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Trump: Merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern sounds good
Donald Trump, the president of the United States, said that he thought it was a good idea to merge Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern for $85 billion. The Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena and President Trump met in the Oval Office last week to discuss the railroad’s plan to buy out Norfolk Southern. Trump told reporters Friday in the Oval Office that "Union Pacific is an excellent railroad." The announcement in July of the merger of two of the major U.S. railroad operators shocked the market, which was already highly concentrated. Under the Biden administration's aggressive antitrust policies, such a proposal was unthinkable. Trump's backing could speed up the review process in an agreement that is facing opposition from rivals, and pushback by shippers worried about reduced competition. If approved, the tie-up could transform the U.S. rail freight industry, creating the first coast to coast single-line network. It would streamline operations and eliminate interchange delays at key hubs such as Chicago. Union Pacific is the dominant freight rail carrier in Western United States. Norfolk Southern, on the other hand, is the leading carrier in Eastern United States. Together they make up two of the major U.S. class I railroads along with BNSF Railway, CSX Corp, and BNSF. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, which owns BNSF Railway sent a strong message last month against more consolidation, and said he wasn't interested in buying another railway. BNSF and CSX are the two major U.S. railroads that do not operate a transcontinental network. Last week, the White House announced that it would nominate Surface Transportation Board member Michelle Schultz to a second term, and Richard Kloster, a transportation consultant who runs a private company, for an open seat in the agency. Last month, the White House fired Surface Transportation Board Member Robert Primus. Primus was appointed by former President Joe Biden.
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The death toll in the tanker truck explosion that occurred in Mexico City has risen to 25
MEXICO CITY (Sept. 19) - The death count from an explosion that occurred in the capital of Mexico involving a truck transporting liquefied petrol gas (LPG), has now reached 25, according to the city's Health Ministry. The truck carrying about 50,000 liters LPG overturned and crashed into a wall. A rupture released gas which ignited and caused an explosion. The fire then consumed around 30 cars. Since last Wednesday, the number of fatalities has increased. The truck exploded and burst into fire while driving on a busy highway near Iztapalapa in Mexico City. Mexico City Health Ministry: "In relation to the Iztapalapa accident, we can confirm 21 people are still hospitalized. 38 people have been discharged and 25 tragically died." The incident has sparked frustration about safety conditions on Mexico’s highways and led to calls for tighter supervision of hazardous cargo transportation and road maintenance. Residents expressed frustration with the challenges they face on the outskirts of the city, where commutes can be long and difficult. The driver of the truck died this week. One of the youngest victims is a two-year old girl who was transported last week to an American hospital in Galveston Texas. At least 11 minors were also injured by the explosion and treated locally. Initial investigations by the city authorities indicated that excessive speed and lack skill of the driver caused the accident. The investigation is ongoing. Reporting by Diego Ore, Writing by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez, Natalia Siniawski and Editing by Richard Chang
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US lawmakers want to sanction Russia's "shadow fleet"
On Friday, a group of Republican senators and Democratic senators in the United States introduced legislation that would increase sanctions against Russian energy. The legislation specifically targets a collection older oil tankers which lawmakers claim are used to avoid existing U.S. sanctions on energy. The "Sanctioning Harbors and Dodgers of Western Sanctions" or SHADOW Fleets Act is a response to President Donald Trump's statement that he wanted to discourage other countries from buying Russian oil. This fuels Russia’s economy and pays for its war in Ukraine. The bill was sponsored by Senators Jim Risch, a Republican from Idaho and Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire and the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Seven other Republican and Democratic Senators also signed the bill. The bill targets the shadow fleet by providing the U.S. with a list that can be used to identify vessels supporting Russian naval forces. It also establishes strict sanctions liability on any ship involved in a transfer involving a sanctioned ship. It also sanctions Russian Arctic Liquid Natural Gas Projects and the development of new Russian LNG projects. The Nord Stream II pipeline from Europe would also be terminated. This measure would also bring U.S. sanctioning more in line with the European Union. EU officials announced on Friday that the bloc intends to ban Russian LNG exports one year earlier than anticipated, as part a 19th set of sanctions against Moscow. Prospects for the bill were unclear. The prospects of a separate bill to impose tough sanctions on Russia were not clear. While the world was reacting to the Russian incursion in Estonian airspace that raised concerns of increased instability, several groups of senators introduced separate bills Friday to increase security in Eastern Europe as well as use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine.
