Category: 3. Business

Press Releases

12/22/2025

Attorney General Tong Leads Nearly $150 Million Multistate Settlement with Mercedes-Benz USA and Daimler AG Over Emissions Fraud

Connecticut to receive $4,989,276

(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today led a coalition of 50 attorneys general announcing a $149,673,750 settlement with Mercedes-Benz USA and Daimler AG for violating state laws prohibiting unfair or deceptive trade practices by marketing, selling and leasing vehicles equipped with undisclosed emissions defeat devices that illegally circumvented Connecticut’s strong emissions standards. The settlement also includes more than $200 million in potential consumer relief.

“Mercedes-Benz and Daimler hid devices inside their vehicles to cheat emissions tests, knowingly pumping out toxic emissions far exceeding legal limits. Their deception hurt their customers and harmed air quality for all Americans, and we’re holding them accountable. This settlement, as with others previously reached with Volkswagen and Fiat Chrysler, sends millions of dollars back to states as well as comprehensive relief for consumers who purchased these defective vehicles. Connecticut led the nationwide coalition reaching today’s settlement and will continue to lead in protecting consumers from bad actors who defraud and deceive the American people,” said Attorney General Tong.

“Consumers deserve to know exactly what they are purchasing, and they should be able to reasonably assume that any new car they buy is in compliance with all laws and regulations,” said Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli. “This deception was unfair to consumers and a clear violation of public trust. Thank you to the Attorney General’s office for their work to hold companies accountable for their advertising and marketing practices.”

Beginning in 2008 and continuing to 2016, the states allege Mercedes manufactured, marketed, advertised, and distributed nationwide more than 211,000 diesel passenger cars and vans equipped with software defeat devices that optimized emission controls during emissions tests, while reducing those controls outside of normal operations. The defeat devices enabled vehicles to exceed legal limits of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions, a harmful pollutant that causes respiratory illness and contributes to the formation of smog. Mercedes engaged in this conduct to achieve design and performance goals, such as increased fuel efficiency and reduced maintenance, that it was unable to meet while complying with applicable emission standards. Mercedes concealed the existence of these defeat devices from state and federal regulators and the public. At the same time, Mercedes marketed the vehicles to consumers as “environmentally-friendly” and in compliance with applicable emissions regulations.

Today’s settlement requires Mercedes-Benz USA and Daimler AG to pay $120 million to the states upon the effective date of the settlement. An additional $29,673,750 will be suspended and potentially waived pending completion of a comprehensive consumer relief program.

Connecticut will receive $4,989,276 through today’s settlement. It is estimated that there are 3,181 impacted vehicles registered in Connecticut.

The consumer relief program extends to the estimated 39,565 vehicles that had not been repaired or permanently removed from the road in the United States by August 1, 2023. Mercedes must bear the cost of installing approved emission modification software on each of the affected vehicles. The companies must provide participating consumers with an extended warranty and will pay consumers $2,000 per subject vehicle.

The companies must also comply with reporting requirements, reform their practices, and refrain from including a prohibition on any further unfair or deceptive marketing or sale of diesel vehicles, including misrepresentations regarding emissions and compliance.

Today’s settlement follows similar settlements reached previously between the states and Volkswagen, Fiat Chrysler and German engineering company Robert Bosch GmbH over its development of the cheat software. Automaker Fiat Chrysler and its subsidiaries paid $72.5 million to the states in 2019. Bosch paid $98.7 million in 2019. Volkswagen reached a $570 million settlement with the states in 2016.

The attorneys general of Connecticut, Delaware, and Maryland led the multistate investigation and settlement, and were assisted by Alabama, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, and Texas. The final settlement was also joined by Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Puerto Rico.

Assistant Attorneys General Brendan Flynn, Scott Koschwitz, and Rebecca Quinn and Deputy Associate Attorney General Michael Wertheimer, Chief of the Consumer Protection Section and Deputy Associate Attorney General Matthew Levine, Chief of the Environment Section assisted the Attorney General in this matter.

