Critics: TVA’s gas plans betray its clean energy legacy

OIL & GAS: Environmentalists and energy experts criticize the Tennessee Valley Authority for its plans to build eight natural gas-fired power plants, doubling down on fossil fuels despite running nuclear and hydroelectric plants through most of its history . (Washington Post)

ALSO:

• Gulf Coast residents and environmental groups turn to federal courts to try to block a wave of liquified natural gas export facilities they say haven’t been adequately vetted for their potential impacts on environmental justice, greenhouse gas emissions, fisheries and more. (Floodlight)
• North Carolina residents organize to try to block plans for a massive natural gas buildout that includes a liquified natural gas processing facility, four gas plants, multiple compressor stations and a bunch of pipelines. (Inside Climate News/​The Assembly)

SOLAR:

• San Antonio, Texas, embarks on an ambitious program to install solar facilities at 42 municipal facilities. (San Antonio Report)
• The anticipated launch of Hanwha Qcells’ end-to-end solar factory in Georgia is expected to supercharge the U.S. solar supply chain, which has already quadrupled in the two years since the passage of a federal climate package. (Canary Media)
• A Virginia county board votes down three solar proposals, including two community solar farms and an 80 MW project. (Orange County Review)

STORAGE: A Texas startup attracts $68 million from investors for a product that pairs off-the-shelf battery technology and grid monitoring technology and provides more power to customers seeing higher grid stress. (Fort Worth Report)

EFFICIENCY: Dominion Energy provides free energy efficiency upgrades to more than 1,800 public housing residents in Charleston, South Carolina. (Post and Courier, WCSC)

CLEAN ENERGY: Texas has passed California to become the state with the most solar capacity from large utility-scale projects, and is also the top state for wind energy and second for battery storage. (Axios)

COAL: A Virginia regulator orders Appalachian Power to continue studying whether retiring two money-losing coal-fired power plants in West Virginia would save Virginia customers money. (West Virginia Public Broadcasting)

GRID:

• An official with the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas discusses grid security with state lawmakers, saying threats to the grid are relatively low. (Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)
• The Tennessee Valley Authority launches a new, $300 million operations complex in Tennessee. (Knoxville News Sentinel)

HYDROPOWER: Appalachian Power will receive $5 million in federal funding to upgrade two units on a 75 MW hydroelectric facility in Virginia. (Cardinal News)

UTILITIES: Appalachian Power is filing for rate hikes even as its seven highest-paid leaders all received raises since 2021, prompting criticism from clean energy advocates. (Roanoke Times)

POLITICS: Residents in West Virginia and elsewhere grow frustrated with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s promises to aid their fight against mountaintop removal mining and other polluting projects in places he visited but never returned. (Washington Post)

COMMENTARY:

• North Carolina regulators should order Duke Energy to begin developing offshore wind facilities to boost energy production and state companies that are part of the supply chain, writes a wind advocate. (Greensboro News & Record)
• A bipartisan pair of Virginia lawmakers question Appalachian Power’s rate increase request and its likely effects on the region’s economy. (Cardinal News)