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Tag: Energy

  • Is nuclear power becoming cool in Colorado? Discussion of a role for it is growing

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    Colorado has a new law declaring nuclear power a source of clean energy. The Denver airport might explore building a small nuclear reactor to meet the rising demand for electricity. Local business, civic and labor leaders see nuclear  energy as the fuel of choice when Xcel Energy stops burning coal at its power plants in Pueblo County,

    Is nuclear power becoming cool in Colorado?

    The state has had only one nuclear power plant, Fort St. Vrain near Platteville. And it was converted to natural gas in 1989 after 10 years of technical problems. The former Rocky Flats weapons plant, which produced plutonium triggers for nuclear bombs, drew thousands of protesters for years to the site north of Denver, including such prominent activists as Daniel Ellsberg and Beat poet Allen Ginsberg.

    In 2004, Colorado voters were the first in the country to approve a renewable energy mandate for utilities. How has nuclear power, with its baggage of radioactive waste and the Three Mile Island partial meltdown, become a seriously considered option in today’s fuel mix?

    Worry about the demand for electricity outstripping capacity and concerns about progress on cutting greenhouse gas emissions led state Rep. Alex Valdez, a Denver Democrat, to back legislation this year that defines nuclear power as “clean.” He sponsored House Bill 25-1040, which added nuclear to the energy sources that utilities can use to meet state clean energy targets.

    “As a kid, I grew up in the ’80s when a lot of talk about nuclear was in relation to the weaponry that was pointed at each other between the Soviet Union and the United States,” Valdez said. “I think I just kind of lumped nuclear into the same conversations as most people do: around its negative uses, less desirable uses.”

    Valdez got a different perspective when he was appointed to the nuclear working group at the National Conference of State Legislatures. The group visited France, which gets about 70% of its electricity from nuclear power. Roughly 19% of electricity in the U.S. comes from nuclear energy.

    With some forecasts showing electricity demand rising dramatically, Valdez said the U.S. will have to add “a tremendous amount of energy” to the grid if it’s going to compete in quantum computing and other advanced technology.

    A boom in data center construction driven by increasing the use of artificial intelligence is expected to escalate the need for more electricity generation.

    Valdez, who spent most of his career in the renewable energy field, said the legislation he sponsored recognizes that the power generated by nuclear energy is carbon-free. “As we move toward our path to zero-carbon (energy), it can be included in the mix to get us there.”

    Not ready for prime time

    A lot of the current interest in nuclear power revolves around a new technology: small modular nuclear reactors, about one-tenth to one quarter the size of a conventional reactor. They’re billed as potentially less expensive, safer, easier to build and adaptable because modules can be added as more power is needed.

    The technology is also still in the development and demonstration stage. Just a few are operating in China and Russia. No small modular reactors –SMRs– are in commercial use in the U.S.

    “SMRs aren’t ready for prime time,” said Dennis Wamsted, an analyst at  the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. “You will hear from developers and others about the advantages. The advantages right now are all on paper.”

    The institute focuses on research into the economics of expanding the use of renewable energy.

    “We are not fans of nuclear power because it costs too much and that cost has been consistently high over the years. We see no track record of it declining,” Wamsted said. “We certainly don’t see that happening with a new class of  reactor that nobody’s built before and nobody’s run before.”

    Noah Rott, a spokesman for the western region of the Sierra Club, said the environmental group feels that discussion around nuclear energy “is largely a distraction as utilities work to address electric load growth in the next decade.”

    “Cleaner sources like wind, solar, demand response, energy efficiency and storage are the answer here,” Rott said in an email.

    However, the concept of an energy source that can run 24/7 and emit no heat-trapping greenhouse gases when generating power is compelling. Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said in August that the airport, the country’s third-busiest, planned to commission a study to explore the feasibility of building a small, modular nuclear reactor on its campus to meet the growing demand for electricity in the area and cut the use of carbon-emitting power.

    The airport put the study on hold after complaints that city officials hadn’t talked to area residents first. The airport determined that a broader scope will best serve its interests and needs and will issue a request for information later this fall on multiple clean energy solutions, including reactors, after first receiving ideas and input from the community, spokeswoman Courtney Law said in an email Wednesday.

    Nuclear power generation is the top choice of a local advisory committee for replacing coal at Xcel Energy’s Comanche power plants near Pueblo. Xcel has proposed tapping renewable energy, battery storage and natural gas when it stops burning coal by 2031.

    But the Pueblo Innovative Energy Solutions Advisory Committee, established by Xcel and community members, said renewable energy facilities wouldn’t provide the same number of jobs and tax revenue for local governments that nuclear or gas facilities would. The committee is promoting installing SMRs.

    Xcel Energy operates nuclear facilities in Minnesota and has said they’re not off the table for Colorado, but the new type of reactors likely won’t be commercially available when the utility has to replace its coal plants.

    The Western Governors Association, WGA, held workshops in September at the Idaho National Laboratory, which focuses largely on nuclear energy.

    The workshops were part of an initiative by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox called “Energy Superabundance: Unlocking Prosperity in the West.” Cox, the WGA’s chairman this year, said the country is looking to the West for ways to meet the surge in need for more electricity.

    Andy Cross, The Denver Post

    Some community leaders want to see nuclear power replace coal-fired power when Xcel Energy quits burning coal at the Comanche power plant in Pueblo County. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)

    Idaho Gov. Brad Little said during a workshop that the U.S. won’t meet its energy needs “with our legacy energy.”

    “We’re going to have to have scalable, safe nuclear energy,” Little said.

    While it could be five to 10 years before small reactors are up and running in the U.S., Mark Jensen, a chemistry professor at the Colorado School of Mines, said the federal government is more involved in promoting nuclear energy than in the recent past. He noted that the Department of Energy has opened federal sites to allow companies to test prototypes and that could help streamline development.

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    Judith Kohler

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  • Feeling Burnt Out? Here's How To Handle It, From Mental Health Experts

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    You might be feeling detached or exhausted.

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  • Working Out At This Time Of Day Is Better For A Healthy Weight

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    To do so, they analyzed data from nearly 5,300 participants taken between 2003 and 2006, splitting them into three groups: morning, midday, and evening exercisers. Then, the researchers looked at those workout times and how they lined up with weight management.

