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Exelon CEO: We will intensify our efforts to own Mid-Atlantic Power Plants
Exelon, a major U.S. utility, plans to increase its efforts to acquire power plants in its Mid-Atlantic region next year. Electricity bills in this area are rising due to a growing demand, and new supply is slow to come on line, according to CEO Calvin Butler. Exelon is stepping up its efforts as PJM, the nation's largest grid, which provides electricity to 65 million people from the Midwest to Mid-Atlantic region, struggles to meet demand due to data centers, and electrification in industries such as transportation. Exelon, a Chicago-based company, said in July it was evaluating its options to build and own regulated power production. Electric utilities are prohibited from doing so in approximately half of the U.S. States. To prevent anticompetitive practices, these states allow independent power producers to own and operate their own power plants, while regulated utilities own the power lines. Butler said allowing Exelon and other electric utilities to build new regulated energy supplies would help ease grid power shortages, as well as bring down the prices. Butler said that his company has been talking with lawmakers and governors in preparation for next year's legislative meetings. Butler said at a Monday meeting in New York that he believed the 2026 legislative session would be an opportunity for our country. "We will be advocating it." Deregulation is generally considered to be in place in about half of the U.S. states. This means that electric utilities who own transmission and distribution systems cannot also own regulated electricity generation. Deregulation began in the 90s as a response to increasing electricity costs. Maryland and New Jersey are two of the 13 states that make up PJM. As their power bills continue to rise, they have thought about amending their laws so as to allow regulated electricity generation. Butler stated, "I am a staunch supporter of competitive markets that work. But we see the PJM marketplace is not working." According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. electricity demand will reach record levels this year and in 2019. FIGHTING RISE IN BILLS Butler said that if the states allowed it, he would build community solar systems in neighborhoods with low to moderate incomes, which would, he claimed, reduce electricity bills. Butler stated that power supply costs account for 80% of the recent increases in household electricity bills, and not utility charges. Exelon, with nearly 11 million customers in the United States, is the largest power utility in the nation. It serves some of the poorest urban communities in the country, such as those in Philadelphia and Baltimore. Some of these cities also saw the largest increases in power bills over the summer. Independent power companies have opposed the idea of regulated electricity generation in states that are deregulated, claiming utilities would pass on the costs to their customers and raise the bills. Butler stated that regulated utilities are often able to build power supplies at a lower cost. He said that they have lower borrowing and capital costs, and can speed up the permitting process since utilities such as Exelon own land and easements for new power generation. Exelon earns about half as much on average from its assets, which is 9.5%. (Reporting and editing by Margueritachoy in New York, Laila Kearney from New York)
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Eurotunnel: A gradual rollout of the digital EU border system will prevent disruption in the UK
Eurotunnel's boss said that the European Union plan to roll out its digital border system post-Brexit in phases starting next month should prevent long queues at the UK border and confusion, he added. The EU will finally launch the much-delayed new Entry/Exit System on October 12 for UK nationals and non-EU citizens. This automated system requires that travellers register at the EU borders by scanning their passports, and taking their fingerprints and photographs. EES will eventually be used to replace passport stamping by all non-EU nationals, helping the bloc to track compliance with its 90 day visa-free travel policy and strengthen border control. The EU will gradually introduce the new system over a period of six months. This means that different ports and airports could have varying requirements up until April 2026. Eurotunnel Operator Confident There Won't be Delays British travelers using Eurotunnel, Port of Dover or Eurostar in St Pancras International (the so-called "juxtaposed ports") will be subject to a border process before leaving the UK. From October 12, only freight and coach traffic at the Eurotunnel Terminal and Port of Dover will be subject to EES inspections. In November, passenger vehicle checks will be conducted at Dover. By the end of this year, Eurotunnel will also conduct these checks. "You won't see any delays, because EES will be introduced gradually... we are very confident that there will be no problem," Yann Leriche said, CEO of Eurotunnel Operator Getlink. He said that if the processing time becomes excessively long, authorities will be able suspend checks for a short period of time. "If there's any unforeseeable issue on the field... The authorities will decide to move as slowly as necessary to make it work so that it can be managed after six months." EES is a requirement for entering Schengen countries. This includes non-EU nations like Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, but not EU members Ireland or Cyprus. EES is the precursor to a more advanced system called European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which will require citizens from outside of the Schengen Area to pay a fee prior to their travel. Since April, Europeans visiting Britain must purchase an electronic travel permit before their trip. ($1 = 0.7422 pound) (Reporting and editing by Ros Russell).
