NATURAL GAS: Two Wisconsin utilities agree to move forward as one sought to build a new natural gas plant and the other looked to block it. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
CLEAN POWER PLAN: Minnesota “has an excellent bastion of policies” that will help the state comply with the federal rules. (Midwest Energy News)
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EFFICIENCY: Michigan regulators last week rejected a utility’s proposal to raise rates for LED street lights. (Midwest Energy News)
UTILITIES:
• Experts discuss in Chicago what it will mean to be a “utility of the future.” (Midwest Energy News)
• Commonwealth Edison pushes Illinois lawmakers to approve funding for six microgrids in the state to build resilience. (Microgrid Knowledge)
FRACKING: As Ohio works more closely with other states to develop its natural gas industry, a multi-state collaborative is monitoring development and seeking to “navigate the middle ground” between the industry and its opponents. (Midwest Energy News)
COAL: Ohio University stops burning coal and switches to natural gas six weeks ahead of schedule. (Athens Messenger)
GRID: Industry leaders and federal officials have set out on a plan to build grid security in the event of a natural disaster or major attack. (EnergyWire)
NUCLEAR: Ohio lawmakers want assurances that federal spending for uranium enrichment will be spent at a site in the state. (Columbus Dispatch)
BUDGET:
• Republicans pass on an opportunity to block funding for climate initiatives in the federal budget proposal. (Greenwire)
• Democrats and Republicans claim victory on energy aspects of the federal omnibus budget. (E&E Daily)
WIND:
• An Ohio utility’s rate guarantee plan will lead to a surge in wind and solar development. (Dayton Business Journal)
• The Detroit Zoo will offset 100 percent of its electricity use with wind power through renewable energy credits. (Daily Detroit)
PIPELINES:
• North Dakota researchers make suggestions on how the state can improve in preventing oil pipeline spills. (Billings Gazette)
• Illinois regulators approve the state’s portion of the Bakken Pipeline; approval is still needed in North Dakota and Iowa. (The Gazette)
• A heated public meeting of nearly 100 in Iowa brings out those in favor and against the proposed project. (The Gazette)
• Minnesota regulators will decide today how to move forward with the proposed Sandpiper project. (Associated Press)
OIL AND GAS:
• Repealing the crude oil export ban is unlikely to have an immediate impact on oil prices or ease the U.S. industry’s struggles. (New York Times)
• State and tribal officials in North Dakota fail to reach a deal on an updated oil and gas revenue-sharing agreement. (Bismarck Tribune)
REGULATION:
• Even though it could do so, AEP says it will not sell plants that are included as part of its recent income guarantee request. (Columbus Business First)
• Ohio regulators begin a probe into whether companies that resell electricity in rental units should be treated as utilities. (Columbus Dispatch)
RATES: Another Nebraska utility gets pushback for attempting to raise fixed charges and decrease electric rates. (Lincoln Journal Star)
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COMMENTARY:
• Minnesota already has a head start in meeting goals laid out in the Paris deal and the Clean Power Plan. (MinnPost)
• The pace of growth under Xcel’s community solar program is improving, but there is still work to be done. (Greentech Media)
CORRECTION: An item in Wednesday’s digest incorrectly identified the state where local health officials say there is insufficient evidence to link health problems with wind turbines. Those officials are in Wisconsin.