N.C. gets another solar manufacturing plant

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

SOLAR

• Amid growing demand for domestically made solar projects, Boviet Solar begins interior construction of a photovoltaic cell manufacturing facility in North Carolina after launching operations at a separate panel assembly plant in the state earlier this year. (WFAE)

• Jamaica’s solar growth — from 1.4 MW in 2015 to nearly 65 MW in 2023 — has become a focal point in recovery from Hurricane Melissa as solar-powered homes became neighborhood power hubs after the storm knocked out power. (New York Times)

• Treaty Oak Clean Energy’s CEO discusses the company’s plans to build two Louisiana solar farms totaling 385 MW for Meta. (CleanTechnica)

STORAGE

• The Tennessee Valley Authority announces it plans to add up to 1.5 GW of battery storage by the end of 2029. (WPLN)

• Dominion Energy seeks approval from Virginia regulators for 11 solar and battery projects as it races to meet growing power demand and the state’s ambitious clean energy targets. (WHRO)

FOSSIL FUELS

• An analyst says markets are urging oil producers in the Permian Basin and elsewhere to pivot to gas to meet growing demand from data centers and liquified natural gas exporters. (Houston Chronicle)

• Exxon Mobil makes its case to the U.S. Supreme Court in its longstanding push to reject climate lawsuits as it faces more than two dozen such suits from ​“absolutely relentless” local governments seeking compensation for its contributions to climate change. (E&E News)

• An energy analyst testifies to Kentucky regulators that they should reject Kentucky Power’s plan to keep its half of a coal-fired plant running past 2028, and instead convert it to natural gas. (West Virginia Public Broadcasting)

• Louisiana and federal officials sue Smitty’s Supply for more than $1 billion in fines and penalties for years of environmental violations and a recent fire that led to a large spill at its petroleum products plant. (Louisiana Illuminator)

• A West Virginia coal mine that was the site of a fatality this month and another that’s the subject of a rescue operation for a missing miner both had been cited for recent health and safety violations. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)

GRID

• Texas-based Vistra plans to add capacity at its nuclear plants and build 680 MW of gas-fired power, even as its CEO says there’s enough excess capacity on the PJM and Texas grids to accommodate short-term load growth during non-peak hours. (Utility Dive)

• A Virginia electric cooperative asks the state to let it increase rates for other large-load customers amid worries over the need for ​“significant” additional infrastructure after it failed to negotiate a separate electric service agreement with what seems to be a data center operator. (Virginia Business)

OVERSIGHT

• Records show Texas regulators spent more than $31,000 in taxpayer money through July on lawyers to try to prevent the public release of regulatory records about an applicant to its gas plant loan program that was accused of fraud. (Houston Chronicle)

• The Orlando Utilities Commission in Florida offers help to federal workers and contractors through three power bill assistance programs. (WDBO)

UTILITIES

• A five-member authority appointed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is fighting to retain its control over Gainesville’s municipal utility despite a special election in which voters opted to return that power to the city. (Independent Florida Alligator)

• Duke Energy officials say they plan to roll out an expanded five-year capital plan that could add more than 13 GW of capacity, with 7.5 GW of that coming from new gas plants. (Utility Dive)

• CenterPoint Energy floats a $65 billion capital investment plan after projecting a 50% growth of 10 GW in peak demand in the Houston area by 2031. (Utility Dive)

• American Electric Power grows its capital spending plan 33% to $72 billion, in part to accommodate transmission projects in Texas and the PJM territory. (Utility Dive)

NUCLEAR

• U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff recommend approval of a construction permit for the Tennessee Valley Authority to build a small nuclear reactor. (Chattanooga Times Free Press)

POLITICS

• A Virginia Democrat defeats a Republican in a special election to fill an open county supervisor’s seat that saw both candidates vowing they would block the spread of fast-growing data centers in the area. (Washington Post)

• A data analysis shows Democratic politicians have pulled back since 2022 from discussing ​“climate change” and ​“climate” in social media posts, podcast appearances, and speeches, opting to instead talk about rising costs and disaster resilience. (Washington Post)

• Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe joins an organization to promote natural gas as a bridge from coal to renewables. (Virginia Mercury)