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Boeing offers remedies to EU for Spirit deal approval
According to an update posted on the website of the European Commission, Boeing has offered remedies to obtain EU approval for the buyback of Spirit AeroSystems. Spirit AeroSystems is the largest independent aerostructures manufacturer in the world. Boeing announced its $4.7 billion purchase in July of last year. Airbus would take over the supplier's Europe-focused, loss-making activities. The Commission, acting as the EU Competition enforcer, failed to provide details regarding the remedies in accordance with its policy, and extended the deadline for its decision on the deal until October 14. Boeing announced last year that Airbus would take over Spirit's Europe focused activities simultaneously with the close of Boeing's agreement with Spirit. Spirit will also sell its operations in Prestwick (Scotland) and Subang (Malaysia), which support Airbus programs, as well as those in Belfast, which do not. The Commission will seek feedback from the market before making a decision on whether or not to accept Boeing's remedy. If it has serious concerns, then they may open a four-month long investigation. The UK antitrust authority approved the deal unconditionally in December. Reporting by FooYunChee, Editing by RosRussell and Mark Potter
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Since 2017, drones and cyber-outages have exposed aviation weaknesses.
The sighting of two or more large drones near Copenhagen Airport late on Monday stopped all take-offs, landings, and flight operations for almost four hours. Denmark linked the drones to a number of suspected Russian drone intrusions and other disruptions in Europe. Since 2017, airports have been repeatedly affected by a series of drone sightings, digital outages and other disruptions. These incidents bypass core flight safety systems and instead impact choke points like check-in/boarding systems, power infrastructure, and airfield perimeters. This causes ripple effects throughout networks. British Airways London hubs suffer an IT failure on May 27, 2017. British Airways cancelled all flights to and from Heathrow Airport, Europe's largest airport, as well as Gatwick, on the first holiday weekend day due to a power problem in a data center that affected 75,000 passengers. On the morning of May 27, a power surge hit BA's flight and baggage systems, as well as its communication systems. The surge was so powerful that it rendered the backup systems ineffective. Delays continued into the next Monday while systems were restored. Dec 19, 2018: Drone sightings at London Gatwick. Gatwick Airport in London was shut down for three days by persistent drone reports during the peak travel period leading up to Christmas. Around 140,000 passengers were affected, and around 1,000 flights. This was the largest disruption since Icelandic volcanic ash clouds in 2010. Gatwick was invaded by the British army to deploy "specialist" equipment, as commercially available anti-drone capabilities were not yet available. It was the longest disruption ever experienced at an airport of Gatwick's size. Dubai airport was closed a few times in 2016 because of unauthorized drone activity. However, the longest closure was less than two hours. Jan 11, 2023: Safety system failure in the U.S. After a system failure, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), ordered a nationwide stop for about 90 minutes that disrupted over 11,000 U.S. flight. The FAA's system alerts pilots of hazards such as snow, volcanic ash, or birds in the vicinity of an airport. This system also informs pilots about closed runways, temporary air restrictions and volcanic ash. Aug. 28, 2023: NATS flight data glitch in the United Kingdom UK air traffic control restricted flows following a processing error in flight plans, forcing manual entry. Around 1,500 flight cancellations occurred and the disruption continued into the next day. Windows global outage on July 19, 2024 due to faulty CrowdStrike update CrowdStrike, a global cybersecurity company, released faulty software that