Twitter: @AGWilliamTong

Facebook: CT Attorney General

Media Contact:

Elizabeth Benton
elizabeth.benton@ct.gov

Consumer Inquiries:

860-808-5318
attorney.general@ct.gov

•      New system successfully transforms simple carbon molecules into acetyl-CoA
•      A building block of life, acetyl-CoA can be used to make a variety of materials
•      To build the system, scientists screened 66 enzymes and 3,000 enzyme variants
•      Enzyme screening and system use molecular machinery outside of living cells

EVANSTON, Ill. — In a breakthrough that defies nature, Northwestern University and Stanford University synthetic biologists have created a new artificial metabolism that transforms waste carbon dioxide (CO2) into useful biological building blocks.

In the new study, the team engineered a biological system that can convert formate — a simple liquid molecule easily made from CO2 — into acetyl-CoA, a universal metabolite used by all living cells. As a proof of concept, the engineers then used the same system to convert acetyl-CoA into malate, a commercially valuable chemical used in foods, cosmetics and biodegradable plastics.

Unlike natural metabolic routes, the new system is entirely synthetic and operates outside of living cells. The engineers built the system, called the Reductive Formate Pathway (ReForm), from engineered enzymes that performed metabolic reactions never before seen in nature.

The work marks a major advance for synthetic biology and carbon recycling, opening the door for developing sustainable, carbon-neutral fuels and materials.

The study was published today (Dec. 22) in the journal Nature Chemical Engineering.

“The unabated release of CO2 has caused many pressing social and economic challenges for humanity,” said Northwestern’s Ashty Karim, who co-led the study. “If we’re going to address this global challenge, we critically need new routes to carbon-negative manufacturing of goods. While nature has evolved several pathways to metabolize CO2, it is unable to keep up with the rapid increase in the amount of atmospheric CO2. Inspired by nature, we sought to use biological enzymes to convert formate derived from CO2 into more valuable materials. Because there isn’t a set of enzymes in nature that can do that, we decided to engineer one.”

“ReForm can readily use diverse carbon sources, including formate, formaldehyde and methanol,” said Stanford’s Michael Jewett, who co-led the study with Karim. “This is the first demonstration of a synthetic metabolic pathway architecture that can do so. By combining electrochemistry and synthetic biology, the ReForm pathway also expands possible solutions for generalizable CO2-fixation strategies. We anticipate that hybrid technologies that integrate the best of chemistry and the best of biology will provide transformative new directions for a carbon- and energy-efficient future.”

An expert in synthetic biology and biotechnology, Karim is an assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering and a member of the Center for Synthetic Biology (CSB). Jewett is an adjunct professor at Northwestern, founding co-director of CSB and a professor of bioengineering at Stanford.

Looking beyond nature

As researchers search for solutions to help fight the ever-warming atmosphere, many have sought to upcycle captured CO2 into valuable chemicals. Because it’s easy to make from electricity and water, formate has emerged as a promising starting point. Then, biological systems could perform the work needed to convert formate into useful materials.

But, unfortunately, living cells struggle to use formate efficiently. Only a few rare microbes can digest formate naturally, and those microbes are difficult to engineer for large-scale production.

“Cells naturally use metabolic reactions to convert one chemical into another,” Karim said. “For example, cells can take glucose, or sugar, and convert it into energy. But, in nature, nothing can turn formate into acetyl-CoA. There are some enzymes that can act on formate, but they cannot build it up into something useful. So, we started with a theoretical pathway design and the need for enzymes with functionalities that did not exist in nature.”

Testing thousands of enzymes per week

Before building the metabolic pathway, the research team needed enzymes that could perform these non-natural reactions. To rapidly express and test large numbers of enzyme variants, the team turned to cell-free synthetic biology. In this approach, scientists essentially remove a cell’s wall, collect its molecular machinery (enzymes, cofactors and small molecules) and put it all into a test tube. Scientists then can use this machinery — outside of a living organism — to make a product in a safe, inexpensive and rapid manner.

“It’s like opening the hood of a car and removing the engine,” Jewett said. “Then, we can use that ‘engine’ for different purposes, free from the constraints of the car.”

