UTILITIES:
• Critics say American Electric Power’s request to more than double fixed charges on its Ohio customers will remove incentives for energy efficiency and distributed generation. (Midwest Energy News)
• Facing pressure from customers and shareholders, the CEO of Madison Gas & Electric says the utility is committed to its renewable energy goals and pursuing clean transportation projects. (Wisconsin State Journal)
NUCLEAR: The chairman of the Ohio House Public Utilities Committee suspends further hearings on FirstEnergy’s proposal for subsidies for its nuclear plants, citing the unwillingness for a vote among lawmakers. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
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CLEAN TECH: Minnesota ranks highest among Midwest states in the latest U.S. Clean Tech Leadership Index. (Midwest Energy News)
MICROGRID: Ameren Illinois unveils the “most advanced” microgrid system in North America on the campus of the University of Illinois. (Champaign News-Gazette)
SOLAR:
• Due to decreasing costs, various types and sizes of solar projects are on the rise in Michigan’s capital region. (Lansing City Pulse)
• Officials in Hamilton County, Indiana are planning a 3.4-megawatt solar project — which would be the largest in the state — at the county jail near Indianapolis. (Indianapolis Star)
PIPELINES: County officials in Kalamazoo, Michigan say local residents and activists played a key role in the county’s passing a resolution in support of closing Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline. (MLive)
CLEAN POWER PLAN: Illinois is on track to meet or exceed emissions targets under the Clean Power Plan, and new state legislation will further generate clean energy even if the federal rules are repealed. (NPR Illinois)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A new study encourages utilities to be proactive when it comes to incorporating electric vehicles and infrastructure so that charging “coincides with grid needs instead of becoming a stressor.” (Utility Dive)
OIL AND GAS:
• More than 100 local and environmental groups call on federal regulators to halt all construction on the Rover gas pipeline in Ohio and to “initiate an immediate review of horizontal drilling plans and procedures on all open pipeline dockets.” (InsideClimate News)
• A lightning strike at a disposal facility in North Dakota led to the release of more than 16,500 gallons of a mixture of saltwater and oil. (Associated Press)
• Officials are monitoring the cleanup of about 500 gallons of diesel fuel that spilled into a North Dakota lake due to an equipment malfunction. (Associated Press)
COAL: A bill to improve coal mining safety in Illinois has industry and bipartisan support. (Southwest Illinois News)
BIOFUELS: County commissioners in Ohio approve a 12-year, 80 percent tax abatement for an ethanol producer to expand operations there. (Marion Star)
POLICY: The Trump administration’s budget plan proposes cutting the Energy Department’s renewable energy and energy efficiency programs by 70 percent. (Axios)
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RATES: A Republican Kansas lawmaker proposes increasing monthly charges on utility customers to generate $150 million annually for K-12 schools. (Lawrence Journal-World)
COMMENTARY:
• An Indiana editorial board encourages local officials to continue investing in solar projects. (Anderson Herald Bulletin)
• Advocates say DTE Energy’s plan to cut carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050 is “incremental, but still aggressive.” (NRDC blog)