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  • The Midwest has turned on Trump

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    Once the heart of President Donald Trump’s political base, the Midwest — the region he promised to revive with factory jobs and “America First” trade policies — is showing signs of disillusionment.

    The latest TIPP Insights poll, conducted between September 30 and October 2, found Trump’s favorability in the Midwest at 40 percent favorable and 49 percent unfavorable, one of his weakest showings nationwide. The decline is striking given that Trump has long positioned himself as a champion of blue-collar workers and has frequently touted his record of reviving the region’s industrial economy.

    “I think of the Midwest as quintessentially the most ‘purple’ or swingy region in national politics,” J. Miles Coleman, associate editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, told Newsweek. “With that, it’s not too surprising to me that Trump’s approval there, -9, is roughly in line with where he is nationally.”

    Trump’s highest favorability was recorded in the Northeast (47 percent favorable, 43 percent unfavorable) — an unexpected result for one of the nation’s most liberal regions. He also performed well in the South (46 percent favorable, 43 percent unfavorable), where Republican registration remains strong.

    The West was Trump’s least favorable region, with 38 percent viewing him positively and 50 percent negatively.

    Newsweek Photo-Illustration/Getty/Canva/Associated Press

    The Midwest at the Heart of Trump’s 2024 Strategy

    The Midwest was central to Trump’s 2024 re-election campaign. He won eight of the 12 Midwestern states, flipping both Michigan and Wisconsin — two states he had narrowly lost in 2020. In Wisconsin, Trump won 49.6 percent of the vote to Kamala Harris’s 48.7 percent, while in Michigan he became the first Republican to carry the state twice since Ronald Reagan.

    His choice of Ohio Senator JD Vance as his running mate underscored the region’s political importance. Announcing the pick, Trump said Vance “will be strongly focused on … the American Workers and Farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, and far beyond.”

    At the time, Anthony Zurcher, the BBC’s North America correspondent, wrote that “the pick suggests Trump knows this election will be won and lost in a handful of industrial Midwest battleground states.”

    And ahead of that announcement, Angelia Wilson, a politics professor at the University of Manchester, England, told Newsweek: “Any reasonable political strategy points to Vance and the need to ensure a solid win in Ohio and the Rustbelt.”

    Trump’s Midwest Promise

    Throughout the 2024 campaign, Trump returned repeatedly to the theme that only he could restore the region’s lost industrial power. In Saginaw, Michigan, he vowed to make the state once again the “car capital of the world,” blasting what he called “energy policies that are stripping jobs” from American workers. “Michigan, more than any other state, has lost 60 percent of your automobile business over the years,” he said.

    In Mosinee, Wisconsin, Trump leaned on trade threats as a key policy tool. Speaking at a rally, he warned of “unprecedented tariffs” against foreign competitors and argued that immigrants were displacing U.S. workers — framing his agenda as a defense of the industrial Midwest, Reuters reported.

    And in one of his most direct economic moves, Trump threatened 200 percent tariffs on John Deere if the agricultural giant shifted production to Mexico, a signal to Midwestern manufacturers that his “America First” stance still applied to them.

    Tariffs, Inflation, and the New Economic Anxiety

    But while Trump’s message of protectionism once resonated deeply across the Midwest, cracks are beginning to show. Many farmers and manufacturers are now feeling the pinch of tariffs that have reduced exports and driven down crop prices.

    “There have been constant headlines of farmers being caught in the middle of Trump’s tariff fights, so that might be an especially salient issue in the Midwest,” Coleman said.

    Trump has dramatically expanded U.S. tariffs since returning to office, marking one of the most sweeping protectionist shifts in decades. In February 2025, he imposed new duties of 25 percent on imports from Canada and Mexico and 10 percent on Chinese imports, citing national security concerns related to drug trafficking and border security, according to a White House fact sheet.

    Two months later, Trump issued Executive Order 14257, known as “Liberation Day,” introducing a 10 percent baseline tariff on nearly all imports and authorizing higher duties — in some cases up to 50 percent — on goods from countries accused of unfair trade practices. The order also revoked the de minimis exemption that had allowed low-value imports to enter the U.S. tariff-free, and expanded tariffs under existing laws such as Section 232 and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The measures targeted key industries including autos, steel and aluminum.

    The administration has defended the tariffs as essential to rebuilding American manufacturing and protecting domestic jobs. But economists have warned of steep costs. The Penn Wharton Budget Model estimated the tariffs could reduce long-run GDP by six percent and lower wages by five percent, costing a typical middle-income household about $22,000 in lifetime income losses. The group also projected that the tariffs could raise between $4.5 and $5.2 trillion in federal revenue over the next decade — gains that could be offset by inflation and supply chain disruptions.

    For farmers, tariffs have been a thorn in their side since 2017, when Trump first imposed tariffs on key trading partners.

    Since then, American farmers have struggled with the loss of China as the top buyer of U.S. soybeans and a major market for corn. Exports of soybeans — America’s largest grain export by value — recently fell to a 20-year low, deepening fears that China may not purchase any U.S. grain this season.

    “With [tariffs] in place, we are not competitive with soybeans from Brazil,” Virginia Houston, director of government affairs at the American Soybean Association, told The Guardian. “No market can match China’s demand for soybeans. Right now, there is a 20 percent retaliatory duty from China.”

    Trump has said little publicly about the impact on farmers, though in August he demanded on Truth Social that China quadruple its soybean purchases. Chinese officials have instead pledged to boost domestic production by 38 percent by 2034, and U.S. farm groups say no new Chinese orders have been placed for the upcoming season.

    Despite the financial pain, many rural voters continue to back Trump, emphasizing that their support isn’t determined by a single issue like tariffs. 

    “Tariffs are probably something that will help in the long run,” Ohio farmer Brian Harbage, told The Guardian, acknowledging current export difficulties and economic uncertainty.

    To ease the strain, the Trump administration included $60 billion in farm subsidies in its latest tax bill, but critics argue the money favors large producers over family farms. Meanwhile, falling commodity prices, smaller cattle herds, and declining ethanol production have further weakened the sector.

    “The farm economy is in a much tougher place than where we were in 2018,” Houston said. “Prices have gone down while inputs – seed, fertilizer, chemicals, land and equipment – continue to go up.”