Using a cell-free system enabled the team to rapidly screen 66 enzymes and more than 3,000 enzyme variants to find the ones that worked best. This process was much faster and more flexible than using live cells, which would have been slow and laborious.

“Typically, people will test a handful of enzymes, and that takes months or more,” Karim said. “The cell-free environment enabled us to test thousands per week.”

How it works

With this process, the researchers engineered five distinct enzymes. The final pathway design comprises six total reaction steps, in which each enzyme performs one step. Together, the series of reactions successfully transformed formate into acetyl-CoA.

Much like the enzyme testing, the entire system is run outside of living cells. That means the team could precisely control enzyme concentrations, cofactors and conditions — something that’s nearly impossible to accomplish inside a living organism.

After establishing the system, Karim, Jewett and their teams used ReForm to convert acetyl-CoA into malate. The team also demonstrated ReForm can accept other carbon-based inputs, including formaldehyde and methanol.

“From here, we can imagine this work going in a couple different directions,” Karim said. “We would like to further optimize this pathway and explore other designs to make one-carbon conversions more efficient. We also can imagine using the tools that we developed to engineer all kinds of other new enzymes and pathways. It gives us hope for a future where we can combine multiple technologies, both biological and abiological, in unique ways to find new solutions.”

The study, “A synthetic cell-free pathway for biocatalytic upgrading of formate from electrochemically reduced carbon dioxide,” was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (award number DE-SC0023278) and the National Science Foundation.

In the welcome area, a digital “History Wall” enhances the introduction to the brand’s rich heritage. Vitrines showcasing models of all watch families, as well as curated historic pocket watches, emphasise Lange’s craftsmanship. The manufacture’s visual identity unfolds in stately black and grey tones, offset by soft white walls, textured finishes, and plush furnishings. The spatial layout organically guides customers through the reception and consultation areas. Meanwhile, a discreet bar behind the sales counter offers a private space where customers can try on timepieces in comfort.

A sweeping staircase leads to the upper floor, where the boutique transitions into a luxurious private area. This space comprises two sales salons, a lounge, a presentation and theatre section, as well as an exclusive watchmaking experience corner. Surrounded by elegant bookcases, objets d’art, and rare timepieces, the upper level is designed to inspire conversation and discovery.

“We are delighted to welcome watch enthusiasts to our new flagship boutique at ION Orchard. This location not only represents a milestone in our retail journey, but also beautifully articulates our motto “never stand still”. At A. Lange & Söhne, we are constantly innovating– both through our watches, as well as with the experiences that we offer – for watch lovers and Lange enthusiasts here in Singapore and across the region,” says Wilhelm Schmid, CEO of A. Lange & Söhne.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida, December 22, 2025 – Cushman & Wakefield announced today that the firm represented PEBB Enterprises in its disposition of the 6400 Building in Fort Lauderdale. PEBB Enterprises acquired the asset in 2004 for $6.31M, and it served as their corporate headquarters before relocating to Boca Raton. 

Cushman & Wakefield’s Scott O’Donnell, Mike Ciadella, Greg Miller and Miguel Alcivar represented the seller in its $11.93 million transaction with a private family office.   

Located at 6400 N. Andrews Avenue in Fort Lauderdale’s Uptown Urban Village, the 6400 Building totals 55,241 square feet and is 89% leased, providing both a secure income stream and significant upside potential. With average suite sizes of 3,724 square feet, the 6400 Building caters to small and mid-sized users, the segment that represents the majority of leasing demand in the market.  

The property is distinguished by its high-profile signage at the Cypress Creek Road interchange of I-95, visible to approximately 260,000 cars daily, an identity typically reserved for much larger corporate assets. Its central location, just north of Downtown Fort Lauderdale, offers direct connectivity to I-95, Cypress Creek Road, Commercial Boulevard and Federal Highway, delivering tenants a cost-effective alternative to the congestion and higher rents of the CBD while maintaining access to South Florida’s key business hubs. 

“Our team is witnessing increasing demand from private-capital investors for well-located, high-quality assets that cater to the small to mid-size tenants that have remained resilient through the past few years,” said O’Donnell, Cushman & Wakefield Executive Managing Director. “This asset’s visibility from I-95 and access to the Cypress Creek Interchange drove strong investor interest.”   

