Midwest nuclear plants seen as good candidates for restarts

NUCLEAR: Shuttered nuclear reactors in Michigan, Iowa and Pennsylvania are the country’s most obvious candidates for restarting, a nuclear expert says, adding that others in the U.S. would be long-shots. (Utility Dive)

POLLUTION: Michigan’s coal-based steel and coke facilities contribute to about 40-80 premature deaths and more than 20,000 asthma cases a year, according to a new report from an advocacy and research group. (Planet Detroit)

BIOGAS: Michigan officials approve hundreds of millions of dollars in tax-exempt bonds that would help Chevron and other entities complete several facilities that convert farm waste to renewable natural gas. (WOOD-TV8)

WIND: Zoning officials in eastern Iowa continue work on a draft ordinance for new wind regulations nearly a year and a half after enacting a moratorium on commercial projects. (Telegraph Herald)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: An Illinois county board leader resigns from his position after taking a job with a Chinese-owned company that’s building a controversial EV battery plant there. (Chicago Tribune, subscription)

BIOFUELS: The Iowa Sierra Club calls a $1 million federal rural clean energy grant for an ethanol producer a ​“boondoggle.” (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

SOLAR: Minnesota loses its effort to send back to state court a case claiming a group of companies marketing loans for residential solar panels violated consumer protection laws. (Bloomberg Law, subscription)

CARBON CAPTURE: The U.S. Department of Energy awards $518 million to develop 23 carbon capture and storage projects across 19 states, which are still being negotiated and face environmental review. (E&E News, subscription)

POLITICS: Attorneys for former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and his close associate plan to strongly challenge prosecutors’ theory about Madigan exchanging favorable legislation with jobs for his allies. (Chicago Sun-Times)

STORAGE: Long-duration energy storage startup Form Energy, which is developing a commercial pilot project with a Minnesota utility, recently raised $405 million in capital to scale up the company. (Utility Dive)

GRID: Illinois consumer advocates push back on Ameren’s more than $300 million rate increase request to help pay for grid infrastructure projects, saying the amount is excessive. (WEEK)