    Harbage said if Trump visited his farm, his message would be simple: “The exports is number one. That’s the number one fix. We have to get rid of what we’re growing, or we have to be able to use it. China, Mexico and Canada – we export $83 billion worth of commodities to them a year. So if they’re not buying, we’re stuck with our crop.”

    Renewable Energy Rift

    Trump’s opposition to renewable energy subsidies is also creating unease among farmers.

    In Iowa, where nearly two-thirds of electricity comes from wind and more than 50 wind-related companies operate, the end of federal incentives under Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” has thrown the industry into turmoil. The cuts have imperiled $22 billion in wind investments and tens of thousands of jobs tied to wind manufacturing and land leases. Wind farms are the top taxpayer in a third of Iowa’s counties, contributing up to 55 percent of local property taxes and $91.4 million in annual lease payments to farmers, according to Power Up Iowa.

    Farmers and local officials warn that Trump’s policies threaten this economic lifeline. “I don’t know how anybody in good faith could vote against alternative energy if they’re elected by the people in Iowa,” Fort Madison Mayor Matt Mohrfeld, told Politico, calling the cuts “a crucial mistake.”

    Republicans argue that wind and solar are now “mature industries” that no longer need government help. But clean energy developers and local leaders say the rollback is already causing uncertainty, job losses, and halted projects — including the shutdown of Iowa wind manufacturer TPI Composites, which cited “industry-wide pressures” after losing federal support.

    Trump Energy Secretary Chris Wright has argued that heavy federal government spending on renewable energy is “nonsensical.”

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  • Australia’s March Toward 100 Percent Clean Energy

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    “[The clutch] is like 1950s technology—it’s really boring,” Westerman said (“boring,” for grid operators, is the highest form of praise). ​“The marginal cost of putting this in is like nothing compared to the cost of the plant.”

    A company called SSS has built these clutches for decades. One is nearly operational in the state of Queensland at the Townsville gas-fired plant, which Siemens Energy is converting into what it calls a ​“hybrid rotating grid stabilizer.” Siemens says this project is the world’s first such conversion of a gas turbine of this size.

    That particular retrofit took about 18 months and involved some relocating of auxiliary components at Townsville to make room for the new clutch. So it’s not instantaneous, but far easier than building a new synchronous condenser from scratch, and about half the cost, per Siemens.

    Some novel long-duration storage techniques also provide their own spinning mass. Canadian startup Hydrostor expects to break ground early next year on a fully permitted and contracted project in Broken Hill, a city deep in the Outback of New South Wales.

    Broken Hill lent its name to BHP, which started there as a silver mine in 1885 and has grown to one of the largest global mining companies. More recently, the desert landscape played host to the postapocalyptic car chases of Mad Max 2. Now, roughly 18,000 people live there, at the end of one long line connecting to the broader grid.

    Hydrostor will shore up local power by excavating an underground cavity and compressing air into it; releasing the compressed air turns a turbine to regenerate up to 200 megawatts for up to eight hours, serving the community if the grid connection goes down and otherwise shipping clean power to the broader grid.

    But unlike batteries, Hydrostor’s technology uses old-school generators, and its compressors contribute additional spinning metal.

    “We have a clutch spec’d in for New South Wales, because they need the inertia,” Hydrostor CEO Jon Norman said. ​“It’s so simple; it’s like the same clutches on your standard car.”

    Transmission grid operator Transgrid ran a competitive process to determine the best way to provide system security to Broken Hill in the event it had to operate apart from the grid, Norman said. That analysis chose Hydrostor’s bid to simply insert a clutch when it installs its machinery.

    The project still needs to get built, but if up-and-coming clean storage technologies could step in to provide that grid security, it wouldn’t all have to come from ghostly gas plants lingering on the system.

    “It’s a different feeling [in Australia]—there’s a can do, go get ​’em, ​‘put me in coach’ attitude,” said Audrey Zibelman, the American grid expert who ran AEMO before Westerman. ​“When you’re determined to say how best to go about this, as opposed to why it’s hard or why it doesn’t work, the solutions appear.”

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    Julian Spector

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  • Scalise leads GOP fight at SCOTUS to stop ‘radical’ left’s ‘war on American energy’

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    FIRST ON FOX: More than 100 House Republican lawmakers, led by Majority Leader Steve Scalise, are calling on the Supreme Court to block climate lawsuits that they say are waging “war on American energy” and could bankrupt the industry, Fox News Digital learned. 

    “Every day, hardworking Americans depend on access to affordable and reliable energy,” Scalise said in comment provided to Fox News Digital Friday. “Despite this, radical environmentalists and local leftist politicians continue to wage war on American energy by going after domestic energy companies in our courtrooms, demanding they meet impossible standards or pay billions in damages. Any regulation of global greenhouse emissions falls squarely within the federal government’s jurisdiction.” 

    Scalise and 102 Republican lawmakers filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court — otherwise known as a “friend of the court” brief — calling for the Supreme Court to end lawsuits originating in Colorado that seek compensation from Exxon and Suncor Energy, arguing it’s a federal issue, not state. 

    Local jurisdictions in Boulder, Colorado, sued Exxon and Suncor Energy in 2018, claiming the companies had for years downplayed risks surrounding burning oil and gas, requesting damages from the companies under Colorado law. 

    EPA URGED TO AXE FUNDS FOR ‘RADICAL’ CLIMATE PROJECT ACCUSED OF TRAINING JUDGES, STATE AGS RALLY

    The massive energy companies argue that the case focuses on cross-border emissions, making the matter a federal issue and not a state issue. Exxon and Suncor requested the U.S. Supreme Court take the case up after the Colorado Supreme Court ruled in May that it could move forward within state courts. 

    Colorado’s highest court determined in its May ruling that federal law did not block Boulder from claiming the energy companies allegedly misled the citizens. 

    “This ruling affirms what we’ve known all along: corporations cannot mislead the public and avoid accountability for the damages they have caused,” Boulder, Colorado, Mayor Aaron Brockett said in a statement at the time celebrating the state Supreme Court’s decision. “Our community has suffered significantly from the consequences of climate change, and today’s decision brings us one step closer to justice and the resources we need to protect our future.” 

    House Majority Leader Steve Scalise speaking to the media. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

    The lawmakers wrote that the case is one mired in national security and stability concerns, arguing it could throttle the American energy industry, “if not bankrupt it altogether.”  