Several automakers are recalling certain models because they may pose a potential safety risk to owners, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Brands like BMW, Chrysler and Ford are recalling some vehicles due to safety hazards.

Here’s what you need to know to keep your family safe:

BMW

Around 36,922 of BMW’s 2025-2026 X3 vehicles are being pulled because unexpected steering wheel movement may occur while the vehicle is stopped.

No injuries have been reported as of this writing.

The NHTSA said the steering wheel software will be updated by a dealer or over the air, free of charge.

Notification letters are expected to be mailed on Feb. 2, 2026. That is also when Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in the recall will be searchable on the NHTSA database.

Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

You can find the recall information here.

Honda

Around 70,658 of the company’s 2016-2020 Acura ILX vehicles have an internal brake leak, which may reduce brake function and increase the risk of a crash.

No injuries have been reported as of this writing.

Dealers will replace the affected parts at no cost. Interim notification letters letting owners know of the safety risk are expected to be sent on Feb. 2, and a second letter will be sent once the final remedy is available.

VINs involved in the recall are now searchable on the NHTSA database. Honda’s number for this recall is RN5.

Owners can call the company’s customer service line at 1-888-234-2138.

You can find the recall information here.

Ford

The company is recalling around 32,160 of its 2022 to 2025 E-Transit vehicles because it may lose drive power and could roll away while parked if the parking brake is not applied.

The NHTSA said no crashes have been reported as of this writing.

The remedy for this recall is still under development. Notification letters letting owners know of the safety risks are expected to be mailed on Monday, Dec. 22, and another letter will be sent when the final remedy is available.

Ford’s number for this recall is 25SD9. VINs involved in this recall are now searchable on the NHTSA database.

Owners with questions can contact Ford’s customer service line at 1-866-436-7332.

You can find the recall information here.

Around 272,645 of Ford’s vehicles are being recalled because the park function may not work properly, potentially causing them to roll away.

No injuries or crashes have been reported as of this writing.

The following models are affected, according to the NHTSA:

2022-2026

2024-2026

2025-2026

The park module software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air update, the NHTSA said. Notification letters are expected to be sent on Feb. 2, 2026, with an additional letter being sent once the final remedy is available.

Ford’s number for this recall is 25C69. VINs involved in this recall will be searched on the NHTSA database starting on Jan. 26.

Owners with questions can contact the company’s customer service line at 1-866-436-7332, the NHTSA said.

You can find the recall information here.

Chrysler

Around 52,565 of the company’s vehicles are being recalled because a software error may prevent the driver’s side air bag and/or seat belt pretensioner from deploying during a crash.

No injuries have been reported as of this writing.

The NHTSA listed the following models as affected:

2025

• Ram 2500 Pickup

• 3500 Pickup

• 3500 Cab Chassis

• 4500 Cab Chassis

• 5500 Cab Chassis

Dealers will update the software for free. Notification letters are expected to be sent on Jan. 15, 2025, the NHTSA said.

VINs are now searchable on the NHTSA database. The company’s number for this recall is C3C.

Owners with questions can contact Chrysler’s customer service at 800-853-1403.

You can find the recall information here.

---

Read more on KSAT:

Core characteristics of the FINDERI cohort

Demographics

A total of 504 patients were included in our cohort analysis (Table 1); 491 of them could be thoroughly evaluated for the presence of POD (Supplementary Table 2). Thirteen patients were excluded from the detailed statistical analysis as a thorough POD assessment was not possible (for dropout analysis see supplementary Table 3). Among them, 106 patients (21.6%) were diagnosed with POD following cardiac surgery, based on the CAM-ICU and I-CAM. Detailed demographic data is presented in Table 1. Patients diagnosed with POD were significantly older than those without POD (mean age with POD: 71.0 ± 7.7 years vs. mean age without POD: 67.6 ± 8.3 years, p < 0.001, Table 1). Notable statistical differences were also found between the two groups in terms of MoCA findings, heart failure, implanted pacemaker or defibrillator, heart valve disease, the presence and severity of mitral valve disease, and type 2 diabetes, as detailed in Table 1. POD lasted an average of 3.3 ± 1.3 days, diagnosed 1.4 ± 0.7 days after cardiac surgery and ended 3.8 ± 1.3 days after intervention. Most patients exhibited hypoactive delirium symptoms (45%). A form of mixed POD occurred slightly less frequently (37%); the fewest patients presented with hyperactive POD (18%). POD was diagnosed in 73% of patients via a positive CAM-ICU score and 47% applying the I-CAM), where some patients were positive in both CAM-ICU and I-CAM.

