ILLINOIS:
• The state legislature adjourned this week without taking action on bills to support Exelon and Dynegy. (RTO Insider)
• Exelon is expected to announce today the first steps toward closing two of its Illinois nuclear plants. (WTTW)
• One Illinois county could see a several-million-dollar decrease in tax revenues if Exelon’s Clinton plant closes. (Bloomington Pantagraph)
RENEWABLES: Researchers outline a roadmap for how the Midwest could get to 100 percent renewables through wind, water and solar by 2050. (Midwest Energy News)
***SPONSORED LINK: Learn about the latest in renewable energy and sustainability at The Energy Fair, June 17-19. Features include keynote speakers John Farrell and J. Drake Hamilton, 250+ workshops, 200+ exhibitors, entertainment, and more.***
NUCLEAR: The potential closing of uneconomic nuclear plants is creating a divide among climate scientists about whether to pursue them as a zero-carbon option. (ClimateWire)
SOLAR:
• Utility Minnesota Power proposes to triple the amount of rebates available to customers who install solar. (Mesabi Daily News)
• A Michigan brewery looks to get a quarter of its energy needs from rooftop solar. (WKZO)
• A rural co-op breaks ground on North Dakota’s first community solar project, which will be the largest array in the state. (Fargo Forum)
PIPELINES:
• Iowa regulators take steps toward allowing construction of the Dakota Access pipeline in areas not under federal jurisdiction. (Radio Iowa)
• The Sierra Club files a lawsuit to block the pipeline. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)
FRACKING: An anti-fracking ballot initiative in Michigan falls short of the needed petition signatures to get on the ballot, but the group says it is challenging a state law on the timeframe for obtaining signatures. (MLive)
BATTERIES: A battery manufacturer in eastern Michigan lays off 100 employees due to “red tape” from the Chinese government. (MLive)
***SPONSORED LINK: The Michigan Energy Fair announces two new partners: The Sustainable Living Summit 2016 and The Great Lakes Emergency Preparedness Expo, June 24-25, Ingham County Fairgrounds, Mason, Michigan. For complete information go to www.glrea.org ***
RATES: Ameren and ComEd customers in Illinois will start to see lower electric rates heading into the summer. (Southern Illinoisan, Chicago Tribune)
COMMENTARY:
• Opponents of nuclear power generation in Illinois are handed a victory as Exelon’s “brinkmanship” tactic fails. (Atomic Insights)
• As of Wednesday, two of FirstEnergy’s Ohio plants will no longer sell their capacity at “inflated prices into regional markets.” (Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis)
• “Fixing and strengthening” Illinois’ renewable and efficiency standards would be a cost-effective way to lower emissions and comply with the Clean Power Plan. (Union of Concerned Scientists)
• 2016 is poised to be a “breakout year” for solar. (The Hill)
• Transitioning to low-carbon standards rather than renewable energy standards may be a solution to saving nuclear plants. (Greentech Media)