NUCLEAR:
• Westinghouse said Tuesday it will borrow $800 million to allow the company to complete its business plan and move toward exiting bankruptcy. (Reuters)
• A group of lawmakers, including South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, is working to revive clean energy tax credits and extend a nuclear production credit. (Bloomberg BNA)
• Former South Carolina Public Service Commissioner David Wright has been nominated by President Trump to serve on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. (Charlotte Business Journal)
COAL:
• Despite campaign pledges to revive the coal industry, President Trump’s proposed budget would slash funding for “clean coal” research. (Bloomberg)
• West Virginia environmentalists on Tuesday asked a national committee to look at the health risks that surface mining poses to those who live nearby. (Associated Press)
• Although a coal plant in Georgia came down in seconds, removing the coal ash from the site will take until 2018. (Florida Times-Union)
UTILITIES:
• Florida Power & Light filed plans Tuesday to modernize one of its natural gas plants and shut down a coal plant in what it says is an effort to save ratepayers money. (South Florida Business Journal)
• The Tennessee Valley Authority’s preliminary budget plan released Tuesday by the White House projects reductions in spending, operating expenses and staff. (Times Free Press)
SOLAR: Gov. Terry McAuliffe is touring Virginia to promote renewable energy jobs, touting that the state has “three times as many solar jobs as coal jobs.” (WDBJ)
OIL: President Donald Trump has proposed selling U.S. oil reserves, some of which are located in Louisiana. (WDSU)
CLIMATE: Former South Carolina Rep. Bob Inglis discusses how tribalism drives the way politicians talk about climate change. (Christian Science Monitor)
BIOENERGY: Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey commemorates upgrades to an Georgia-Pacific paper mill, which includes natural gas and biofuel-powered generators. (NorthEscambia.com)
COMMENTARY:
• A Los Angeles Times columnist says although ex-Massey CEO Don Blankenship is talking about his own mistreatment, he “didn’t do so badly” considering his retirement pension and other benefits. (Los Angeles Times)
• Florida Power & Light touts solar energy, but is mostly relying on natural gas to transition away from coal. (CleanTechnica)