Preoperative heart and brain disease related factors

We conducted univariate logistic regression analysis to identify significant heart and brain disease related factors associated with the development of POD in those patients assessable for POD (n = 491, see supplementary Table 2). The analysis revealed several relevant factors: age (OR 1.05, 95%-CI: 1.02, 1.08, p < 0.001), MoCA assessment results (OR 0.86, 95%-CI: 0.81, 0.92, p < 0.001), the presence of heart failure (OR 2.29, 95%-CI: 1.26, 4.47, p = 0.01), heart valve disease (OR 1.73, 95%-CI: 1.09, 2.81, p = 0.024), mitral valve insufficiency (OR 1.75, 95%-CI: 1.12, 2.72, p = 0.013), mitral valve stenosis (OR 7.22, 95%-CI: 1.17, 55.9, p = 0.033), moderately severe mitral valve disease (OR 3.8, 95%-CI: 1.78, 8.00, p < 0.001), extremely severe mitral valve disease (OR 2.03, 95%-CI: 1.08, 3.74, p = 0.025), tricuspid valve insufficiency (OR 1.7, 95%-CI: 1.02, 2.82, p = 0.038), moderate tricuspid valve disease (OR 3.13, 95%-CI: 1.09, 8.66, p = 0.028), and type 2 diabetes (OR 2.12, 95%-CI: 1.35, 3.31, p < 0.001). Additionally, the presence of a defibrillator was identified as a significant factor (OR 4.76, 95%-CI: 1.24, 19.5, p = 0.022). These findings are presented in supplementary Table 2.

Plasma biomarker

Plasma biomarkers p-tau181 and IL-6 were evaluated via univariate regression analysis to determine their significance in predicting POD in our cohort of 491 patients with assessed POD status (Supplementary Table 2). Our analysis indicated that preoperative IL-6 levels represented a significant risk factor (OR 1.38, 95%-CI 1.07, 1.77; p = 0.012, n = 476), while postoperative IL-6 levels (OR 1.07, 95%-CI 0.77, 1.47; p = 0.69, n = 425), and the difference between postoperative and preoperative IL-6 levels (OR 0.88, 95%-CI 0.68, 1.12, p = 0.29, n = 422) did not constitute significant risk factors in a univariate context (Supplementary Table 2). Similarly, preoperative levels of p-tau181 (OR 2.26, 95%-CI 1.46, 3.57; p < 0.001, n = 483) were found to be a significant predictor of POD in the FINDERI cohort.

Plasma biomarker to predict postoperative delirium

The levels of preoperative IL-6 and preoperative p-tau181 were identified as significant predictors of POD. This is illustrated in Fig. 1; Supplementary Table 4. Supplementary Figure 1 also show the log-transformed biomarker levels of IL-6 and p-tau181. ROC analysis yielded an AUC of 0.605 (95%-CI: 0.544, 0.663, p = 0.0018) for preoperative IL-6 levels and an AUC of 0.641 (95%-CI: 0.581, 0.698, p < 0.0001) for preoperative p-tau181. The optimal cut-off value for preoperative IL-6 was 4.71, demonstrating a sensitivity of 60.4% and a specificity of 58.9%, as detailed in supplementary Table 5A (for postoperative IL-6 cut off value, see Table 4B). The optimal cut-off value determined for preoperative p-tau 181 was 1.57, with a sensitivity of 61.5% and a specificity 60.7%, as reported in supplementary Table 5C. However, it was observed that POD could not be predicted based on postoperative IL-6 levels or the difference between postoperative and preoperative IL-6 levels, as indicated in supplementary Table 4, supplementary Figures 1B, C and Fig. 1. Furthermore, a linear mixed-effects model for IL-6 demonstrated that while time (p < 0.0001) and POD (p = 0.03) were significant factors, the interaction between time and POD was not significant (p = 0.09), as depicted in supplementary Figure 2. The mean group values in the difference of the log-transformed IL-6 levels for no POD were 1.809 (95%-CI: 1.71, 1.91, p < 0.0001) and 1.624 for POD (95%-CI: 1.43, 1.82, p < 0.0001).