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Trump administration strikes deal with Washington Union Station to regain control
The Trump administration announced late Friday that it had reached a deal with the federal government to regain control of Washington Union Station, located in the nation’s capital. The U.S. Department of Transportation, President Donald Trump’s latest initiative to increase federal control, announced last month that it would reclaim the management of Washington's Union Station. It is one of the nation's largest rail hubs. The federal government will assume control of Union Station under a new agreement signed by Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration. The FRA stated that "regaining control of the station will allow Amtrak the freedom to concentrate on its core mission, which is providing rail transportation." USDOT has said that it will increase security by focusing on short-term projects to address a backlog and long-term Union Station vision using private investment. The federal government owns the majestic, but worn-out Beaux-Arts-style station that opened in 1907 but it is run by a non-profit organization working with Amtrak. Amtrak is the government-owned rail passenger service. Washington Mayor Muriel bowser praised this decision last month, stating that the city couldn't afford to spend $8 billion or even more on renovating the station. (Reporting and editing by Franklin Paul, Lisa Shumaker and David Shepardson)
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US files court statements to support Enbridge pipeline in Michigan case
The Trump administration has taken a side with Canadian pipeline operator Enbridge, in its legal fight against Michigan. Last week the Trump administration filed a court declaration that challenged the state's attempts to shut down Line 5 oil pipeline. Enbridge and Michigan have been in a long-standing dispute over the Line 5 pipeline. This aging pipeline transports 540,000 barrels of crude oil per day from Superior, Wisconsin to Sarnia (Ontario). The Calgary-based firm proposes to build an approximately 4-mile (6 km) tunnel for the pipe, which crosses the Straits of Mackinac on the Great Lakes. Native American tribes, as well as environmental groups are opposed to the project. They fear that it could pose a threat to the Great Lakes. Enbridge stated in a press release that it is confident in the Michigan Public Service Commission’s permit process which approved the project.
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FAA orders ground stop at two Dallas airports due to telephone issue
After a communication problem caused more than 300 delays, the Federal Aviation Administration announced ground stops on Friday at Dallas Love Field Airport and Dallas Fort Worth Airport. The FAA reported that it was slowing down traffic because of a reported issue with local telephone equipment, which did not involve FAA-owned equipment. The FAA said it was working with the phone company to identify the cause. It is expected that the issues will continue for several hours. This year, the FAA faced a number of communication issues. The FAA has slowed down flights at Denver International Airport on Thursday due to automation issues. These issues were caused by a manual handoff procedure between the approach control tower and Denver Air Traffic Control. This resulted in delays of 30 to 45 min. In July, Congress approved an initial funding of $12.5 billion to upgrade the aging U.S. Air Traffic Control System. According to FAA officials, the system is experiencing tech problems almost every day. It has been years since the FAA's air traffic control network was in trouble. But a series of high-profile incidents, near-misses and staffing shortages as well as a January crash between a U.S. Army chopper and regional American Airlines plane that killed 67 people have sparked public concern. Reporting by Christian Martinez, David Shepardson and Ryan Patrick Jones from Los Angeles; Editing and proofreading by Caitlin webber and Franklin Paul.
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US threatens Boston and Chicago transit agencies with a cut-off of funds
The Trump administration announced on Friday that it could withhold federal funding from Boston and Chicago, if those cities do not take further steps to ensure the safety and security of transit workers and subway and bus passengers. The U.S. Transportation Department sent letters to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and Chicago Transit Authority, requesting that they respond within two weeks to incidents in which passengers were injured. Sean Duffy, the Transportation Secretary, said last month that he could withhold as much as 25% of New York City federal funding if they did not improve safety among subway workers. Duffy also wants to end New York City’s congestion mitigation program. Chicago and Boston have the third and fourth largest transit systems in the United States. Donald Trump, the president of the U.S., has condemned crime in major U.S. cities. He also threatened to deploy National Guard troops in additional cities following their deployment to Washington D.C. After a man charged with fatally stabbing a Ukrainian asylum seeker on a North Carolina rail last month, transit safety has received renewed attention. Duffy stated, "It's time for Chicago and Boston to improve their transit systems in order to keep Americans safe." Phillip Eng, the CEO of Boston's Transit Authority, stated in a recent statement that he had spoken to the head the Federal Transit Administration about "our shared commitment to ensuring the safety of every passenger and we are in accordance regarding providing the safest possible commute for all employees and riders." He stated that the authority will provide the requested information as well as continue to show significant progress. Chicago Transit Authority didn't immediately respond to our request for a comment. The U.S. Department of Transportation sent letters to transit agencies located in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles expressing concerns over safety and security. (Reporting and editing by Franklin Paul, Edmund Klamann and David Shepardson)
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The strike in Belem has slowed down construction of the COP30 hotel, which includes heads of state.