caused widespread Windows crashes. This affected many industries and caused over 5,000 flights to be grounded worldwide. Delta Air Lines and Ryanair have reported delays and disruptions in the United States, Asia, and Europe. U.S. cancellations exceeded 2,200 on the first day, with almost 7,000 delays. Some airlines took several days to recover their operations. London Heathrow airport is closed for the day on March 21, 2025 due to a fire in a substation Heathrow Airport in Britain, the fifth busiest airport in the world, was closed for 18 hours following a massive fire that knocked out power at an electrical substation nearby. This left over 200,000 passengers stranded and cost airlines millions of dollars. Airport was due to fly up to 291,000 passengers on 1,351 flights, but the planes were diverted from London to other airports across Europe and Britain. Sept 10, 2025 - Drone incursion in Poland shuts down several airports On the 10th of September, several Polish airports were temporarily shut down when approximately 21 suspected Russian drones flew into Polish airspace. Airports in Warsaw Chopin, Modlin, Rzeszow, and Lublin, located in the east of Poland, were temporarily closed, before they reopened. Sept 20, 2025: Cyberattack affecting multiple EU hubs Cyberattacks on Collins Aerospace (owned by RTX), a provider of check-in and boarding system, have disrupted airport operations in several European cities, including Heathrow Airport, Berlin Airport, and Brussels Airport. Due to persistent problems, Brussels Airport cancelled 25 flights on Saturday and Sunday as well as 50 flights on Monday. Sept. 22, 2025: Drone incursions into Danish and Norwegian airspace The drones were causing delays and diversions, causing tens thousands of passengers to be stranded. The Norwegian authorities also closed the airspace of Oslo Airport for three hours following the sighting of a drone.
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Shipbuilding unions urge US lawmakers to pass SHIPS Act in order to secure funding
Five U.S. Unions are calling for lawmakers to pass legislation to help secure long-term financing to revive domestic shipbuilding. This effort is championed and supported by President Donald Trump, who has also boosted the new port fees on Chinese vessels. On October 14, the United States will begin collecting fees from vessels linked to China that visit its seaports. The U.S. trade representative (USTR), which is yet to issue final rules, has recently stated that China's COSCO Shipping could be liable for $1.5 billion in port fees next year. The bipartisan Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security for America Act (SHIPS for America Act) introduced in April would create the Maritime Security Trust, which would reinvest port fee proceeds to maritime infrastructure and security projects, such as shipyard rejuvenation. In a letter sent to legislators on Tuesday, United Steelworkers International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and three other unions urged them to "support the SHIPS for America Act" and schedule action. U.S. The SHIPS Act is sponsored by Senators Todd Young from Indiana and Mark Kelly from Arizona. The bill has bipartisan support, which is rare in Washington. However, lawmakers have yet to take major action. Michael Wessel, President of Wessel Group, stated that the U.S. has already established airport and highway trusts, which provide a reliable and steady source of funding for projects and maintenance. Wessel, a USTR investigator who coordinated a USTR investigation requested by federations under Section 301 of 1974's Trade Act into China maritime activities, said that "Shipbuilders must have confidence in the capital." The investigation found that China has unfair policies and practices in the maritime industry and it cleared the way for port fees to be implemented next month. Wessel stated that the same union leaders who had pushed for an investigation by the USTR called on lawmakers to act on the SHIPS Act Tuesday. (Reporting from Lisa Baertlein, Los Angeles; Andrea Shalal, Washington DC; editing by Stephen Coates).
