SOLAR: Google will partner with Tennessee Valley Authority to power two data centers with two solar projects totaling up to 413 MW in Alabama and Tennessee. (Chattanooga Times Free Press)
ALSO:
• Florida Power & Light says it will install 30 million solar panels in Florida by 2030. (Sun Sentinel)
• NextEra Energy announces plans to expand solar in Florida and other parts of the Southeast. (E&E News, subscription)
• A 57 MW solar project with enough energy to power more than 9,000 homes comes online in South Carolina. (news release, Solar Power World)
• The Orlando Utility Commission wants to add 100 MW of solar energy to its grid by 2020. (WFTV)
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RENEWABLES:
• A Virginia congressman who helped advance offshore wind in the state legislature pushes Congress to keep up with states on clean energy. (Energy News Network)
• Renewable energy jobs are one of Texas’ fastest-growing sectors, according to a new study by CareerBuilder. (Dallas Morning News)
COAL: Six out of nine coal barges remain in the Ohio River after crashing into a bridge three weeks ago. (WDRB)
COAL ASH:
• Sixteen coal ash pits in Texas are leaking contaminants into groundwater, according to a report by the Environmental Integrity Project. (Reuters)
• North Carolina regulators hold public meetings to discuss how coal ash should be cleaned up at six Duke Energy facilities across the state. (WFAE)
PIPELINES:
• An extended public comment period means Mountain Valley Pipeline developers have to wait longer for a permit to dig through streams and wetlands in West Virginia. (Roanoke Times)
• FERC gives Columbia Transmission approval to start service on part of the Mountaineer Xpress Pipeline in West Virginia. (S&P Global)
OIL & GAS:
• A Texas lawmaker introduces a sweeping reform package that aims to hold natural gas companies accountable and protect the public from gas leak explosions. (Dallas Morning News)
• West Virginia officials say gas production is expected to increase through 2024, but at a slower pace than it has been. (S&P Global)
• Texas lawmakers push legislation that would boost funding for cross-border pipelines and gas distribution. (Natural Gas Intel, subscription)
COMMENTARY: A tri-state shale coalition between West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio is helping the region compete, writes a West Virginia businessman. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)