OIL & GAS: Political leaders in Nashville, Tennessee, argue against the Tennessee Valley Authority’s plans to build 1.5 GW of methane gas facilities to replace an old coal plant instead of renewables and battery storage. (WPLN)

CLEAN ENERGY: Retail giant Amazon looks to grow its renewable power footprint with a 184.5 MW wind farm in Mississippi and multiple solar farms in Arkansas and Georgia. (Power Engineering, WMC)

SOLAR:
• As President Biden touts clean energy factory announcements prompted by the federal climate package, he singles out Republican Georgia U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene for voting against the law but benefitting from construction of a large solar panel factory in her district. (Associated Press, Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
• Duke Energy adds Kentucky’s largest rooftop solar facility with a 2 MW installation at a Cincinnati-area airport. (Northern Kentucky Tribune)
• A Virginia solar company tries to quell rumors that it’s closing as it restructures and moves its office. (Daily Progress)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Georgia electric vehicle advocates and housing developers consider how to incorporate EV chargers into parking facilities at multifamily apartment complexes. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoes a bipartisan bill projected to save $277 million that would have changed how the state buys cars and encourage more electric vehicle purchases. (Orlando Sentinel)
• A North Carolina startup builds a network of fast chargers, with an emphasis on maintenance to keep them working. (WFAE)
• Attorneys general in Kentucky and West Virginia lead a suit with 23 other states challenging the Biden administration’s plan to impose emission reductions to accelerate the shift from gas-powered to electric vehicles. (Reuters)

PIPELINES: Environmental groups sue to overturn the forced completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline in the debt deal, arguing Congress violated the separation of powers doctrine by allowing the project to sidestep court decisions. (Roanoke Times)

OVERSIGHT:
• After other states pass laws to prevent customer-funded utility lobbying, Louisiana regulators say they’ll review state rules and consider changes. (Greater Baton Rouge Business Report)
• Six Florida residents and a nonprofit sue to overturn a new state law shifting oversight of Gainesville’s regional municipal utility from the city to a board appointed by the governor. (News Service of Florida)
• West Virginia regulators delay the rollout of a new public participation plan until fall to allow more time to train employees. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)

GRID:
• Experts credit solar and wind power for holding up the Texas state power grid through the summer heat. (ABC News)
• Federal officials announce $60.6 million for Texas to identify gaps in its electric grid resilience and shore it up against disruptions during severe weather. (KTRK)
• Florida Power & Light announces plans to reinforce power lines, add “smart” switches and use infrared line inspection technology in a Florida county. (Northwest Florida Daily News)

UTILITIES:
• Kentucky’s largest power company applies for an 18.3% rate increase, including in places where power costs are some of the highest in the state. (Lexington Herald-Leader)
• Entergy announces a bill decrease for Louisiana residents due to declining natural gas prices. (WVUE)

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Mason has worked as a journalist since 2001, covering Appalachian communities and the issues that affect them. He compiles the Southeast Energy News digest. Mason previously worked as a wildlife biologist before moving into journalism by freelancing at Coast Weekly in Monterey, California, before taking an internship in 2001 at High Country News. He wrote for the Enterprise Mountaineer in western North Carolina and the Roanoke Times in western Virginia before going freelance in 2012. His work has appeared in Southerly, Daily Yonder, Mother Jones, Huffington Post, WVPB’s Inside Appalachia and elsewhere. Mason was born and raised in Clifton Forge, Virginia, and now lives with his family and a small herd of goats in Floyd County, Virginia.