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Ukraine claims it has hit Russian oil infrastructure at Bryansk and Samara regions
The General Staff of Kyiv said that Ukraine's military had struck two Russian oil-distribution facilities in the Bryansk region and Samara on Tuesday. Telegram reported that the Samara military had attacked a production line mixing Russian oil with its flagship Urals oil to be exported. It said that it had hit a production line of a pipeline crucial for Russian Army supplies in Bryansk. The extent of damage is still being assessed, it said. In recent weeks, Ukraine has renewed its long-range drone attack campaign on Russian oil production facilities. It targets key sites to reduce Moscow’s export revenues and supply frontline. Telegram reports that the Russian Ministry of Defence has confirmed that its units have destroyed Ukrainian drones in Bryansk and Samara. Russia has not yet publicly commented. Ukraine's General Staff said that Kyiv also struck a military airfield on the Russian-occupied Crimea. It added that two planes had been hit. (Reporting and editing by Barbara Lewis, Aidan Lewis; Yuliia Dyesa)
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Kurdistan oil exports are halted by a dispute over arrears
The deal to restart Iraqi Kurdistan's oil exports was stalled Tuesday after two oil-producing firms demanded assurances that their debts will be paid. The agreement between the federal government of Iraq, Kurdish region governments and oil companies is intended to allow for the resumed export of approximately 230,000 barrels of oil per day from Kurdistan via Turkey to the global market. Since March 2023, they have been suspended. The Iraqi cabinet was to approve the deal on Tuesday involving oil companies active in Iraqi Kurdistan. It wasn't immediately clear if this deal would go through without DNO or Genel. DNO Norway, the largest producer of the semi-autonomous area, and Genel Energy have not signed the agreement because they want assurances about the repayment of arrears. DNO claimed it had "easy fixes" that could be agreed quickly, without revealing what they were. Kurdistan owes around $1 billion to its producers, with DNO accounting for about $300 million. Yousef SABA, Barbara Lewis and Barbara Lewis edited the report.
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Norway claims that Russia will violate its airspace at least three times by 2025
The Norwegian government announced on Tuesday that Russia violated Norwegian airspace 3 times in 2025. It was not clear if the violations were deliberate or a result of navigation mistakes. In a press release, the Norwegian government stated that the incidents, which lasted from one to four minutes, represented the first violations of this kind by Russia in over a decade. Two incidents occurred on April 25th and 18th, over the Arctic Barents Sea. The third incident, which took place on July 24th, was over an uninhabited area of Finnmark. This is Norway's most northern county, which shares its border with Russia. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere stated, "We cannot determine whether this was deliberate or due to navigation error." "Regardless of why, this is unacceptable and we've made it clear to the Russian authorities." (Reporting and editing by Terje Solsvik, Anna Ringstrom)
Eurotunnel: A gradual rollout of the digital EU border system will prevent disruption in the UK
Eurotunnel's boss said that the European Union plan to roll out its digital border system post-Brexit in phases starting next month should prevent long queues at the UK border and confusion, he added.
The EU will finally launch the much-delayed new Entry/Exit System on October 12 for UK nationals and non-EU citizens. This automated system requires that travellers register at the EU borders by scanning their passports, and taking their fingerprints and photographs.
EES will eventually be used to replace passport stamping by all non-EU nationals, helping the bloc track and enforce its 90-day visa free travel rule.
The EU will gradually introduce the new system over a period of six months. This means that different ports and airports could have varying requirements up until April 2026.
Eurotunnel Operator Confident There Won't be Delays
British travelers using Eurotunnel, Port of Dover or Eurostar in St Pancras International (the so-called "juxtaposed ports") will be subject to a border process before leaving the UK.
From October 12, only freight and coach traffic at the Eurotunnel Terminal and Port of Dover will be subject to EES inspections.
In November, passenger vehicle checks will be conducted at Dover. By the end of this year, Eurotunnel will also conduct these checks.
"You won't see any delays, because EES will be introduced gradually... We are confident that there will be no problem," Yann Leriche said, CEO of Eurotunnel Operator Getlink.
He said that port authorities would be able suspend inspections for short periods of time if the processing times became excessively long.
"If there's any unforeseeable issue on the field... The authorities will decide to move as slowly as necessary to make it work so that it can be managed after six months."
EES is a requirement for entering Schengen countries. This includes non-EU nations like Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, but not EU members Ireland or Cyprus.
EES is the precursor to a more advanced system called European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which will require citizens from outside of the Schengen Area to pay a fee prior to their travel.
Since April, Europeans visiting Britain must purchase a permit electronically in advance. ($1 = 0.7422 pound) (Reporting and editing by Ros Russell).
(source: Reuters)