OHIO: Two years after former House Speaker Larry Householder was arrested in connection to an alleged bribery scheme, the state still lacks stronger transparency laws while fossil fuel subsidies and weakened renewable energy targets remain. (WKSU)
COAL: The planned early closure of a western Michigan coal plant spurs breach-of-contract lawsuits between the plant owner, Consumers Energy, and an electric cooperative that relies on the plant for power. (MLive)
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ELECTRIC VEHICLES: The number of electric vehicles registered in Nebraska has increased 46% over the past years as buyers seek to avoid high gasoline prices. (Lincoln Journal Star)
GRID:
• Xcel Energy details plans for a $500 million, 140-mile transmission line to help move renewable energy through Minnesota. (Star Tribune)
• State utility regulators call on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to address the current dearth of interregional transmission projects. (E&E News)
• An Indiana transmission company moves forward with plans for an underground power line to serve the South Bend area after an appeals court ruled the project could not primarily serve a private entity, Notre Dame University. (WNDU)
• An Iowa State University professor says more transmission needs to be built to ensure reliability as more renewables come online to replace fossil fuel plants. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)
• Evergy officials say investments in predictive maintenance, grid modernization and diversification have already reduced the quantity and scope of outages this summer. (Daily Energy Insider)
SOLAR:
• A southern Minnesota school district expects to save more than $7,500 a year in electricity costs after a solar installation is completed next year. (The Journal)
• A developer plans a 1,200-acre, 100 MW solar project in southwestern Indiana. (Dubois County Free Press)
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BIOENERGY: A developer details plans to burn solid waste to produce steam and natural gas at a former power plant in Youngstown, Ohio. (WKBN)
COMMENTARY:
• A Kansas journalism professor says polite conversations about the weather are stifling more serious discussions about climate change. (Kansas Reflector)
• An Iowa mayor says a proposed 200 MW solar project near Cedar Rapids offers an opportunity for the county to “leapfrog the competition” in attracting new economic activity. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)
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