MICHIGAN: Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder protests the proposed Wisconsin Energy/Intergrys merger, citing a rate crisis facing the Upper Peninsula. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

WIND: In a case of “all-new territory” for distributed generation, an Iowa college drops its plan to build a 5 MW wind project after the local utility says there isn’t enough capacity on a nearby substation. (Midwest Energy News)

***SPONSORED LINK: Join top executives from the area’s RTOs, utilities, transmission developers, and state regulatory agencies at EUCI’s Transmission Expansion in the Midwest, Nov. 4-5 in Indianapolis.***

NUCLEAR: An analysis finds Exelon’s nuclear fleet overall may remain profitable even as the utility seeks support from Illinois lawmakers. (Crain’s Chicago Business)

SOLAR:
• Xcel signs deals for three large solar projects totaling 187 MW in Minnesota. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
• Indianapolis Motor Speedway wants to sell solar credits to Ohio. (Columbus Business First)
• A study finds peer influence is the most important factor driving solar adoption. (Washington Post)
• Residential solar is “going mainstream” in Michigan. (Detroit Free Press)
• Ohio solar manufacturers sign a letter backing the EPA’s Clean Power Plan. (Public News Service)

POLLUTION: A court decision last week cleared the way for the EPA’s cross-state pollution rule. (Greenwire)

GRID: The PJM Interconnection proposes changes that it says will allow it to continue allowing demand response in capacity auctions. (Energywire)

FRACKING: Southern Illinois residents protest delays in fracking regulations: “our lifestyle is being threatened by environmental activists”; and a Michigan landfill withdraws a request to increase its capacity for radioactive drilling waste. (Chicago Tribune, Detroit Free Press)

OIL: BNSF considers a surcharge for older tank cars carrying North Dakota crude, and the EPA targets a Missouri tank farm for an inadequate spill plan. (Bloomberg, St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

EFFICIENCY: Indiana lawmakers consider a replacement for the state’s efficiency program. (Indiana Public Media)

UTILITIES: How Boulder, Colorado’s fight with Xcel “hung over” clean-energy negotiations in Minneapolis; and utilities confront “a once-in-a-century change to the industry.” (Boulder Daily Camera, Politico)

TRANSPORTATION: Tesla owners in Iowa bypass state dealership rules by offering private test drives to prospective buyers, and Ford announces it will sell an electric bicycle. (WHO-TV, Los Angeles Times)

MEDIA: NPR cuts its environmental coverage to a single reporter. (InsideClimate News)

NEWSMAKER: A Q&A with a former Minnesota legislator who now helps businesses finance clean energy projects. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

COMMENTARY: Renewable energy can help solve the Upper Peninsula’s power crisis. (Crain’s Detroit Business)

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Ken Paulman

Ken is the director of the Energy News Network at Fresh Energy and is a founding editor of both Midwest Energy News and Southeast Energy News. Prior to joining Fresh Energy, he was the managing editor for online news at Minnesota Public Radio. He started his journalism career in 2002 as a copy editor for the Duluth News Tribune before spending five years at the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, where he worked as a copy editor, online producer, features editor and night city editor. A Nebraska native, Ken has a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree from the University of Oregon. He is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors.

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