Predicting postoperative delirium by combining plasma biomarkers and heart and brain as well as immunotherapy related factors

To identify possible associations among biomarkers and various heart and brain as well as immune system related factors, we conducted a multiple logistic regression analysis in three different models (Table 2A). In the first model, IL-6, age, sex, tumor, corticosteroids, colchicine and cytostatic drugs were included as explanatory variables in the analysis; we found that age and log-transformed preoperative IL-6 facilitated the prediction of POD (Table 2B and Fig. 2, Model 1). We investigated the immunotherapy-associated variables in a model with IL-6, since the activity of the inflammatory marker IL-6 can be influenced by immunotherapy. Our first model was able to predict POD with reasonable accuracy, achieving an AUC of 0.658 (95%-CI: 0.596, 0.714, p < 0.0001), as shown in Table 2B and Fig. 2, Model 1. Log p-tau181, age, gender, cognitive performance measured by MoCA and education were included as explanatory variables in our second model. It also included cognitive performance together with preoperative p-tau181 levels, as neurodegenerative processes are often associated with reduced cognition. This model revealed that log-transformed preoperative p-tau181, female sex, and cognitive performance were relevant factors. POD could be predicted with this model with moderate accuracy, namely an AUC of 0.694 (95%-CI: 0.637, 0.747, p < 0.0001, Table 2C, Fig. 2, Model 2). When we combined all explanatory variables (log-transformed IL-6, log-transformed p-tau181, age, sex, tumor, corticosteroids, colchicine, cytostatic drugs, MoCA findings, education, preoperative log IL-6 and preoperative p-tau 181 and female sex) into one model (Model 3), female sex, education > 10 years and cognitive performance (MoCA) proved to be relevant factors. However, the interaction between the blood biomarkers p-tau181 and IL-6 in blood plasma was not a relevant POD predictor (OR 0.87, 95%-CI: 0.48, 1.56, p = 0.63, Table 2, Model 3). With this combined model 3, POD was predictable with moderate accuracy with an AUC of 0.709 (95% CI: 0.651, 0.763, p < 0.0001; Table 2D, Fig. 2, Model 3).

Predicting postoperative delirium taking a machine learning approach

Decision tree

To identify the most important guidelines for predicting POD, we created a decision showing four important rules. The rules were applied in the following sequence: (1) preoperative p-tau181 level greater than 1.4, (2) the presence of moderate or severe mitral valve disease, (3) a preoperative p-tau181 exceeding 1.8, and (4) preoperative IL-6 level above 5.8, as depicted in Fig. 3. The performance of this decision tree model was quantitatively evaluated, showing an AUC of 0.672 (95%-CI: 0.604, 0.735, p < 0.0001) on the training set and 0.642 (95%-CI: 0.537, 0.738, p = 0.0108) on the validation set. These results, along with detailed visual representations, are provided in supplementary Table 6, Fig. 3.

LASSO

During the application of the LASSO machine learning procedure, non-zero regression coefficient estimates were observed for two variables: age and preoperative p-tau181 levels. The performance of the LASSO model in predicting POD was assessed using ROC analysis, which demonstrated an AUC of 0.751 (95%-CI: 0.686, 0.805, p < 0.0001) for the training and an AUC of 0.652 (95%-CI: 0.539, 0.747, p = 0.0086) for the validation set, reflecting a moderate level of prediction accuracy. These findings, along with the corresponding graphical representation, are detailed in supplementary Table 6 and Fig. 4A, B.

