OHIO: State lawmakers appear conflicted over how and whether to repeal HB 6, the state’s nuclear bailout law at the center of an alleged bribery scandal. (Toledo Blade)

ALSO: The Ohio power plant bailout scheme is complicating the bankruptcy reorganization of former FirstEnergy subsidiary Energy Harbor. (Cleveland Business Journal)

***SPONSORED LINK: The ESA Annual Energy Storage Conference & Expo (#ESACon20) is a true 360-degree conference experience – gone digital. Featuring one-on-one conversations and interactions, keynotes and educational content, demos of real projects from exhibitors in the eMarketplace, and more. Use code ENN2020VTL for 5% off. *** 

COAL:
• Indiana regulators deliver a long-anticipated study to help guide policymakers on clean energy, but state lawmakers are expected to try to slow the transition from coal. (E&E News, subscription)
• Developers look to draw new business activity with a new industrial park at the former site of an AEP coal plant in central Ohio. (Coshocton Tribune)
• Coal production from the Illinois Basin’s top mines decreased 20% for the year ending on June 30. (S&P Global)

WIND: Xcel Energy is among utilities planning major wind turbine repowering investments before federal tax incentives expire. (Wall Street Journal, subscription)

SOLAR: South Dakota regulators are expected to approve a settlement agreement between a solar developer and Black Hills Power involving the utility’s requirement to buy power from the project. (KELO)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Xcel Energy’s residential electric vehicle program has received regulatory approval, though the company’s public EV initiatives are moving slower than expected. (Star Tribune)

UTILITIES:
• Indiana’s moratorium on utility disconnections expired last week but state regulators are requiring utilities to offer extended payment plants. (ABC57)
• Wisconsin regulators approve a plan to freeze electric and natural gas rates for Alliant Energy customers, though environmental groups claim it essentially sneaks through a future rate case. (Wisconsin State Journal)
• Advocates say Kansas would benefit from a nationwide ban on utility disconnections during the pandemic. (Wichita Eagle)

BIOFUELS: The Trump administration is expected to delay politically difficult decisions on ethanol blending requirements until after the election. (Politico)

***SPONSORED LINK: Register today for emPOWER20 August 26-28, emPOWER is a virtual experience with 30 sessions and 40+ hours of content designed to foster a new kind of energy leadership. Join experts across the clean energy industry in finance, policy, and technology.*** 

CLEAN ENERGY: Consumers Energy begins virtual public forums on the next phase of its long-term energy plan. (MiBiz)

COMMENTARY:
• Michigan consumer advocates say Consumers Energy continues an outdated and inefficient approach to grid infrastructure upgrades that is overcharging customers and hindering distributed generation. (Citizens Utility Board of Michigan)
• The Ohio power plant bribery scandal has spurred efforts to “eliminate the unethical funneling of money to lawmakers that allegedly grease the way for bad legislative sausage-making,” an editorial board writes. (Crain’s Cleveland Business)
• A columnist says a central North Dakota county’s opposition to wind and solar in favor of coal defies market realities. (Grand Forks Herald)

Avatar photo

Andy Balaskovitz

Andy compiles the Midwest Energy News digest and was a journalism fellow for Midwest Energy News from 2014-2020. He is managing editor of MiBiz in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and was formerly a reporter and editor at City Pulse, Lansing’s alternative newsweekly.