The strike of construction workers in Brazil's Amazonian City of Belem - the venue for a global climate conference in November - has disrupted some of the work on Leaders' Village, which is expected to host dozens of leaders from around world in six weeks' time. Cleber Rabelo, the president of the local union of construction workers, said that one section of the compound was about 60% stopped. The union is asking for an increase of 9.5% in the monthly wage. He added that "in the other section we were able to perform temporary shutdowns". The strike that began on Monday has caused Brazil to face new challenges in organizing the COP30 summit. The mood has been dampened by the high hotel costs and demand in Belem. Several country delegations, as well as civil society groups, have complained that they were shut out from the conference due to the cost. The compound which will house the government leaders must be finished in time for a summit of presidents that will take place November 6-7, ahead of the COP30 conference November 10-21. Images taken on Friday revealed that a large, multi-story building with a helipad was still in its final stages of construction. Sources within the federal government who monitor construction have confirmed that four out of five blocks are almost finished. The original intention was to open the compound in October. Sources acknowledged that the strike may delay the project but said that the government expected the construction work to be completed on time. Rabelo criticised employers for presenting an offer which the union rejected because it was too little. This led to workers continuing a strike that is now affecting construction work in the entire city. He added that COP construction sites were partly spared. Rabelo reported that the strike also affected hotel projects related to COP30. However, Rabelo added, companies managing those projects had reached agreements with their workers, allowing for work to resume Monday. Reporting by Lisandra paraguassu and Marx Vasconcelos, both in Belem. Editing by Manuela andreoni and Frances Kerry.
Grid monitor: Japan could face a power shortage in 2050
In a long-term projection, Japan's power transmission operators warned that the country could be facing a major power shortage in 2050 due to a surge in demand and if aging thermal plants and older nuclear power plants were not replaced.
Japan has been predicting a decline in electricity demand for years due to the shrinking population. However, it recently updated this forecast to include new demand from chip factories and data centres.
According to the Organization for Cross-regional Coordination of Transmission Operators' scenarios, Japan's electric demand will rise by 8-42% in 2050 compared to 2019 before the COVID outbreak.
The scenario that highlights the 89-gigawatt shortage if the demand reaches 1,25 terawatt hours, the upper limit of its demand forecast in 2050, is one of the scenarios.
This is the first longer-term forecast that has been produced by this group.
Shinpei Konishi, the general manager of Its, told reporters that the forecast was released to "improve predictability for power companies and other stakeholders planning investment."
These scenarios include input from experts from three organisations, as well as comments from groups and companies in the energy industry. They also include a kilowatt hour gap analysis to estimate how much thermal power is needed to meet reserve margins.
Konishi stated that the outlook is based on expected growth due to expanding data centres, network, semiconductor production and vehicle electrification.
The current predictions of the power industry experts vary widely, and they are divided over how much the AI boom is expected to increase electricity demand.
The largest projected shortfall, 89 GW, is found in a scenario that assumes no replacement for aging thermal plants and the decommissioning nuclear plants older than 60 years.
Under the same conditions of demand, even with a full replacement thermal and nuclear capacity there is still a shortfall of 23 GW.
A low-demand scenario involving plant replacements results in a surplus 12 GW.
Each model is based on a nighttime summer scenario when solar output drops, and cooling demand peaks. This represents the worst conditions.
The group predicts that renewable energy capacity will increase between 170 GW to 260 GW by 2050.
The latest Japanese energy plan predicts that power generation will grow from levels in 2023 to 1,100-1200 TWh by 2040. Grid group forecasts that demand will reach 900-1100 TWh in 2040.
The report noted that the scenarios were not in line with the energy plan of government, since they served different purposes.
(source: Reuters)