    “Respondents, the City and County of Boulder, Colorado, would substitute their own preferred policies for those of the federal government,” the amicus brief reads. “They dress their complaint in the language of state law, but they cannot escape that every claim in some way turns on global greenhouse gas emissions. And the sheer magnitude of the damages at issue—likely tens of billions of dollars—would restructure the American energy industry if not bankrupt it altogether, especially when multiplied by the dozens of similar cases around the country.” 

    TOP ENERGY GROUP CALLS FOR PROBE INTO SECRETIVE ‘NATIONAL LAWFARE CAMPAIGN’ TO INFLUENCE JUDGES ON CLIMATE

    “This has continued long enough. States have no authority to regulate interstate and international emissions that originate beyond their respective,” it added.

    Scalise stressed in his comment provided to Fox News Digital that local “extreme political” agendas are risking U.S. national security if local governments are able to bypass federal authority and continue with the suits. 

    Climate protester

    A climate protester scales the Wilson Building as part of an Earth Day rally against fossil fuels in 2022.  (Getty Images)

    CLIMATE LAWFARE CAMPAIGN DEALT BLOW IN SOUTH CAROLINA

    “Energy security is national security — we cannot allow state and local governments to supersede federal authority and put our country at risk for their own extreme political agenda,” he said. “I’m proud to lead this amicus brief to defend domestic energy production from radical state ‘Green New Scam’ policies, uphold our balance of powers, and safeguard our energy security, and am grateful to be joined by so many of my colleagues. I urge the Supreme Court to carefully consider our arguments as they deliberate this impactful case.” 

    The amicus brief argued the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling allowing the suits to continue “supplants the legislative prerogative of Congress, permitting a balkanized patchwork of state and local regulation over matters of uniquely federal concern.”

    Supreme Court

    The facade of the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., at dusk, illuminated by lights.  (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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    “This case, and others like it, threaten the abundant, reliable energy that underpins every aspect of American life, including the standard of living for ordinary Americans,” the more than 100 lawmakers wrote. “Although national energy policy is the subject of vigorous debate, it is a national issue that must be decided at the national level—by officials elected by the people of all States—not in a local jury room.” 

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  • Opinion | Ukraine is Starving Russia of Oil

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    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has labeled his military’s strikes on Russia’s oil infrastructure “the most effective sanctions.” Meanwhile, reports indicate that alongside urging Europe and India to halt purchases of Russian oil, Washington plans to share additional intelligence with Ukraine on Russian refineries, pipelines and other energy infrastructure.

    Most discussions about these “sanctions” have focused on their financial implications for Russia. Vladimir Putin relies heavily on corruption and patronage, with oil and gas serving as key revenue streams. Disrupting the flow could force Mr. Putin to choose between sustaining the war and maintaining the payouts to oligarchs and citizens that secure his political backing—though such an economic squeeze would take some time.

    Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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    Michael Bohnert

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  • Europe Pledges $600 Billion for Clean Energy Projects in Africa

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    “From the outset, the Global Gateway has been described as the European Union’s attempt to rival the Belt and Road Initiative’s overseas infrastructure investment funds. At €300 billion through 2027, however, it is a David-versus-Goliath-style undertaking,” says Gabriele Rosana, an associate fellow at the Institute of International Affairs in Rome. China has already been investing heavily in clean energy in Africa, and with far fewer constraints. “The Union is operating in a system of precise rules, stakes, and constraints unknown to Chinese centralism,” Rosana says.

    According to a study from Griffith University in Australia, energy-related investments under the Belt and Road Initiative in the first half of 2025 were the highest they’ve been since 2013, when the initiative was launched—and it was Africa, with $39 billion, that had the highest-value contracts in this sector. A recent report from the energy think tank Ember revealed that China exported 15GW of solar panels to Africa in the year leading up to June 2025, a 60 percent year-on-year increase of such imports. It is not certain that all of these devices will be installed—some could be a trade triangulation to circumvent tariffs—but in any case, Beijing is positioning itself to take advantage of the continent’s green transition.

    Europe, though, is committed to grasping this opportunity as well. “Over the past two years, competitiveness has gradually, but with increasing conviction, become the key word on the European policy agenda, along with defense,” says Rosana. “International cooperation has also been reinvented with a view to strategic autonomy, and put at the service of the Union’s global projection, at a time when, with the massive reorganization of trade balances due to the America-China challenge, Europe must rapidly diversify its supply chains and trade.”

    The EU hasn’t been alone in feeling the need to respond to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Before President Donald Trump’s second term, the US had also felt compelled to act. In 2021, President Joe Biden’s administration announced an international infrastructure program, the Build Back Better World, which the following year was expanded to the G7 and renamed the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI). Among the PGI’s main areas of focus were energy and Africa: indeed, two solar power plants in Angola, a wind energy and storage system in Kenya, and a nickel processing plant for batteries in Tanzania appeared on the list of early US projects.

    But perhaps the most important infrastructure project the West is pursuing in Africa is the Lobito Corridor, a railway line that will connect Zambia’s copper deposits and the DRC’s cobalt mines to the Atlantic port of Lobito in Angola. Copper is the metal of electrification; lithium, a key ingredient in batteries—both are essential raw materials for the green transition, and China currently dominates the supply of both.

    The African continent, then, is now a battleground between superpowers interested, first and foremost, in its resources. But with a young and growing population—in the sub-Saharan region, the population will grow by an estimated 79 percent over the next three decades—and an energy system dominated by fossil fuels, Africa’s decarbonization will be essential to the success of net zero. “The choices Africa makes today,” said Von der Leyen during the September announcement, “are shaping the future of the entire world.”

    This story originally appeared on WIRED Italia and has been translated from Italian.

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    Marco Dell’Aguzzo

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  • Katie Porter caught on video screaming ‘Get out of my f—–g shot!’ at staffer during 2021 call

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    A video obtained by Politico and released Wednesday shows California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter berating a staffer during a 2021 video call after stepping into her shot.

    In the clip, then-U.S. Rep. Porter, D-Calif., is seen speaking with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm about energy and climate issues. At one point, a staffer walks into the frame, prompting Porter to snap and yell, “Get out of my f—ing shot!”

    She also scolded the staffer for having appeared in the background before.

    “You were in my shot before that,” Porter said. “Stay out of my shot.”

