GRID: ERCOT’s CEO says extreme heat and increased solar capacity are fundamentally changing electricity use patterns in Texas, and that “flexibility is critical” to managing evolving needs. (KVUE)

ALSO: Entergy announces a $1 billion plan to improve grid reliability in New Orleans. (news release)

OIL & GAS: Climate activist Bill McKibben urges federal regulators to reject a proposed Louisiana gas export project, calling it an “environmental justice train wreck.” (E&E News, subscription)

PIPELINES: Virginia property owners file an emergency motion to try to stop construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. (Bloomberg)

HYDROGEN: Advocates urge scrutiny of hydrogen hubs receiving an influx of federal funds, warning projects that rely heavily on natural gas could actually lead to an increase in emissions. (Tennessee Lookout)

EFFICIENCY: Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is leading an effort to prevent the federal government from updating building codes for housing built with public funds. (HuffPost)

UTILITIES: Gas utilities in North Carolina are offering carbon offsets for customers who want to compensate for their homes’ emissions. (PRE)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: 

NUCLEAR: A project manager for a failed South Carolina nuclear plant expansion is sentenced to six months of home detention for lying to federal investigators. (Post and Courier)

COAL: 

  • An industry group says West Virginia is a “safe haven” for coal and thanks lawmakers for “pro-coal policies and assistance.” (WV Public)
  • A judge delays an order to seize a helicopter owned by one of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice’s coal companies to pay off creditors. (Williamson Daily News)
  • A Virginia Tech researcher has developed a method for turning coal into graphene, a “wonder material” used in a variety of applications. (news release)

COMMENTARY: 

More from the Energy News Network: Midwest | Southeast | Northeast | West

Ken is the director of the Energy News Network at Fresh Energy and is a founding editor of both Midwest Energy News and Southeast Energy News. Prior to joining Fresh Energy, he was the managing editor for online news at Minnesota Public Radio. He started his journalism career in 2002 as a copy editor for the Duluth News Tribune before spending five years at the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, where he worked as a copy editor, online producer, features editor and night city editor. A Nebraska native, Ken has a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree from the University of Oregon. He is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors.