Power companies call on EPA to roll back coal ash regulations

COAL: Executives from a dozen U.S. power companies urge the Trump administration to roll back federal regulations on coal ash disposal and rescind recent enforcement action. (Energy News Network)

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‍ELECTRIC VEHICLES: The Trump administration’s efforts to claw back upwards of $7.5 billion in federal electric vehicle charging funding from states will likely be met with legal challenges, experts say. (Canary Media)

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‍NUCLEAR: Home electrification, electric vehicles, new data centers and a 2040 carbon-free power mandate are putting pressure on Minnesota lawmakers to lift the state’s ban on new nuclear plants. (Minnesota Reformer)

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‍UTILITIES: Missouri’s two largest utilities want state permission to charge customers for new gas plants before they’re built, which consumer advocates slam as a scheme to increase utility profits. (Missouri Independent)

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‍GRID:

• Indiana regulators approve a $395 million rate increase for Duke Energy that the utility says was needed to improve grid reliability and security. (FOX 59)
• PJM agrees to set a price cap and floor for its next two capacity auctions to control forecasted spikes in energy prices for ratepayers. (Utility Dive)
• A power company claims MISO has disqualified 450 MW of its demand response resources from the grid operator’s upcoming capacity auction. (Utility Dive)

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SOLAR: Consumers Energy breaks ground on a 360 MW solar project in southwestern Michigan that the utility says will help meet its goal of 8,000 MW of solar by 2040. (WWMT)

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‍POLITICS: Jurors begin to deliberate in the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, who is accused of ushering favorable legislation for ComEd in exchange for jobs for associates. (Chicago Sun-Times)

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‍COMMENTARY: A lung cancer specialist says Wisconsin utilities’ plans to prolong the life of coal plants and open new gas plants will harm public health. (Wisconsin Examiner)

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