NUCLEAR:
• While touring a new natural gas plant near Toledo, Ohio Gov. John Kasich says he opposes rate increases to help support two struggling nuclear plants in the state. (Toledo Blade, Associated Press)
• The legal battle over zero-emissions credits for Illinois nuclear plants will continue. (Illinois News Network)

SOLAR:
• A team at Northwestern University in Illinois is completing a fully solar-powered home to compete in a national competition. (Midwest Energy News)
• The “threat of a very large price hike” is looming for U.S. solar installers if a requested tariff on imported panels is approved. (NPR)
• Catholic officials in Iowa are increasingly promoting the benefits of solar power. (Des Moines Register)
• Minnesota is one of a few states across the U.S. that have taken early steps to encourage community solar. (Huffington Post)

***SPONSORED LINK: Join 300+ energy leaders from industry, the public sector, academia, and non-profits at the MW Energy Storage Summit on September 15 to grow our shared understanding of energy storage trends, opportunities, and barriers. Click here to register and learn more, space is limited!***

PIPELINES: Energy Transfer’s Rover pipeline has racked up more environmental violations than other major interstate natural gas pipelines built in the last two years. (Bloomberg)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A federal magistrate orders two Michigan lawmakers to turn over lobbyist emails as Tesla challenges a state law requiring vehicles to be sold through authorized dealers. (Detroit News)

GRID: Regional grid operators across the country report that they had no issues managing the decline in output during yesterday’s solar eclipse. (RTO Insider)

WIND:
• Rural electric cooperatives are increasingly turning to wind energy due to federal tax credits and state renewable energy mandates. (Utility Dive)
• The Ohio Power Siting Board will hold a public hearing in November on plans to put six wind turbines in Lake Erie. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• Engine manufacturer Cummins is financing a 75-megawatt expansion at an existing wind project in northern Indiana. (Indiana Public Media)

MICROGRIDS: Ameren and S&C Electric Co. conducted a successful 24-hour islanding test of a microgrid in Champaign, Illinois. (Electric Light & Power)

UTILITIES: Standard & Poor’s further lowers its ratings for bonds sold by FirstEnergy Solutions because it believes the company will soon seek bankruptcy protection. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

COAL:
• The Trump administration rebuffs an industry request to use an emergency order to protect coal plants. (Associated Press)
• The Interior Department halts a scientific study started under President Obama on the public health risks of mountaintop-removal coal mining. (New York Times)

EFFICIENCY: A 123-year-old mansion in Detroit that also includes a popular restaurant will be the first Property Assessed Clean Energy financing project in the county. (Model D Media)

***SPONSORED LINK: Learn the latest in renewable energy at the NEW Energy Fair in St. Paul, Minnesota, September 9-10 with a Solar Professional Day September 8. Featuring keynote speakers Tara Houska and Jason Edens, FREE admission to 80+ workshops and 60+ exhibits, Electric Vehicle Ride-N-Drive, and more.***

OIL AND GAS: Residential natural gas customers of a South Dakota-based power company will have the option to enroll in a program that locks in gas prices for a year. (Lincoln Journal Star)

COMMENTARY:
• Michigan is primed for its electric vehicle sector to take off, but advocates say several policy barriers must first be removed. (Midwest Energy News)
• A clean energy advocate explains why Minnesota’s community solar program is the “best in the country.” (MinnPost)