FIXED RATES: Wisconsin has gained national notoriety for large increases in fixed charges on utility bills, a strategy widely seen as a way for utilities to preserve revenues amid increased efficiency and distributed solar. (Midwest Energy News)

MICHIGAN: Critics say the first comprehensive energy policy to move forward in the legislature will slowly erode Michigan’s retail open access law and cause relatively slow renewable growth. (Midwest Energy News)

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REGULATION: The Obama administration has released updated timelines for a variety of new environmental regulations, including state-level compliance models of the Clean Power Plan. (Greenwire)

WIND:
• Amazon looks to source all of its power for an expanded data center in central Ohio from wind, reviving a 100-megawatt project that had stalled. (Columbus Business First)
• Presidential candidate Donald Trump tells an Iowa audience he’s “OK” with the Production Tax Credit for wind systems. (The Hill)

DISTRICT HEATING: A public-art installation in St. Paul, Minnesota, aims to shed light on the city’s infrastructure and district heating and electricity system. (MinnPost)

SOLAR:
• Lincoln, Nebraska’s city-owned utility plans to update its rates and guidelines for customers who generate solar power for the grid. (Lincoln Journal Star)
• The CEO for a major U.S. solar installer says extending a 30 percent tax credit is no longer necessary for continued growth of the industry. (Utility Dive)

GRID SECURITY: An industry simulation of a widespread blackout illustrates how vulnerable the North American power grid is to cyber attacks. (EnergyWire)

OIL AND GAS:
• North Dakota lawmakers begin setting aside money to reclaim legacy drilling sites where companies are no longer responsible for cleanup. (Associated Press)
• Utility industry leaders stress the importance of diversifying energy sources to avoid an over-reliance on natural gas. (Forbes)

COAL: A new study shows that, for the seventh year in a row, coal production in Ohio exceeds $1 billion in a year. (Associated Press)

TRANSPORTATION: Researchers say a stronger focus on transportation policies in cities worldwide could significantly reduce projected carbon emissions. (Climate Central)

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FRACKING: Local officials will conduct a hand recount of an anti-fracking ballot initiative that failed this month in Ohio. (Youngstown Vindicator)

COMMENTARY: Motorcycling and recreational boating advocates say the federal Renewable Fuel Standard’s ethanol mandate has led to an increase in vehicle engine damage. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)