NUCLEAR: Exelon responds to an Illinois report on its nuclear plants, saying it bolsters the company’s case that state action is needed to keep the plants competitive. (Midwest Energy News)
CLIMATE: A Michigan organization helps small cities develop plans to adapt to climate change. (Midwest Energy News)
***SPONSORED LINK: The Midwest Energy Solutions Conference is the largest event of its kind in the region. This event attracts a diverse assemblage of thought leaders from around the nation who share a passion for energy efficiency.***
KEYSTONE XL: Nebraska’s Supreme Court didn’t have enough votes to overturn a state law regarding authority over pipeline routes, removing an obstacle to the project. (InsideClimate News)
ALSO: Political alliances forged over Keystone XL could imperil other projects, and will GOP pushback against President Obama’s climate agenda backfire? (Politico, InsideClimate News)
OIL AND GAS:
• Wisconsin officials say they’re not seeing a slowdown in frac sand mining. (Madison Capital Times)
• A documentary airing tonight will explore the risks faced by North Dakota oil field workers. (Midwest Energy News)
• Ohio officials say no contaminants were released following a refinery explosion over the weekend. (Associated Press)
• Opponents of an Ohio natural gas pipeline meet with Gov. John Kasich. (Toledo Blade)
• A North Dakota town starts to feel the impact of the oil slowdown, as drillers idle the most rigs since 1991. (Reuters, Bloomberg)
• A Wisconsin county has doubts about the safety of a proposed Enbridge pipeline expansion. (Wisconsin State Journal)
UTILITIES: An Indiana utility is the latest in the Midwest to pursue increased fixed charges, a Minnesota firm is fined $4.3 million to settle charges of manipulating electricity markets, and the CEO of an Ohio utility raises concerns about reliability. (Indianapolis Business Journal, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Dayton Business Journal)
TRANSMISSION: Can a national climate policy work without a national transmission plan? (EnergyWire)
ELECTRIC CARS: GM plans to reveal a 200-mile electric vehicle, reportedly called the Chevrolet Bolt, at an auto show today. (MLive)
SOLAR: The Republican chair of the Minnesota House energy committee says he’ll revisit “excessive subsidies” for solar power, landowners near a utility-scale Minnesota solar project say they’re concerned about impact on property values, and a report says solar combined with storage won’t be a threat to utilities anytime soon. (Minneapolis Star Tribune, Minnesota Watchdog, Forbes)
COAL: Patriot Coal announces it will move its headquarters from St. Louis to to West Virginia. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
TECHNOLOGY: A Wisconsin company’s battery helps increase mileage in Ford pickups; and despite a solar slowdown in the state, an Ohio firm reports strong sales elsewhere. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Toledo Free Press)
PROPANE: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker declares an emergency to ensure adequate supplies of propane. (Associated Press)
COMMENTARY: An Illinois coal plant puts an Ohio town at risk., and how OPEC is using the price of oil as a weapon against U.S. producers. (Midwest Energy News, Bloomberg)