SOLAR: North Carolina regulators yesterday approved a solar microgrid in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that will allow Duke Energy to remove a transmission line. (Southeast Energy News)

ALSO:
• Duke Energy may seek help from the North Carolina legislature in its effort to change the way solar projects are financed in the state. (Charlotte Business Journal)
• Some North Carolina lawmakers claim decommissioning of solar panels poses an environmental hazard, and are seeking another study of the issue. (WRAL)
• Florida Power & Light is partnering with businesses and advocacy groups to help veterans find work in the state’s solar energy sector. (Electric Light & Power)

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NUCLEAR: The three major bond rating firms are eyeing Georgia Power’s credit ratings after the Vogtle plant’s bankruptcy filing last week. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

COAL:
• The West Virginia House overwhelmingly voted in favor of keeping language that eases water protections in a coal bill. (Charleston Mail-Gazette)
• Time magazine looks at “coal’s last kick” in West Virginia as clean energy rises. (Time)
• A school project turned indie film documentary called “Killing Coal Country,” will debut at a Kentucky film festival this weekend. (Herald Dispatch)
• Coal miners, mine operators, and health and safety worker are invited to present information on coal mine dust in Charleston for research purposes. (Associated Press)

PIPELINES: The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality said Thursday it will require water quality certifications for each segment of the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley pipeline projects that would affect the state’s water. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

POLLUTION: An environmental report based on EPA records shows that 21 cities in Florida had unhealthy levels of air pollution in 2015 from burning coal, oil and natural gas. (SaintPetersBlog)

WEST VIRGINIA: West Virginia’s tax collections from coal and natural gas production in March exceeded budget estimates by $13 million, showing a recovery from last year. (Associated Press)

WIND: Georgia Power is considering the state’s Golden Isles as a site for four new wind turbines. (Golden Isles News)

POLITICS: Recent polls in North Carolina show voters want more renewable energy in their state, despite their support for Donald Trump in the presidential election and his recent efforts to repeal the nationwide clean energy efforts. (Greentech Media)

UTILITIES: Advocates say a Kentucky utility filed inaccurate information about its costs in a pending rate case. (WFPL)

CLIMATE: A group of 17 states, including Virginia, filed a legal challenge Wednesday against the Trump’s administration roll back of climate change regulations. (The Guardian)

COMMENTARY: Those who worry about safe drinking water should cheer Wednesday’s announcement by a Georgia landfill that it will not allow additional coal ash after all. (Savannah Morning News)