Ella Nilsen
@ellanilsen.bsky.social
CNN senior climate reporter. Granite stater, forever missing the mountains.
Email me: [email protected] // DM for Signal
Email me: [email protected] // DM for Signal
In an 👀 stat, PJM watchdog Monitoring Analytics said the current price spikes “are almost entirely the result of large load additions from data centers,” and that data centers alone inflated PJM’s latest power price auction by over $9.3 billion.
New: Maryland residents are seeing higher electricity bills driven in large part by new neighbors in Northern Virginia: the world’s biggest cluster of data centers. “We shouldn’t be subsidizing [AI companies],” one MD ratepayer told me. “They have enough money.” www.cnn.com/2025/11/14/c...
Data centers are spiking electricity costs in Maryland. It’s the ‘tip of the iceberg,’ one expert warns | CNN
Data centers power the internet and AI. They’re also running up electricity bills.
www.cnn.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:30 PM
In an 👀 stat, PJM watchdog Monitoring Analytics said the current price spikes “are almost entirely the result of large load additions from data centers,” and that data centers alone inflated PJM’s latest power price auction by over $9.3 billion.
New: Maryland residents are seeing higher electricity bills driven in large part by new neighbors in Northern Virginia: the world’s biggest cluster of data centers. “We shouldn’t be subsidizing [AI companies],” one MD ratepayer told me. “They have enough money.” www.cnn.com/2025/11/14/c...
Data centers are spiking electricity costs in Maryland. It’s the ‘tip of the iceberg,’ one expert warns | CNN
Data centers power the internet and AI. They’re also running up electricity bills.
www.cnn.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:15 PM
New: Maryland residents are seeing higher electricity bills driven in large part by new neighbors in Northern Virginia: the world’s biggest cluster of data centers. “We shouldn’t be subsidizing [AI companies],” one MD ratepayer told me. “They have enough money.” www.cnn.com/2025/11/14/c...
Reposted by Ella Nilsen
“You’re cutting off the next three decades of missions to explore the universe, to learn more about the planets and to learn more about the Earth. It’s a really devastating loss.” @ellanilsen.bsky.social @cnn.com
www.cnn.com/2025/11/04/s...
www.cnn.com/2025/11/04/s...
NASA may be quietly gutting an iconic campus with what it calls strategic closures, workers fear | CNN
Buildings at Goddard’s Maryland campus are being emptied and padlocked, sources say. NASA leadership has pushed back against the concerns.
www.cnn.com
November 4, 2025 at 9:35 PM
“You’re cutting off the next three decades of missions to explore the universe, to learn more about the planets and to learn more about the Earth. It’s a really devastating loss.” @ellanilsen.bsky.social @cnn.com
www.cnn.com/2025/11/04/s...
www.cnn.com/2025/11/04/s...
New: Citing need for cost-cutting, NASA is quietly closing buildings at Goddard, giving employees days to pack up highly specialized equipment or risk it getting thrown away, raising alarm. "The things they’re doing don’t actually seem to save money,” one employee said. www.cnn.com/2025/11/04/s...
NASA may be quietly gutting an iconic campus with what it calls strategic closures, workers fear | CNN
Buildings at Goddard’s Maryland campus are being emptied and padlocked, sources say. NASA leadership has pushed back against the concerns.
www.cnn.com
November 4, 2025 at 9:31 PM
New: Citing need for cost-cutting, NASA is quietly closing buildings at Goddard, giving employees days to pack up highly specialized equipment or risk it getting thrown away, raising alarm. "The things they’re doing don’t actually seem to save money,” one employee said. www.cnn.com/2025/11/04/s...
Reposted by Ella Nilsen
An important new story on the quiet gutting of one of NASA's most important laboratory campuses, during the federal shutdown. Via @ellanilsen.bsky.social & @jackiewattles.bsky.social www.cnn.com/2025/11/04/s...
Workers fear NASA is quietly gutting the iconic home of Hubble and Webb. The agency says it’s strategically closing buildings | CNN
Buildings at Goddard’s Maryland campus are being emptied and padlocked, sources say. NASA leadership has pushed back against the concerns.
www.cnn.com
November 4, 2025 at 7:14 PM
An important new story on the quiet gutting of one of NASA's most important laboratory campuses, during the federal shutdown. Via @ellanilsen.bsky.social & @jackiewattles.bsky.social www.cnn.com/2025/11/04/s...
Reposted by Ella Nilsen
Fill out this form to tell @ellanilsen.bsky.social about how rising electricity prices affect your family!
We're reporting on how electricity costs differ around the country and how new infrastructure (including AI datacenters) is affecting the price of power.
www.cnn.com/2025/10/23/c...
We're reporting on how electricity costs differ around the country and how new infrastructure (including AI datacenters) is affecting the price of power.
www.cnn.com/2025/10/23/c...
Is your electric bill going up? CNN wants to hear from you | CNN
Share your electric bill and help us report on rising prices, infrastructure costs and AI datacenters.
www.cnn.com
October 23, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Fill out this form to tell @ellanilsen.bsky.social about how rising electricity prices affect your family!
We're reporting on how electricity costs differ around the country and how new infrastructure (including AI datacenters) is affecting the price of power.
www.cnn.com/2025/10/23/c...
We're reporting on how electricity costs differ around the country and how new infrastructure (including AI datacenters) is affecting the price of power.
www.cnn.com/2025/10/23/c...
I wrote about a recent phenomenon worrying scientists: entire mountainsides falling into the ocean in coastal Alaska, triggering monster tsunami waves. It's happened 3 times in the last decade, all close to retreating glaciers. www.cnn.com/2025/10/22/c...
Cruise ships are flocking to Alaska to chase ice. But receding glaciers are leaving a new threat behind | CNN
It was a very early morning in August when an entire mountainside in Alaska’s Tracy Arm fjord detached and slid into the deep ocean water beneath it.
www.cnn.com
October 23, 2025 at 2:48 PM
I wrote about a recent phenomenon worrying scientists: entire mountainsides falling into the ocean in coastal Alaska, triggering monster tsunami waves. It's happened 3 times in the last decade, all close to retreating glaciers. www.cnn.com/2025/10/22/c...
Reposted by Ella Nilsen
I love this piece by @ellanilsen.bsky.social about a phenomena I previously had never heard of:
Whole-ass mountainsides sliding into the ocean in Alaska, causing tsunamis that could pulverize cruise ships.
www.cnn.com/2025/10/22/c...
Whole-ass mountainsides sliding into the ocean in Alaska, causing tsunamis that could pulverize cruise ships.
www.cnn.com/2025/10/22/c...
Cruise ships are flocking to Alaska to chase ice. But receding glaciers are leaving a new threat behind | CNN
It was a very early morning in August when an entire mountainside in Alaska’s Tracy Arm fjord detached and slid into the deep ocean water beneath it.
www.cnn.com
October 22, 2025 at 1:31 PM
I love this piece by @ellanilsen.bsky.social about a phenomena I previously had never heard of:
Whole-ass mountainsides sliding into the ocean in Alaska, causing tsunamis that could pulverize cruise ships.
www.cnn.com/2025/10/22/c...
Whole-ass mountainsides sliding into the ocean in Alaska, causing tsunamis that could pulverize cruise ships.
www.cnn.com/2025/10/22/c...
One of the biggest tsunami waves on record hit an Alaskan fjord this summer, caused by a massive landslide falling into the ocean near a melting glacier. No one was hurt, despite a Nat Geo cruise ship being 15 miles away, but scientists are anxious it could happen again. www.cnn.com/2025/10/22/c...
