Great Lakes wind energy stalls out

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Midwest Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning.

WIND

• Illinois Democrats have for years failed to gain support for legislation backing wind development in Lake Michigan because of local opposition and other legislative priorities. (Chicago Sun-Times)

• U.S. renewables developer Apex Clean Energy cancels plans for a 50,000-turbine wind project in central Michigan after failing to secure enough leases. (Michigan Radio)

CLEAN ENERGY

• Minnesota utilities deploy smart sensors about the size of bowling balls to track the amount of energy passing through transmission lines, which can help unlock capacity and low-cost clean energy. (MPR News)

CARBON CAPTURE

• A North Dakota judge revokes Summit Carbon Solutions’ permits for an underground CO2 storage site, ruling that the approvals were based on an unconstitutional state law. (North Dakota Monitor)

CORRUPTION TRIAL

• A former top attorney at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio testifies about a late-night meeting with former top FirstEnergy officials as they sought favorable legislative treatment. (Signal Ohio)

SOLAR

• A Chicago-area village board votes to annex about 200 acres of unincorporated land to support a 2,400-acre solar project. (Chicago Tribune)

• Local Michigan officials move to adopt a local wind and solar ordinance to give them more say over a 140 MW solar project before state regulators assume oversight. (MLive)

RENEWABLES

• A Wisconsin Senate committee takes testimony on a bill that would require wind and solar projects to obtain approvals from municipalities before going to state regulators. (WSAW)

UTILITIES

• Republican Indiana Gov. Mike Braun touts gains he has made to lower utility bills since becoming governor a year ago, though Democrats say more work is needed. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)

• South Dakota regulators approve a $3.3 million rate increase for Otter Tail Power Company to fund grid investments, and consider a new $50.6 million request from Black Hills Energy. (South Dakota Searchlight)

NUCLEAR

• About 200 gallons of oil leaked from the Monticello nuclear power plant site in Minnesota, though officials say none has reached the Mississippi River. (WCCO)

PIPELINES

• Indiana utility NIPSCO is fined $463,000 from state regulators for violating state pipeline standards dozens of times. (WNDU)