    CONTROVERSIAL DEM ABRUPTLY ENDS BONKERS INTERVIEW AFTER REPEATEDLY BERATING REPORTER: ‘I DON’T CARE’

    Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., speaks at the “Just Majority” Supreme Court press conference on June 22, 2023, in Washington, D.C.  (Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Just Majority)

    Politico noted that Porter’s outburst was edited out of the Department of Energy’s final version of the webinar.

    The Porter campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

    The resurfaced footage follows another viral clip this week showing Porter lashing out at a reporter and attempting to end an interview.

    During a segment on California’s redistricting effort, CBS California reporter Julie Watts asked Porter, “What do you say to the 40% of California voters who you’ll need in order to win, who voted for Trump?”

    KAMALA HARRIS TO PUBLISH BEHIND-THE-SCENES ACCOUNT OF FAILED 2024 CAMPAIGN

    Katie Porter at campaign event

    Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., speaks to supporters, volunteers, and staff at an Election Night watch party at the Hilton Orange County Hotel, Nov. 8, 2022, in Costa Mesa, Calif. (Getty Images)

    Porter, considered by many to be the frontrunner in the race, responded, “How would I need them in order to win, ma’am?”

    “Well, unless you think you’re going to get 60% of the vote,” Watts said, prompting Porter to laugh.

    The exchange grew tense as Porter pushed back on the question, arguing over whether she needs to court Trump voters, particularly if she’s running head-to-head against another Democrat.

    KAMALA HARRIS’ MAJOR CALIFORNIA ANNOUNCEMENT TRIGGERS CIRCULAR DEM FIRING SQUAD

    Katie Porter speaking

    Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., speaks during a House Oversight and Accountability Committee business meeting in Washington, D.C., Jan. 31, 2023. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

    “So you don’t need them to win,” Watts asked Porter.

    “I feel like this is unnecessarily argumentative,” Porter said, prompting the reporter to point out that she had asked the same question to the other candidates in the race, and they answered it.

    “I don’t want to keep doing this, I’m going to call it,” Porter said.

    LIBERAL MEDIA DARLING IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER EXPLOSIVE INTERVIEW GOES VIRAL

    “You’re not going to do the interview?” Watts said as Porter tried to remove her microphone.

    “Nope, not like this I’m not, not with seven follow-ups to every single question you ask,” Porter responded.

    When Watts reminded Porter that every candidate had answered the question, Porter said, “I don’t care.”

    Porter told Watts after being pressed even more that she doesn’t “want to have an unhappy experience with you” and that she doesn’t “want this all on camera.”

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    The clip drew widespread attention online, with conservatives criticizing Porter for struggling with follow-up questions.

    Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.

    Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.

    Story tips and ideas can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.

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  • Public hearing set for large Tewksbury battery storage project

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    TEWKSBURY — Officials from the Energy Facilities Siting Board will be at the Tewksbury Memorial High School auditorium Thursday for a public hearing for a large lithium-ion battery storage project on Hillman Street that has seen some protest.

    The hybrid meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. as officials seek direct public input for the energy storage project, which was filed with the board by Hillman Energy Center LLC on April 1.

    The project design features 125 megawatts of battery storage, a new electrical substation and other related infrastructure on 4.3 acres of industrial land, along with a 1,200-foot transmission interconnection across three parcels of nearby land owned by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and National Grid.

    The project website for Hillman Energy Company, a subsidiary of the Virginia-based East Point Energy, claims the 125 MW of storage is enough to power nearly 125,000 homes for four hours, and that the project will generate more than $1 million in local property taxes each year. The company also looks forward to “partnering with the town on a community benefits agreement to further demonstrate our commitment to being a quality long-term community member.”

    The battery cells will be held in enclosures with interior climate control, and the project will be surrounded by security fencing, with a sound fence on the south and east side to limit noise pollution from the site. The location, the company says on its website, was chosen for its proximity to existing electrical infrastructure, the fact that it is a previously developed industrial zone and because it is expected to have “minimum environmental impacts” there.

    The battery project has not been without pushback, with a series of small weekend protests having been held throughout the year by residents of the nearby Emerald Court neighborhood, who have expressed concerns over traffic, safety at the site and the potential impacts to the surrounding area if any of the batteries caught fire. The residents of that neighborhood have held some small protests on weekends near Town Hall after the project became known to the public earlier this year.

    “They’ve been known to explode and go on fire, and when they do you can’t put the fire out,” said one Emerald Court resident, Mary Ann Buczak, during a protest on April 26.

    Though consideration for the project is not under the purview of the Select Board, project proponents attended board meetings earlier this year to talk publicly about the details, and to try to ease safety concerns. In the Select Board’s March 9 meeting where the project was formally presented to the town for the first time, East Point Energy Project Developer Tyler Rynne touted how highly regulated the battery storage industry is, and said first responders in Tewksbury and other nearby towns would be trained to handle the facility before it is online.

    “This project will have a custom emergency response plan that [Energy Safety Response Group] is helping us develop in coordination with the Tewksbury Fire Department,” said Rynne to the Select Board in March.

    The hybrid public hearing for the project is Thursday, but the deadline for written public comment is on Oct. 24.

    For more information about the project and how to provide comment, visit mass.gov/info-details/tewksbury-battery-project.

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  • State of Alaska Department of Revenue Purchases 3,903 Shares of Oceaneering International, Inc. $OII

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    State of Alaska Department of Revenue grew its position in Oceaneering International, Inc. (NYSE:OII – Free Report) by 7.0% in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 59,900 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after acquiring an additional 3,903 shares during the period. State of Alaska Department of Revenue’s holdings in Oceaneering International were worth $1,241,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

    A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its stake in shares of Oceaneering International by 29.7% in the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 3,104 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $68,000 after acquiring an additional 711 shares during the last quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division raised its position in Oceaneering International by 9.1% during the 2nd quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division now owns 10,070 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $209,000 after purchasing an additional 840 shares during the last quarter. Foundry Partners LLC raised its position in Oceaneering International by 8.5% during the 1st quarter. Foundry Partners LLC now owns 13,918 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $304,000 after purchasing an additional 1,096 shares during the last quarter. Inspire Investing LLC raised its position in Oceaneering International by 7.2% during the 1st quarter. Inspire Investing LLC now owns 18,352 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $400,000 after purchasing an additional 1,240 shares during the last quarter. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. raised its position in Oceaneering International by 12.8% during the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 11,102 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $242,000 after purchasing an additional 1,256 shares during the last quarter. 93.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

    Analyst Ratings Changes

    Several research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Citigroup raised their target price on Oceaneering International from $20.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 9th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Oceaneering International in a research report on Saturday, September 27th. Barclays raised their target price on Oceaneering International from $21.00 to $22.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, August 1st. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered Oceaneering International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, August 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $27.00.