Press Release:
15:56 CET • 22 Dec 2025

News release from Vestas-American Wind Technology
Portland, 22 December 2025

Vestas is proud to have received orders for 320 MW in the USA for undisclosed projects. 

For more information, please contact:

Matt Copeman
Lead Specialist, Marketing & Communications
Mail: mtcoe@vestas.com
Tel: +1 (503) 475-6428

About Vestas
Vestas is the energy industry’s global partner on sustainable energy solutions. We design, manufacture, install, and service onshore and offshore wind turbines across the globe, and with more than 197 GW of wind turbines in 88 countries, we have installed more wind power than anyone else. Through our industry-leading smart data capabilities and unparalleled more than 159 GW of wind turbines under service, we use data to interpret, forecast, and exploit wind resources and deliver best-in-class wind power solutions. Together with our customers, Vestas’ more than 37,000 employees are bringing the world sustainable energy solutions to power a bright future.

For updated Vestas photographs and videos, please visit our media images page on:
https://www.vestas.com/en/media/images.

We invite you to learn more about Vestas by visiting our website at www.vestas.com and following us on our social media channels:

Dec. 22, 2025 – (SAN ANTONIO) – – CPS Energy offices, call center, and customer service centers will be closed for the Christmas holiday on Wednesday, December 24, and Thursday, December 25, as well as for the New Year holiday on Wednesday, December 31, and Thursday, January 1, 2026.  

CPS Energy’s customer service centers will resume normal operations at 7:45 a.m. on Friday, January 2, 2026. 

During the closure, customers can report emergency natural gas or electric notices by calling (210) 353-HELP (4357). Online services may be accessed at cpsenergy.com. 

Customers can conveniently take care of the following services at any time by logging into Manage My Account: 

• start/stop/transfer service, 

• make payment arrangements, 

• reconnect services following full payment of past-due bill 

• sign up for emergency alerts, and 

• update contact information, mailing address, and other options. 

CPS Energy has expanded its Energy Angels program to provide more donation options.   Those interested in giving the gift of energy this holiday season can visit the Energy Angels webpage.    

### 

About CPS Energy 
Established in 1860, CPS Energy is the nation’s largest public power, natural gas, and electric company, providing safe, reliable, and competitively-priced service to more than 970,000 electric and 390,000 natural gas customers in San Antonio and portions of seven adjoining counties. Our customers’ combined energy bills rank among the lowest of the nation’s 20 largest cities – while generating $10.1 billion in revenue for the City of San Antonio since 1942. As a trusted and strong community partner, we continuously focus on job creation, economic development, and educational investment. We are powered by our skilled workforce, whose commitment to the community is demonstrated through our employees’ volunteerism in giving back to our city and programs aimed at bringing value to our customers.  

Work on Mansfield’s Four Seasons Shopping Centre car park is due to start on 5 January and is expected to last around 40 weeks.

The maker of Jim Beam bourbon whiskey said it plans to pause production at its main distillery in Kentucky starting Jan. 1. 

Jim Beam, which is owned by a U.S. subsidiary of Japan’s Suntory Holdings, said in an email to CBS News that its distillery in Clermont, Kentucky, will temporarily halt production “while we take the opportunity to invest in site enhancements.” The company plans to keep its James B. Beam campus open for visitors during that time, the company added.

Jim Beam will continue to distill at its Fred B. Noe craft distillery in Clermont and Booker Noe distillery in Boston, Kentucky.

The pause comes amid several challenges in the wine and spirits industry. Americans overall are drinking less, with Gallup finding that the share of U.S. adults who consume alcohol has fallen to 54%, near a 90-year low. 

Exports of U.S.-produced spirits fell 9% in the second quarter, partly due to the impact of the Trump administration’s tariffs, according to an October report from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, a trade group. Exports to Canada were particularly hard hit, declining by 85% during the period, after Canadian retailers pulled U.S. spirits from shelves in retaliation for President Trump’s tariffs, the group noted. 

Through August, whiskey distillers had produced 55 million fewer proof gallons this year than a year ago, a decline of 28%, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. A proof gallon is one U.S. gallon of liquid that is 50% proof alcohol.

Edited by

Alain Sherter