Minnesota utility to end coal by 2035

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Midwest Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each morning.

UTILITIES

• A northern Minnesota utility proposes to generate 90% of its electricity from renewables and completely phase out coal by 2035, but it also wants to add natural gas capacity during the same time frame. (Duluth News Tribune)

• The Missouri Senate passes legislation that would allow utilities to seek rate increases based on projected rather than actual costs. (Columbia Missourian)

• Ann Arbor, Michigan’s city council narrowly rejects spending $1.7 million on a feasibility study for a municipal utility, prompting supporters of the plan to say they will seek to get the issue on the city ballot this fall for voters to decide. (WEMU)

CLEAN ENERGY:

• Indiana nonprofits say it’s unclear whether they will be able to access previously awarded federal grant money for solar, electric vehicle charging, and other clean energy projects due to President Trump’s funding freeze. (Indiana Public Media)

CARBON CAPTURE:

• South Dakota lawmakers advance a bill that would ban the use of eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines and derail a planned multi-billion dollar project. (Argus Leader)

STORAGE

• Illinois legislation would require the state power agency to procure 15 GW of energy storage by 2035 — on par with what’s required in California. (PV Magazine)

SOLAR

• The U.S. Army completes one of the largest renewable energy projects in Kansas, a 16 MW solar project that meets 40% of Fort Riley’s electricity needs. (PV Magazine)

NUCLEAR:

• Xcel Energy announces a $318 million customer refund in Minnesota that is in large part due to an Inflation Reduction Act tax credit for nuclear energy production. (KARE)

OIL & GAS:

• Ohio environmental regulators say drinking water sources, wildlife, or aquatic life were not harmed by an oil spill Saturday in the Little Cuyahoga River. (Akron Beacon Journal)

• An Ohio Democrat introduces legislation that would require oil and gas companies that drill in state parks to disclose chemicals used in fracking operations. (Columbus Dispatch)

BIOGAS:

• A biogas company surrenders its permit for a proposed anaerobic digester in northeastern Iowa amid lawsuits alleging the county of erring in its approval. (Gazette)

POLITICS:

• A federal judge grants a partial retrial for four former ComEd executives and lobbyists who were convicted in 2023 of bribing Illinois’ House speaker. (Capital News)