Cruise ships are flocking to Alaska to chase ice. But receding glaciers are leaving a new threat behind | CNN
It was a very early morning in August when an entire mountainside in Alaska’s Tracy Arm fjord detached and slid into the deep ocean water beneath it.
www.cnn.com
October 22, 2025 at 1:31 PM
One of the biggest tsunami waves on record hit an Alaskan fjord this summer, caused by a massive landslide falling into the ocean near a melting glacier. No one was hurt, despite a Nat Geo cruise ship being 15 miles away, but scientists are anxious it could happen again. www.cnn.com/2025/10/22/c...
Reposted by Ella Nilsen
First sentence says it all: "Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed legislation that would have required data centers to report how much water they use." Read the rest of the story though. from @ianjames.bsky.social: www.latimes.com/environment/...
California cracks down on water theft but spares data centers from disclosing how much they use
Gov. Newsom vetoed a bill that would have required data centers to report their projected water use when applying for a business license.
www.latimes.com
October 14, 2025 at 4:19 PM
First sentence says it all: "Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed legislation that would have required data centers to report how much water they use." Read the rest of the story though. from @ianjames.bsky.social: www.latimes.com/environment/...
Reposted by Ella Nilsen
"The deal with Broadcom would use as much power as 8 million US households" www.cnn.com/2025/10/13/t...
Sora 2 and ChatGPT are consuming so much power that OpenAI just did another 10 gigawatt deal | CNN Business
OpenAI is partnering with Broadcom to design and develop 10 gigawatts of custom AI chips and systems, a massive amount of power that will use as much electricity as a large city. The move further high...
www.cnn.com
October 13, 2025 at 2:57 PM
"The deal with Broadcom would use as much power as 8 million US households" www.cnn.com/2025/10/13/t...
New: Energy Sec. Chris Wright suggested the Trump admin is updating past National Climate Assessments.“We’re reviewing them, and we will come out with updated reports on those and with comments on those reports,” he said. www.cnn.com/2025/08/07/c...
Energy chief suggests Trump administration is altering previously published climate reports | CNN
Wright said the Trump administration is updating the National Climate Assessments that have been previously published, which the administration recently removed from government websites.
www.cnn.com
August 7, 2025 at 2:32 PM
New: Energy Sec. Chris Wright suggested the Trump admin is updating past National Climate Assessments.“We’re reviewing them, and we will come out with updated reports on those and with comments on those reports,” he said. www.cnn.com/2025/08/07/c...
Reposted by Ella Nilsen
Energy Secretary Chris Wright says Trump admin is altering previous National Climate Assessments. These were produced by hundreds of climate scientists and mandated by Congress. (1/2)
August 7, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Energy Secretary Chris Wright says Trump admin is altering previous National Climate Assessments. These were produced by hundreds of climate scientists and mandated by Congress. (1/2)
Reposted by Ella Nilsen
NEW: The NWS has received permission to hire up to 450 meteorologists/hydrologists/radar technicians after DOGE-related cuts. Agency also given a public safety exemption from federal hiring freeze after losing more than 550 people in those cuts. (1/2)
August 5, 2025 at 4:02 PM
NEW: The NWS has received permission to hire up to 450 meteorologists/hydrologists/radar technicians after DOGE-related cuts. Agency also given a public safety exemption from federal hiring freeze after losing more than 550 people in those cuts. (1/2)
Reposted by Ella Nilsen
I wrote about US new power plant additions in the first half of the year, and what's on tap between now and 2030. If I had to some this up in three words, they'd be: solar, batteries, Texas.
insideclimatenews.org/news/3107202...
insideclimatenews.org/news/3107202...
July 31, 2025 at 2:05 PM
I wrote about US new power plant additions in the first half of the year, and what's on tap between now and 2030. If I had to some this up in three words, they'd be: solar, batteries, Texas.
insideclimatenews.org/news/3107202...
insideclimatenews.org/news/3107202...
