONS:
• The Biden administration’s forthcoming power plant emissions rules are designed to curb greenhouse gas pollution as much as possible without being rejected by the  Supreme Court, sources say. (Politico)
• An International Energy Agency report explores how oil and gas operations could cheaply reduce their planet-warming emissions. (Axios)

COAL ASH: Citizen scientists say they’ve confirmed coal ash from a Puerto Rico power plant is contaminating drinking water, but despite the U.S. EPA’s response residents say they won’t be satisfied until the plant is closed and its coal ash is removed. (Energy News Network)

PIPELINES: Federal pipeline regulators announce new rules meant to reduce methane leaks from natural gas pipelines and other facilities. (E&E News)

RENEWABLES: Amazon has emerged as the largest corporate buyer of renewable energy in the world, though building new projects will confront challenges with interconnecting to the grid. (CNBC)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• A California company partners with electric vehicle maker Fisker to explore quickly swapping EV batteries to provide a faster alternative to fully recharging. (E&E News)
• Illinois lawmakers pass a bill that would require newly built single-family and small multi-family homes to be equipped to support electric vehicle charging infrastructure. (Chicago Tribune)
• Industry officials estimate they will eventually develop the capacity to extract enough lithium from California’s Salton Sea geothermal brines to support 7.5 million electric vehicles annually. (CBS News)

OIL & GAS:
• A rural Florida town with a thriving Black community and plans for developing its tourism and real estate industries finds it’s now being targeted for a liquified natural gas plant on the site of a former paper mill. (Inside Climate News)
• Rising global demand revives a stalled plan to build a $44 billion natural gas pipeline, liquefaction facility and export terminal in Alaska, but experts predict it may not garner the necessary financing. (Houston Chronicle)

JOBS: Some New York City councilmembers want to ensure industrial factory workers can transition to green economy work, like offshore wind and solar sector jobs, if an industrial rezoning plan passes. (Gothamist)

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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.