Kentucky turns strip mines into flood-proof housing

TRANSITION: Kentucky officials proceed with an $800 million plan to convert reclaimed mountaintop removal mines into seven housing developments across four counties with the goal of relocating residents from places that were devastated by flooding in 2022. (New York Times)

SOLAR:

• Virginia lawmakers reach an apparent compromise over regulation of solar energy development, with the state setting broad guidelines for locating solar farms while allowing localities to determine specifics and leaving it to developers to challenge unreasonable local actions in court. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
• A Texas company secures $123 million in financing to build a 100 MW solar farm in Arkansas. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

OIL & GAS:

• Workers at one of Houston’s largest oil refineries begin receiving layoff notices as the plant’s owner prepares to close it permanently amid concerns about a global shift toward fuel-efficient and electric vehicles. (Houston Chronicle)
• Oklahoma’s attorney general files a lawsuit against BP Energy, Chevron and other energy and oil and gas companies, alleging they artificially inflated natural gas prices during 2021’s Winter Storm Uri. (Oklahoman)
• Dominion Energy will add an additional 44 MW of generation capacity to a 75-year-old, 660 MW gas- and diesel-fired power plant in Virginia to keep up with growing power demand from nearby data centers. (Inside NoVa)
• Texas residents organize against a company’s plans to drill 10 more fracking wells near a daycare center. (WFAA)
• Federal officials consider whether to open a national forest in Alabama to oil and gas development. (Inside Climate News)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• South Carolina taxpayers spent $1.3 billion to help lure electric vehicle company Scout Motors to build a factory, but state law won’t allow the company to use direct sales to consumers and instead will require it to go through dealers. (The Herald)
• President Trump’s pause on funding for electric vehicle chargers through the 2021 infrastructure package creates questions about the fate of $70 million for charger installation in South Carolina. (Post and Courier)

GRID:

• Texas’ grid operator releases a new report finding the state requires 3,000 miles of new power lines to meet a demand spike stemming from electrification within the oil and gas industry and power-hungry cryptocurrency mines and data centers. (Houston Chronicle)
• Georgia regulators approve a new rule allowing Georgia Power to charge data centers higher rates and require them to pay for additional infrastructure stemming from their high power needs. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, subscription; WAGA)
• Virginia lawmakers and lobbyists debate a series of bills to protect ratepayers from rising energy costs caused by the state’s booming data centers. (Virginia Mercury)

NUCLEAR: Duke Energy joins a coalition pursuing an $800 million federal grant to build a small nuclear reactor in North Carolina. (Stokes News)

CLIMATE:

• Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry expresses ​“legitimate issues of concern” related to the state’s nearly $3 billion coastal restoration project, while federal officials warn the state may need to repay $2.26 billion if it doesn’t follow through. (Floodlight)
• Federal and Texas agencies propose spending $40 million from the BP Deepwater Horizon settlement on seven projects to rebuild coastal wetland habitats. (Houston Chronicle)

UTILITIES:

• Florida regulators consider allowing Duke Energy and Tampa Electric Co. to charge their customers an additional $1.55 billion to recoup costs from hurricanes last year. (WKMG)
• Virginia lawmakers kill a bill to allow Appalachian Power customers to shop around for other providers if their bill is more than 25% above the state average. (Cardinal News)