COAL: One of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice’s coal plants has been cited for six safety violations during the investigation of a worker’s death. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
ALSO:
• A federal court granted the Trump administration’s request to delay a decision on rules that limit water pollution from coal plants. (Associated Press)
• An analysis finds upcoming power plant retirements will significantly lower the demand for coal by the end of 2018. (CleanTechnica)
• PBS talks with coal miners in West Virginia as they are in jeopardy of losing their health care at the end of this week. (PBS)
***SPONSORED LINK: Ready to network, learn, and strategize at Solar Power Southeast? Receive a 15% discount on your registration when you use code P15SACE17. Sign up today to secure your spot at one of the top solar conferences in the region. Solar Power Southeast is May 11-12 in Atlanta.***
UTILITIES:
• Investors question bonuses for Southern Co.’s top executives despite setbacks and cost overruns at the Kemper and Vogtle plants. (Dow Jones Newswire)
• Alabama Power is replacing Birmingham’s streetlights with LEDs, but the city may end up with a higher electricity bill than it pays now. (WBHM)
FRACKING: A new Duke University study finds fracking did not contaminate groundwater in West Virginia, but wastewater spills did impact water quality in streams. (NPR)
OIL:
• A federal judge approves expanded oil exploration in Florida’s Big Cypress National Preserve, dismissing environmentalists’ concerns that habitat damage had not been assessed. (Miami Herald)
• Democratic and Republican lawmakers from Florida have voiced concerns as President Donald Trump eyes more drilling off the state’s coast. (Tampa Bay Times blog)
• A Florida senator wants to amend a bill to allow BP oil spill funds to be spent on economic incentives for companies that provide high-paying jobs. (SaintPetersBlog)
SOLAR:
• Charlottesville is the first Virginia city to be recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy for its efforts to make solar energy less expensive. (The Daily Progress)
• A Tampa credit union has installed a 408 kW solar panel array. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)
• Blue Raven Solar is expanding to new residential markets in five states, including North and South Carolina. (PV Tech)
TRANSPORTATION: A bill that will increase the tax on gasoline in Tennessee now goes to Gov. Bill Haslam for approval. (WBIR)
NUCLEAR: A Georgia company will pay $4.6 million for knowingly not conducting quality assurance procedures and supplying defective components to a nuclear waste treatment facility in South Carolina. (TN News Service)
COMMENTARY:
• An industry report shows significant wind industry growth and the potential for jobs in the Southeast. (Southern Alliance for Clean Energy)
• A report examines why President Donald Trump’s actions won’t restore coal country, but threaten current federal assistance there. (Center for American Progress)
• Appalachia has been promised economic development and hundreds of jobs before, but with a proposed plan to convert an old coal mine to a solar farm, there’s a chance that promise will be fulfilled. (Daily Independent)
• The Westinghouse bankruptcy represents the failures of electricity monopolies because “any technology that takes a decade to build and carries huge capital demands creates an enormous investment risk.” (R Street)