    Read Our Latest Analysis on OII

    Oceaneering International Stock Performance

    Shares of OII opened at $24.41 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, a current ratio of 2.00 and a quick ratio of 1.67. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $23.60 and a 200-day moving average of $21.18. The company has a market cap of $2.45 billion, a PE ratio of 12.33 and a beta of 1.50. Oceaneering International, Inc. has a one year low of $15.46 and a one year high of $30.98.

    Oceaneering International (NYSE:OII – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 23rd. The oil and gas company reported $0.49 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.42 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $698.16 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $676.81 million. Oceaneering International had a return on equity of 22.09% and a net margin of 7.31%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.28 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Oceaneering International, Inc. will post 1.78 EPS for the current fiscal year.

    Insider Activity at Oceaneering International

    In other news, CFO Alan R. Curtis sold 14,840 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.36, for a total value of $361,502.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 155,259 shares in the company, valued at $3,782,109.24. This trade represents a 8.72% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 2.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

    About Oceaneering International

    (Free Report)

    Oceaneering International, Inc provides engineered services and products, and robotic solutions to the offshore energy, defense, aerospace, manufacturing, and entertainment industries worldwide. It operates through Subsea Robotics, Manufactured Products, Offshore Projects Group, Integrity Management & Digital Solutions, and Aerospace and Defense Technologies segments.

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    Want to see what other hedge funds are holding OII? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Oceaneering International, Inc. (NYSE:OII – Free Report).

    Institutional Ownership by Quarter for Oceaneering International (NYSE:OII)



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  • Why US Power Bills Are Surging

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    Now, electricity prices are surging in addition to all of the uncorked demand from the Covid-19 pandemic, when the global economic slowdown and pressure from policymakers kept a lid on utility bills.

    “I think if we were to repeat this analysis for next year, there would probably be a little bit of an uptick this year, but the data that I’m looking at doesn’t suggest a really significant increase in the historical context,” said Geoffrey Blanford, the lead author of EPRI’s report.

    But there isn’t just one story unfolding across the country.

    The US has a particularly chaotic energy system. How much people pay to light their homes, stay warm, and get around varies a lot from state to state and even among neighbors. For example, Texas households tend to spend a larger share of their budgets on keeping their pickup trucks running, while families in Massachusetts spend a greater portion on staying warm.

    So, no—we’re not in an energy crisis, but it’s unlikely that your power bills will come down anytime soon. There is some good news though: In the years ahead, Americans are actually poised to spend a smaller share of their incomes on energy overall as technology makes it more cost-effective to shift away from fossil fuels.

    “In our forward-looking scenarios, one of the key drivers for change is electrification, particularly light-duty vehicles,” Blanford said. “This tends to actually reduce the energy wallet in real terms per household over time even as you’re spending more on electricity.” Though electric car sales have slowed down in the US, they are still rolling into more driveways. And as homes and appliances become more efficient, that will help reduce energy bills as well. Based on current trends, the average US household energy wallet will shrink by 36 percent by 2050, with state-level declines anywhere from 10 to 50 percent, according to the report.

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    Umair Irfan

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  • China Is Leading the World in the Clean Energy Transition. Here’s What That Looks Like

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    Speaking by video at the UN Climate Summit in New York last week, China’s president Xi Jinping laid out his country’s climate ambitions. While the stated goals may not have been aggressive as some environmentalists would like, Xi at least reaffirmed China’s green commitment.

    “Despite some countries going against the trend, the international community should stay on the right track, maintain unwavering confidence, unwavering action, and undiminished efforts,” he said. Any reference to Donald Trump and the United States was surely intended (though not explicit).

    The march of the energy transition is a long one, but it has to start somewhere. And with this approach, China has already taken quite a few steps.

    Beijing Stands (Mostly) Alone

    Today, there is no race to be a climate leader. The world is a far fry from the COP26 conference in November 2021, when tackling the threat of climate change seemed like a global priority. A few months later, Russia invaded Ukraine; the ensuing energy crisis and inflation kicked climate off of many political agendas.

    While Joe Biden and the United States responded to soaring prices with the Inflation Reduction Act, which prioritized investment in renewable energy, Donald Trump subsequently withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement—an international accord to limit global warming—for the second time. The European Union has also stuttered: Too internally divided, it did not go beyond a drab declaration of intent at the UN Climate Summit. There hasn’t been much movement from India, a country of nearly 1.5 billion people. And other nations’ emissions are simply too small to matter.

    Given this background, it becomes easy to understand how, in this scenario, China has become a global leader in the clean energy transition. Xi’s speech did not go into much detail, but it did mention all the main points of China’s strategy.

    Cut Emissions Between 7 Percent and 10 Percent by 2035

    In New York, Xi acknowledged the importance of the transition, and for the first time, agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions rather than simply promise to slow them down. China’s stated goal is between 7 percent and 10 percent reduction by 2035.

    How do you evaluate these pledges? While the commitment is vague, it’s still significant; previously the regime had merely promised to reach peak emissions by 2030, tying the cuts to economic growth. In Xi’s speech you can seen China transition from a developing country approach to a role more akin to that of industrialized countries, whose emissions have been declining for decades.

    Slow Going?

    It should be pointed out that reducing emissions at the pace promised by Beijing means a decline of about 1 percent a year. According to an analysis by William Lamb of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, this is a slower pace than that held by most industrialized nations. Italy, for example, has reduced them by an average of 3.2 percent every 12 months since their peak in 2006; the United Kingdom by an average of 2.8 percent since 2004; France by 2.3 percent.

    “China has often promised little and achieved much,” notes Andreas Sieber, associate director for policy and campaigns for the global climate nonprofit 350.org, suggesting that China might overdeliver. The country’s lack of democracy also means its policies are not at risk of reversal every election cycle.

