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Three of Tesla’s top former Tesla charging members in the Northeast have joined Revel to continue deploying EV charging stations.

In April, Elon Musk fired Tesla’s entire 500-people charging team to make an example out of them and their head, Rebecca Tinnuci, who pushed back against further layoffs.

The automaker has since rehired some of them since, after all, they built the best fast-charging network in the world, and it was a ridiculous decision to fire them all.

But the laid-off employees have become prime talent acquisition targets for other charging companies. Revel in New York got the message.

After Tesla fired the team, it quickly started pulling out of leases for upcoming charging stations in New York, where Revel operates.

At the time, Revel told us that it was considering taking over those sites and hiring some of Tesla’s former charging team members.

The company is now following through as Revel announced hiring three former Tesla charging team members.

Revel confirmed that it hired Ed Noseworthy to be its new Director of Design & Construction. Prior to joining Revel, Noseworthy spent almost 7 years at Tesla where he was senior design lead for Superchargers in the Northeast.

The company also hired Henry Misas, who was Senior Design Manager at Tesla and was behind the installation of over 1,000 Superchargers in the Northeast.

Finally, Revel confirmed that Tedy Filis, who was Regional Construction Lead – Charging Infrastructure at Tesla, has also joined the team.

Frank Reig, Co-Founder & CEO of Revel, commented on the new hires:

Revel is building fast charging in the densest, most congested places in America. It’s not easy, but it’s absolutely necessary. These are not one-size-fits-all projects, to get them done we need creativity and hustle. Henry, Tedy and Ed each have those qualities, making them a great fit for our team, and I’m excited to see what they bring as we undertake a major expansion over the next year.

Revel also confirmed that it is actively pursuing Tesla’s abandoned sites in New York.

The company operates large-scale charging sites in New York that are open to the public, but they are primarily designed for ride-hailing drivers, including those on Revel’s own service using an all-electric fleet.

Electrek’s Take

I still can’t believe that Elon did that: firing the team that undeniably built the best and most reliable fast-charging network in the world.

But when he did it, I said that the only good thing that I could see come out of this would be that other charging companies could snap up the talent and use their deep experience in deploying record number of charging stations and try to replicate that.

It will take a while for them to get going again, but it looks like Revel saw the opportunity.

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Win your dream EV in Climate XChange’s 9th annual raffle!

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Win your dream EV in Climate XChange's 9th annual raffle!

Climate XChange’s 9th Annual EV Raffle is your chance to win the electric car of your dreams – from Rivian to Tesla to Porsche and more!

But don’t wait, because there are only 5,000 tickets available!

Imagine getting to custom order your perfect EV, with every detail just the way you want it, up to $120,000, and with all taxes covered. That’s what the Grand Prize Winner gets to do – and you could be that winner.

How it works

Climate XChange

Enter at CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek. Every ticket you buy is one entry to win. Climate XChange is only selling 5,000 tickets, which means your odds are better here than most internet sweepstakes! Plus, you can feel good knowing your ticket supports an amazing cause: pushing for state-level climate action and advancing the transition to a zero-emissions economy.

The prizes

  • Grand Prize: Custom-built EV of your choice, valued up to $120,000, with all taxes covered.
  • 2nd Place: $12,500 cash.
  • 3rd Place: $7,500 cash.
  • Early Bird Prize: Buy your ticket before December 31, 2024, and you’ll also be entered to win $10,000 on January 3, 2025.

That’s two drawings for the price of one ticket – and four chances to win big!

Why enter?

Climate XChange

Climate XChange has been making dreams come true for nearly a decade. Last year’s winner drove off in a custom red Tesla Model X Plaid, and you could be next! Climate XChange takes fairness seriously: It prints every raffle ticket stub and live-streams the entire drawing process, ensuring transparency. Independent auditors oversee everything, so you know the drawing is legit.

Who is Climate XChange?

Climate XChange (CXC) is a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states transition to a zero-emissions economy. It advances state climate policy through its State Climate Policy Network, connecting over 15,000 advocates and policymakers, and through its State Climate Policy Dashboard, a leading data platform for tracking climate action across the US.

Get your ticket today

Visit CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek to grab your ticket. Limited tickets are available – remember, Climate XChange is only selling 5,000 tickets – so don’t miss your shot at an electric future!

Climate XChange EV Raffle rules summary

  • Must be 18 or older to enter.
  • Tickets are available at CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek.
  • Only 5,000 tickets will be sold.
  • Early Bird Drawing on January 3, 2025.
  • Grand Prize Drawing on February 28, 2025.

All proceeds support Climate XChange’s work to push for ambitious climate policy – so even if you don’t win, you’re still making a difference.

