OHIO: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine was presented with a dossier of Samuel Randazzo’s ties to FirstEnergy before appointing him to chair the state’s Public Utilities Commission; Randazzo resigned last month amid an FBI corruption probe. (Associated Press, Energy News Network archive)
SOLAR:
• A former iron ore mining site in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is being repurposed for a 300 MW solar project. (WXPR)
• A Minnesota panel explores the potential for building solar arrays on closed landfills. (Finance & Commerce)
• A nearly 1.4 MW community solar project is completed in St. Cloud, Minnesota. (Solar Power World)
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WIND:
• Minnesota utility Great River Energy announces three new power purchase agreements for wind projects that will help it replace power from a major coal plant retiring in 2023. (Star Tribune)
• Despite opposition from neighbors, some landowners are eager to sign leases for a planned wind project near Columbia, Missouri. (Columbia Missourian)
• A record year for wind turbine shipments at Duluth, Minnesota’s port is a sign of economic benefits across the Midwest. (Minnesota Public Radio)
MICROGRIDS: Xcel Energy asks Wisconsin regulators to approve a pilot program to support microgrids for large industrial customers. (Wisconsin State Journal)
CLEAN ENERGY:
• Des Moines is considering an ambitious climate change target that includes eliminating fossil fuel generation by 2030 and relying entirely on clean energy. (E&E News, subscription)
• The expected closure of coal, natural gas and oil power plants within the next 20 years may make the Biden administration’s 2035 climate targets more of a smooth transition than a radical disruption, researchers say. (Inside Climate News)
PIPELINES: Enbridge holds a virtual ceremony to mark the start of the Line 3 pipeline replacement and expansion project in northern Minnesota, though protesters are maintaining opposition along the line’s path. (Grand Forks Herald, Minnesota Public Radio)
BIOFUELS: The Trump administration is opposing oil refiners’ request to the U.S. Supreme Court to review a lower court’s decision involving waivers for federal biofuel blending requirements. (Reuters)
NUCLEAR: For some northern Illinois residents, recent plans to close the Byron nuclear power plant are more concerning than previous announcements. (WNIU)
GRID: FirstEnergy is nearing the completion of a transmission modernization project in northeastern Ohio that aims to improve reliability for more than 100,000 utility customers. (Transmission & Distribution World)