    On Renewables

    Xi Jinping’s speech included a commitment to reach 3,600 gigawatts (GW) of installed wind and solar capacity by 2035, six times the country’s 2020 figures. This is already the leading country in terms of installed renewable power, and a giant on the technology front as well, with universities churning out environmental and climate tech research at full speed, and attracting scientists from abroad across numerous fields. He also announced a commitment to an energy mix with more than 30 percent renewables.

    On Electric Vehicles

    Mobility has long been an issue for China, which has moved from bicycles, ubiquitous until the 1990s, to the mass automobile. The images of the 2008 Beijing Olympics are unforgettable: A blanket of smog buried the city. The government has in recent years given a strong boost to electric mobility: At the Climate Summit it announced plans to make EVs “mainstream,” that is, prevalent in sales. It helps that it has ready access to rare earth minerals that are essential for building batteries. And for that matter, the country hosts giant automotive companies like BYD and Catl, which supplies batteries to some 50 global brands including Tesla and Volkswagen.

    On the carbon market

    Xi has declared his intention to expand the national carbon emission trading market to more emission-intensive sectors than today.

    On forests

    China made additional commitments on forests, which it says will reach an extent of 34 billion cubic meters.

    China has reshaped the market for green technologies.

    To skeptics expecting broader measures and the mantle of true global leadership from China, well, that’s not a particularly coveted title these days—especially if the US continues to reverse course on climate science. As senior advisor Bernice Lee of the think tank Chatham House notes, China invested $625 billion in the clean energy transition last year alone; that’s nearly a third of the gobal total.

    Not only that: Research and massive adoption of renewable technologies have led to the dramatic drop in prices, and China’s very large domestic market is a formidable driver in this regard. “The rise of Chinese renewables is reshaping the global economy and replacing coal in the domestic market,” Lee says.

    The hope is that other countries, reassured by that commitment, will follow China’s example rather than America’s.

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    Antonio Piemontese

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  • France Detains Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tanker Suspected in Drone Attack

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    PARIS—French authorities detained crew members of a tanker carrying Russian crude oil and are investigating whether it played a role in last week’s drone incursions in Denmark.

    French soldiers boarded the tanker, which is under Western sanctions, as it was en route to India from Russia’s Baltic Sea port of Primorsk. The vessel was traveling south through the Bay of Biscay when it turned east and headed toward Saint-Nazaire, home to Europe’s largest shipyard, according to the ship-tracking service Kpler. Authorities took the tanker’s captain and second-in-command into custody.

    Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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    Matthew Dalton

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  • German Firm’s African Green-Energy Project Runs Into Ghosts From Past

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    NAIROBI, Kenya—A giant hydrogen-generation project in Africa is pitting German clean-energy executives against descendants of victims of Germany’s forgotten colonial genocide.

    A major German renewables company, Enertrag, aims to build one of the world’s biggest green hydrogen plants, called Hyphen Hydrogen Energy, on the Atlantic coast of Namibia, Germany’s former colony in southwestern Africa. If all goes well, the company predicts the $10 billion facility, powered by wind and solar, will help wean Europe off oil and gas and create thousands of jobs in Namibia. Last year, Germany announced its intention to recognize Hyphen as a project of strategic national interest, which would qualify it for special funding and investment from the German government.

    Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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    Caroline Kimeu

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  • Oracle Power (LON:ORCP) Stock Price Up 64.7% – Here’s Why

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    Oracle Power plc (LON:ORCP – Get Free Report)’s share price traded up 64.7% on Saturday . The stock traded as high as GBX 0.03 ($0.00) and last traded at GBX 0.03 ($0.00). 1,772,197,625 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 700% from the average session volume of 221,636,516 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 0.02 ($0.00).

    Oracle Power Trading Up 64.7%

    The firm has a market capitalization of £4.37 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -280.00 and a beta of 1.44. The company has a fifty day moving average price of GBX 0.02 and a two-hundred day moving average price of GBX 0.02. The company has a current ratio of 3.74, a quick ratio of 5.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.98.

    Oracle Power Company Profile

    (Get Free Report)

    Oracle Power Plc (AIM: ORCP) is an international project developer in the natural resources and energy sectors. The Company is currently committed to two areas of focus: Western Australia, home to two of Oracle’s highly prospective gold projects, and Pakistan, where it is working to establish one of the largest hydrogen production facilities in the region.
    Located in the wind corridor in Jhimpir, Pakistan, The Green Hydrogen project is being developed on a fast-track basis thanks to the joint venture (JV) formed between Oracle and His Highness Shaikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum (through his wholly owned company, Kaheel Energy Limited).
    The JV intends to support the global transition to a carbon neutral future through establishing Pakistan as one of the main Green Hydrogen players in the region, to meet global demand for clean hydrogen forecasted to be 660 million metric tons in 2050.

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    ABMN Staff

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  • Oklo Director Sold 50,000 Shares of Nuclear Start-Up Before Selloff

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    Oklo Director Sold 50,000 Shares of Nuclear Start-Up Before Selloff

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  • Heat Healer Energy Mat Review + Save 25% Sitewide

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    I’d recommend PEMF until I’m blue in the face, but the calming-yet-energizing technology is truly something you need to experience to believe. The Heat Healer Compact Energy Mat is already the most affordable PEMF mat I’ve found, and the current 15% markdown makes it a total no-brainer for anyone who wants to enhance their health, well-being, and longevity.

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  • Contributor: California Democrats aren’t just resisting; they’re governing

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    Gov. Gavin Newsom answering the Republican redistricting power-grab in Texas with a plan of his own is a powerful example of how Golden State Democrats are standing up to President Trump and firing up their base. But while the partisan fireworks draw attention, California Democrats are also quietly offering a different kind of model for the national party that may prove more meaningful in the long run. They’re not just resisting Trump; they’re actually governing.

    Forget what you think you know about California and its lefty Democrats. They’re inching to the center, meeting voters where they are, and it’s improving people’s lives.

    Just look at San Francisco, long seen as a dysfunctional emblem of failed progressive governance.

    The city’s new mayor, Daniel Lurie, a nonprofit leader and philanthropist, has shaken off left-wing taboos and focused on delivering results. Instead of defunding the police, he’s hiring more officers and cracking down on shoplifting and drug crimes. Instead of demonizing the business community, he’s partnering with them. He’s also reforming zoning laws to make it easier to build more housing, which should ease the city’s affordability crunch and the homelessness crisis. Lurie has been in office less than a year, but already crime is plummeting and his approval rate has reached 73%.

