Articles by Mark Chediak and Brian Eckhouse

Hurricane-Force Winds Leave 150,000 Without Power in Colorado

More than 150,000 Xcel Energy Inc. customers in Colorado are without electricity amid hurricane-force winds — and some may not get power back until Monday. Those affected include about 55,000 customers who had their power cut preemptively by the utility …

In Texas’s Black-Swan Blackout, Everything Went Wrong at Once

The finger-pointing began immediately: It was the frozen wind turbines that foolishly replaced traditional sources. No, fossil fuels were at fault. No, Texas’s deregulated power market, unique in the country, had allowed companies to skimp on maintenance and upgrades. As …

Walmart Settles Lawsuit Against Tesla over Rooftop Solar Panel Fires

Walmart Inc. has settled its lawsuit against Tesla Inc. over fires at more than a half-dozen of the retail giant’s stores. Walmart sued the electric-car maker and solar company in New York State Supreme Court in August, alleging that its …

More Tesla Solar Panel Claims Emerge; 2 Home Insurers Allege Negligence

One evening last year, David Burek noticed charred wood and a burning smell in his attic, near his young sons’ bedroom. He climbed a ladder and saw a melted connector wire from the solar panels installed on the roof of …

California May Go Dark This Summer; Most Aren’t Ready

A plan by California’s biggest utility to cut power on high-wind days during the onrushing wildfire season could plunge millions of residents into darkness. And the vast majority isn’t ready for it. The plan by PG&E Corp. comes after the …

Allianz Insurance Product Protects Firms Against Clean Energy Price Swings

Microsoft Corp. has helped develop a way to protect corporate buyers of clean power from electricity prices that go up and down with the weather. The company is using a risk-management tool called a volume-firming agreement for almost 500 megawatts …

Fast-Moving Hurricane Michael, Now Category 4, Threatens Florida Panhandle

Hurricane Michael, with winds strengthening to 145 miles an hour, is poised to be the strongest storm to hit the continental U.S. since 2004, with a life-threatening surge and the potential to cause $16 billion in damage. Michael is about …

Update: Hurricane Michael Could Bring 12 Ft. Storm Surge to Panhandle Wednesday

Michael is forecast to become the second hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. in a month as it heads toward Florida with winds of 90 miles per hour. The fast-moving storm has already sent cotton prices to a one-week …

Update: Florida Calls Emergency Ahead of Expected Hurricane Michael

Michael, the tropical storm that’s been chugging toward the Florida panhandle, is now a hurricane, threatening to bring driving rain and high winds to the region’s agricultural and tourism industry. While Gulf of Mexico oil platforms remain largely outside its …

Gas Company Hit Over Response to Massachusetts Explosions; New Leak Found

A new natural gas leak was discovered in the Boston area just two days after a series of pipeline explosions killed one person, injured more than 25 and prompted Massachusetts to declare a state of emergency. The latest leak was …