Reposted by Ella Nilsen
The EPA cited my paper in their argument against the endangerment finding today. However, their point is completely backwards: my paper actually supports the EPA's 2009 range of 1.8C to 4C warming by 2100. www.nature.com/artic...
July 29, 2025 at 9:03 PM
The EPA cited my paper in their argument against the endangerment finding today. However, their point is completely backwards: my paper actually supports the EPA's 2009 range of 1.8C to 4C warming by 2100. www.nature.com/artic...
New: The Trump admin commissioned a new report on climate science in conjunction with its proposed endangerment finding repeal, per Energy Sec. Wright. DOE recently hired 3 researchers who have questioned & rejected the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change. www.cnn.com/2025/07/29/c...
Trump admin proposes to revoke EPA’s ability to make rules about climate pollution | CNN
If successful, the repeal could strip away the federal government’s most powerful way to control the country’s planet-warming pollution and fight climate change.
www.cnn.com
July 29, 2025 at 7:08 PM
New: The Trump admin commissioned a new report on climate science in conjunction with its proposed endangerment finding repeal, per Energy Sec. Wright. DOE recently hired 3 researchers who have questioned & rejected the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change. www.cnn.com/2025/07/29/c...
Reposted by Ella Nilsen
“[Children's] small bodies are shutting down — they can’t breathe, their immune systems are collapsing."
Meanwhile, Gaza health authorities say more 1,000 people have been shot and killed trying to access food distribution sites backed by Israel and the US.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
Meanwhile, Gaza health authorities say more 1,000 people have been shot and killed trying to access food distribution sites backed by Israel and the US.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
Mass starvation stalks Gaza as deaths from hunger rise
Aid agencies warned for months that Israel’s harsh limits on food aid would bring acute malnutrition and widespread suffering to Gaza’s 2.1 million people.
www.washingtonpost.com
July 24, 2025 at 2:38 PM
“[Children's] small bodies are shutting down — they can’t breathe, their immune systems are collapsing."
Meanwhile, Gaza health authorities say more 1,000 people have been shot and killed trying to access food distribution sites backed by Israel and the US.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
Meanwhile, Gaza health authorities say more 1,000 people have been shot and killed trying to access food distribution sites backed by Israel and the US.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
Reposted by Ella Nilsen
If “it is the artist’s job to make the revolution, irresistible,” I went looking for the artists most devoted to Earth repair and the clean energy revolution.
See how they are changing live music and discover what gives them hope in these dark days Sunday night on CNN.
See how they are changing live music and discover what gives them hope in these dark days Sunday night on CNN.
July 18, 2025 at 3:56 PM
If “it is the artist’s job to make the revolution, irresistible,” I went looking for the artists most devoted to Earth repair and the clean energy revolution.
See how they are changing live music and discover what gives them hope in these dark days Sunday night on CNN.
See how they are changing live music and discover what gives them hope in these dark days Sunday night on CNN.
Reposted by Ella Nilsen
Confirming
@maxinejoselow.bsky.social
's scoop: DOE has hired 3 prominent climate contrarian's, and mainstream climate scientists are worried about what's next... W/ @ellanilsen.bsky.social www.cnn.com/2025/07/08/c...
@maxinejoselow.bsky.social
's scoop: DOE has hired 3 prominent climate contrarian's, and mainstream climate scientists are worried about what's next... W/ @ellanilsen.bsky.social www.cnn.com/2025/07/08/c...
The Trump admin just hired 3 outspoken climate contrarians. Scientists are worried what comes next | CNN
The Trump admin just hired 3 outspoken climate contrarians. Scientists are worried what comes next
www.cnn.com
July 8, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Confirming
@maxinejoselow.bsky.social
's scoop: DOE has hired 3 prominent climate contrarian's, and mainstream climate scientists are worried about what's next... W/ @ellanilsen.bsky.social www.cnn.com/2025/07/08/c...
@maxinejoselow.bsky.social
's scoop: DOE has hired 3 prominent climate contrarian's, and mainstream climate scientists are worried about what's next... W/ @ellanilsen.bsky.social www.cnn.com/2025/07/08/c...