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Environment

China’s 3GW Gobi Desert solar farm can power 2 million households

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China's 3GW Gobi Desert solar farm can power 2 million households

China just connected its largest single-capacity solar farm built on a former coal mining area, which is in the Gobi Desert, to the grid.

The Mengxi Blue Ocean Photovoltaic Power Station, located in Otog Front Banner, Ordos, Inner Mongolia, came online on November 5. With a massive installed capacity of 3 gigawatts (GW) and over 5.9 million solar panels, the plant will generate around 5.7 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually – enough to power 2 million households.

This huge project will save about 1.71 million tons of standard coal each year and cut carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 4.7 million tons, which is equivalent to planting 62,700 hectares (around 155,000 acres) of trees.

Built on coal mining subsidence land, Mengxi Blue Ocean is part of China’s national West-East Electricity Transfer Project, which brings investment and development to western China west while supplying the growing need for electricity in the eastern provinces.

The solar farm includes the country’s first large-scale outdoor solar testing base in the Gobi Desert climate, demonstrating the potential for large solar installations in challenging environments.

The power station makes use of new rare earth alloy grounding materials, cutting costs by 40%. It also replaces traditional concrete foundations with steel to minimize impact on the local grassland ecosystem.

Chuang Xihong, deputy director of the Engineering Construction Department of Guodian Power Group, CHN Energy’s parent company, explained that Mengxi Blue Ocean is an agrivoltaic project as well [via PV Tech]:

Fine forage and sand-fixing plants are planted under the PV modules, providing grazing for Australian White Sheep and chickens. A composite ecological development model will be established where PV power generation and breeding will go hand in hand.

Read more: China powers up the world’s largest open-sea offshore solar farm


If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*

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Here’s a look inside the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant

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Here's a look inside the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant

Operations at Three Mile Island are poised to restart in four years, the latest sign that the nuclear power industry is undergoing a major turnaround after a wave of plant closures.

The Unit 1 reactor at Three Mile Island, which entered service in 1974, was permanently shut down in 2019 due to economic pressure as nuclear power struggled to compete against natural gas. But the tech sector’s growing power needs are breathing new life into the industry.

Constellation Energy plants to restart Unit 1 in 2028 through an agreement with Microsoft to help power the tech company’s data centers. The plant will be renamed the Crane Clean Energy Center — after Chris Crane, the late CEO of the plant’s former owner, Exelon — and its restart is subject to approval by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The Department of Energy said Unit 1 operated safely and efficiently before being shut down five years ago. However, it lies within walking distance of the site of the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history. The Unit 2 reactor suffered a partial meltdown in 1979 and has not operated since the accident. It is being decommissioned by its owner, Energy Solutions.

Constellation’s chief generation officer, Bryan Hanson said Unit 1 is in good condition and the restoration will mostly involve typical maintenance work.

Here is a look at the plant’s main control room, the turbine deck that houses the main power generator, and the facility’s iconic cooling towers. For more on the restart click here.

Main control room

The control panel in the main control room of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Middletown, Pennsylvania, Oct. 30, 2024.

Danielle DeVries | CNBC

Constellation’s chief generation officer, Bryan Hanson, inside the main control room of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Middletown, Pennsylvania, Oct. 30, 2024.

Danielle DeVries | CNBC

Telephones in the main control room of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Middletown, Pennsylvania, Oct. 30, 2024.

Danielle DeVries | CNBC

Part of the main control room of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Middletown, Pennsylvania, Oct. 30, 2024.

Danielle DeVries | CNBC

Part of the main control room of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Middletown, Pennsylvania, Oct. 30, 2024.

Danielle DeVries | CNBC

Turbine deck

Part of the turbine deck of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Middletown, Pennsylvania, Oct. 30, 2024.

Danielle DeVries | CNBC

Part of the turbine deck of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Middletown, Pennsylvania, Oct. 30, 2024.

Danielle DeVries | CNBC

Electrical panels on the turbine deck of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Middletown, Pennsylvania, Oct. 30, 2024.

Danielle DeVries | CNBC

Part of the turbine deck of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Middletown, Pennsylvania, Oct. 30, 2024.

Danielle DeVries | CNBC

A desk on the turbine deck of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Middletown, Pennsylvania, Oct. 30, 2024.

Danielle DeVries | CNBC

Cooling towers

A detail of two cooling towers at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Middletown, Pennsylvania, Oct. 30, 2024.

Danielle DeVries | CNBC

Power lines and a cooling tower at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Middletown, Pennsylvania, Oct. 30, 2024.

Danielle DeVries | CNBC

Detail of a cooling tower at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Middletown, Pennsylvania, Oct. 30, 2024.

Danielle DeVries | CNBC

Cooling towers at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Middletown, Pennsylvania, Oct. 30, 2024.

Danielle DeVries | CNBC

— CNBC’s Danielle DeVries contributed to this report.

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