NUCLEAR:
• Legislation to subsidize FirstEnergy’s Ohio nuclear plants appears to be stalled in committee. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• With the exception of Illinois, similar plans to support nuclear plants have failed to gain traction in other states. (Bloomberg)

EFFICIENCY: An expansion of the opt-out provisions for Ohio’s energy efficiency standard will likely lead to over $6 billion in added energy and health costs over the next decade, according to a new report. (Midwest Energy News)

ELECTRIC CARS: Advocates for electric vehicles in Minnesota explain why they think a new $75 annual fee is too high. (Midwest Energy News)

SOLAR:
• The U.S. adds 2 gigawatts of solar in the first quarter of 2017, as utility-scale system prices drop below $1 per watt for the first time, according to a new report. (Greentech Media)
• Minnesota jumps to 4th in the U.S. for new installed solar capacity in the first quarter of the year. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
• Underlying demand from ratepayers is key to the success of utility-led community solar programs, according to an examination of programs across the U.S. (Utility Dive)
Ohio farmers discuss their experience with solar power. (Farm and Dairy)

PIPELINES: Enbridge begins pressure testing Line 5 beneath the Straits of Mackinac amid growing concerns about the aging oil pipelines. (Detroit News)

OIL AND GAS: 
• North Dakota’s oil industry is showing signs of a rebound. (Tribune News Service)
• A federal agency may require companies operating in North Dakota to pay royalties for flaring natural gas on federal and tribal land. (Bismarck Tribune)

WIND: A wind turbine fire captured on video in Iowa early this week is an example of an “exceedingly rare” event; the rest of the wind farm remains operational. (Des Moines Register)

CLEAN ENERGY: A forum in southern Illinois will focus on the development of clean energy jobs in the area. (Carbondale Southern Illinoisan)

UTILITIES: Ameren Illinois CEO Richard Mark reflects on his past five years of leading the company. (St. Louis American)

COMMENTARY:
• A community wind advocate urges voters in a South Dakota county to reject strict setback rules. (Sioux Falls Argus Leader)
• A pair of Missouri mayors urge state regulators to approve the Grain Belt Express transmission line. (St. Louis Business Journal)

Ken is the director of the Energy News Network at Fresh Energy and is a founding editor of both Midwest Energy News and Southeast Energy News. Prior to joining Fresh Energy, he was the managing editor for online news at Minnesota Public Radio. He started his journalism career in 2002 as a copy editor for the Duluth News Tribune before spending five years at the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, where he worked as a copy editor, online producer, features editor and night city editor. A Nebraska native, Ken has a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree from the University of Oregon. He is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors.

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