    National Democrats can find a lesson here: Voters care about results, not just empathy and ideology.

    In Sacramento, Newsom and legislative Democrats are taking a similar tack, with a stubborn focus on affordability and the courage to stare down opposition, even in their own coalition. For example, the Legislature recently reformed the California Environmental Quality Act, a well-intentioned 50-year-old law that had been twisted to obstruct construction projects, clean energy development and public transportation. This angered some powerful environmental activists, but it will ultimately help bring down costs for housing and energy.

    CEQA reform is emblematic of California’s new, more balanced approach on some thorny issues, like energy and climate. The state recently announced that two-thirds of its power now comes from clean energy sources — a major achievement. At the same time, Newsom and the Legislature agreed to a package of bills that will increase oil drilling while extending the state’s cap-and-trade program. Together, the package can reduce energy costs for Californians and strengthen our state’s chances of reaching carbon neutrality by 2045. Some environmental justice advocates and climate purists oppose the deal, but it’s an example of how to make progress in the long term while addressing affordability in the short term.

    Immigration is another example: Newsom and other leading California Democrats continue to stand up to the Trump administration’s inhumane immigration policies, including suing to stop the deployment of troops to Los Angeles. But they also recently passed a budget that pulls back on costly plans to provide health insurance to all low-income undocumented immigrants.

    This reflects the new California model: principled resistance and pragmatic governance. The results speak for themselves. The Golden State recently surpassed Japan to become the fourth-largest economy in the world.

    Democratic leaders are making these moves because they are listening to voters who consistently say that the high cost of living is their top concern.

    In 2024, these concerns contributed to a surprising number of Californians abandoning Democrats, even with Kamala Harris, the state’s former U.S. senator and attorney general, on the ticket. Trump flipped 10 counties and boosted his support in 45. Since 2016, 72% of California counties have gotten redder, including many with heavy Latino populations.

    Democrats are paying attention and are wisely changing course. Being responsive to voter concerns doesn’t have to mean sacrificing core values, but it does require new approaches when the old ways aren’t working.

    Karen Skelton (whose father is a political columnist for the Los Angeles Times) is a political strategist, having worked in the White House under Presidents Clinton and Biden and at the United States Departments of Energy, Transportation and Justice.

    Insights

    L.A. Times Insights delivers AI-generated analysis on Voices content to offer all points of view. Insights does not appear on any news articles.

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    Perspectives

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    Ideas expressed in the piece

    • California Democrats are demonstrating effective governance by moving toward the political center while maintaining their core values, offering a model for the national Democratic Party that goes beyond mere resistance to Trump’s policies.

    • San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie exemplifies this pragmatic approach by hiring more police officers, cracking down on shoplifting and drug crimes, and partnering with the business community rather than demonizing it, resulting in plummeting crime rates and a 73% approval rating.

    • Sacramento Democrats are prioritizing affordability and practical results over ideological purity, as demonstrated by their reform of the California Environmental Quality Act despite opposition from environmental activists, ultimately helping to reduce housing and energy costs.

    • The state’s balanced approach to energy and climate policy shows how Democrats can make long-term progress while addressing immediate affordability concerns, achieving two-thirds clean energy power while also increasing oil drilling through a cap-and-trade package.

    • On immigration, California Democrats maintain principled resistance to Trump’s policies while making pragmatic budget decisions, such as pulling back on costly plans to provide health insurance to all low-income undocumented immigrants.

    • This strategic shift reflects Democrats’ responsiveness to voter concerns about the high cost of living, which contributed to Trump gaining support in 10 counties and 45 others in 2024, with 72% of California counties becoming redder since 2016.

    Different views on the topic

    • Republican leaders view California’s redistricting response as a partisan power grab rather than principled governance, with some vowing to challenge the maps in court and arguing that the redistricting process violates the California Constitution by relying on outdated population data[1].

    • Environmental activists and climate advocates oppose California’s pragmatic approach to energy policy, particularly the package that increases oil drilling while extending cap-and-trade programs, viewing it as a betrayal of environmental justice principles.

    • Progressive organizations initially opposed California’s redistricting efforts, with Common Cause, a good governance group supporting independent redistricting, originally opposing the state’s partisan response before later reversing its stance[1].

    • Some Democratic constituencies argue that pulling back on progressive policies like universal healthcare for undocumented immigrants represents an abandonment of core Democratic values rather than pragmatic governance.

    • Critics contend that the centrist shift represents capitulation to conservative pressure rather than principled leadership, arguing that Democrats should maintain their progressive positions rather than moderating in response to political setbacks.

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  • Global oil refinery quarterly: Mega projects ramp up runs | Insights | Bloomberg Professional Services

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    The data included in these materials are for illustrative purposes only. The BLOOMBERG TERMINAL service and Bloomberg data products (the “Services”) are owned and distributed by Bloomberg Finance L.P. (“BFLP”) except (i) in Argentina, Australia and certain jurisdictions in the Pacific Islands, Bermuda, China, India, Japan, Korea and New Zealand, where Bloomberg L.P. and its subsidiaries (“BLP”) distribute these products, and (ii) in Singapore and the jurisdictions serviced by Bloomberg’s Singapore office, where a subsidiary of BFLP distributes these products. BLP provides BFLP and its subsidiaries with global marketing and operational support and service. Certain features, functions, products and services are available only to sophisticated investors and only where permitted. BFLP, BLP and their affiliates do not guarantee the accuracy of prices or other information in the Services. Nothing in the Services shall constitute or be construed as an offering of financial instruments by BFLP, BLP or their affiliates, or as investment advice or recommendations by BFLP, BLP or their affiliates of an investment strategy or whether or not to “buy”, “sell” or “hold” an investment. Information available via the Services should not be considered as information sufficient upon which to base an investment decision. The following are trademarks and service marks of BFLP, a Delaware limited partnership, or its subsidiaries: BLOOMBERG, BLOOMBERG ANYWHERE, BLOOMBERG MARKETS, BLOOMBERG NEWS, BLOOMBERG PROFESSIONAL, BLOOMBERG TERMINAL and BLOOMBERG.COM. Absence of any trademark or service mark from this list does not waive Bloomberg’s intellectual property rights in that name, mark or logo. All rights reserved. © 2025 Bloomberg.

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