Is Ohio plan a ​‘bailout’ or an ​‘important crossroads’?

OHIO: American Electric Power tells regulators that its plan to require the public to support an aging power plant is ​“an important crossroads for Ohio utility policy.” (Columbus Dispatch)

ALSO: Ohio utility customers will begin seeing a line item on their bills for compliance with state renewable and efficiency standards. (Columbus Business First)

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PETCOKE: Chicago’s health department blasts a petcoke storage company for issuing plans for a storage facility ​“via press release” and seeking more time to complete it. (Midwest Energy News)

RENEWABLES: A new report says Minnesota could get 50 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2030. (Midwest Energy News)

EPA: A Midwest consortium seeks flexibility for states in implementing the Clean Power Plan, and Ohio challenges the computer model that the agency uses to project reliability. (Midwest Energy News, EnergyWire)

WIND: Congress extends the production tax credit, but only through 2014; and North Dakota regulators approve a 22,000 acre wind farm. (Houston Chronicle, Forum News Service)

FRACKING: Citing health concerns and doubts about economic impact, New York moves to ban fracking. (Associated Press)

UTILITIES: FirstEnergy’s CEO announces he will step down Jan. 1. (Pittsburgh Business Times)

EFFICIENCY: 2014 saw nearly $1 billion in PACE-financed projects, a dramatic increase over the previous year. (Greentech Media)

COAL: More than 200 people attend a hearing on a proposed Illinois coal mine. (Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette)

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FERC: The U.S. Senate confirms Colette Honorable as the new FERC chair. (Power Magazine)

COMMENTARY: Why wind and solar might need less backup than conventional power plants. (NRDC Switchboard)