Really important reporting by @afreedma.bsky.social and CNN's Investigates team.
"A review of... communications from a real-time messaging system operated by the NWS showed that no emergency manager from Kerr County was sending messages or interacting with NWS staff on the platform, even as emergency officials from other counties were doing so."
www.cnn.com/2025/07/07/u...
www.cnn.com/2025/07/07/u...
Local officials facing questions over lack of preparations in the years and hours before deadly Texas floods | CNN
As Central Texas reels from flash floods that killed over 100 people this weekend, questions are sharpening about whether officials could have done more to avert the tragedy – both in the decades lead...
www.cnn.com
July 8, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Really important reporting by @afreedma.bsky.social and CNN's Investigates team.
2/2
Projects that start construction between 1 year of bill enactment and end of 2027 must be placed in service by end of 2027.
Big picture: still a narrow window for clean energy developers, but more breathing room.
Projects that start construction between 1 year of bill enactment and end of 2027 must be placed in service by end of 2027.
Big picture: still a narrow window for clean energy developers, but more breathing room.
July 1, 2025 at 4:29 PM
2/2
Projects that start construction between 1 year of bill enactment and end of 2027 must be placed in service by end of 2027.
Big picture: still a narrow window for clean energy developers, but more breathing room.
Projects that start construction between 1 year of bill enactment and end of 2027 must be placed in service by end of 2027.
Big picture: still a narrow window for clean energy developers, but more breathing room.
Big wind/solar changes in final Senate bill:
- no excise tax on wind/solar
- bill sets a commence construction deadline for wind/solar projects that start within a year of bill enactment. Those projects get full tech-neutral credit for 1 year, and are spared the 2027 placed in service deadline
1/2
- no excise tax on wind/solar
- bill sets a commence construction deadline for wind/solar projects that start within a year of bill enactment. Those projects get full tech-neutral credit for 1 year, and are spared the 2027 placed in service deadline
1/2
July 1, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Big wind/solar changes in final Senate bill:
- no excise tax on wind/solar
- bill sets a commence construction deadline for wind/solar projects that start within a year of bill enactment. Those projects get full tech-neutral credit for 1 year, and are spared the 2027 placed in service deadline
1/2
- no excise tax on wind/solar
- bill sets a commence construction deadline for wind/solar projects that start within a year of bill enactment. Those projects get full tech-neutral credit for 1 year, and are spared the 2027 placed in service deadline
1/2
Reposted by Ella Nilsen
This comparsion in the NYTimes today is pretty stark. China is racing ahead to be a high-tech exporter of 21st century technologies, while the US is doubling down on being a petro-state exporting the technologies of the 19th century: www.nytimes.com/inte...
June 30, 2025 at 10:45 PM
This comparsion in the NYTimes today is pretty stark. China is racing ahead to be a high-tech exporter of 21st century technologies, while the US is doubling down on being a petro-state exporting the technologies of the 19th century: www.nytimes.com/inte...
Reposted by Ella Nilsen
NEW: Trump admin seeks to defund US network of labs that monitor CO2 levels in the atmosphere, including Mauna Loa, home to the famous "Keeling Curve." The moves would also affect weather forecasting centers. www.cnn.com/2025/07/01/c...
Trump admin tries to kill the most indisputable evidence of human-caused climate change by shuttering observatory | CNN
The Mauna Loa laboratory in Hawaii has measured atmospheric carbon dioxide, which — along with other planet-warming pollution — has led directly to climate change, driving sea level rise, superchargin...
www.cnn.com
July 1, 2025 at 1:03 PM
NEW: Trump admin seeks to defund US network of labs that monitor CO2 levels in the atmosphere, including Mauna Loa, home to the famous "Keeling Curve." The moves would also affect weather forecasting centers. www.cnn.com/2025/07/01/c...