PJM seeks ratepayer protections as part of AEP ​‘bailout’ request

OHIO:
• Grid operator PJM has filed a brief with Ohio regulators asking that ratepayer protections be built into AEP’s income-guarantee request. (Utility Dive)
• By no later than March 31, AEP customers in Ohio will start seeing the costs of renewable energy and efficiency programs itemized on their electric bills; other costs will remain hidden. (Columbus Business First, Midwest Energy News archive)

RENEWABLES: A variety of private companies in Michigan say they are looking to invest more in renewable energy but face policy barriers. (Crain’s Detroit Business)

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NATURAL GAS:
• Alliant Energy is increasing the size of a natural gas plant it wants to build in Wisconsin while also asking if other utilities or cooperatives want to buy a stake in the project. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
• Federal regulators are considering new rules for underground gas storage sites in an effort to prevent leaks. (EnergyWire)
• The increased volume of natural gas being used in place of coal ​“may be a double-edged sword.” (Forbes)

WIND:
• MidAmerican Energy completes two wind projects in Iowa that total 1,200 megawatts of new generation. (KCCI-TV)
• Several Wisconsin counties are pushing state officials to conduct a study on alleged health impacts from wind turbines that was proposed in 2013. (Fond du Lac Reporter)

SOLAR:
• Some southwest Minnesota residents are speaking out against a planned $100 million solar project by claiming it is too big, would lower property values and ​“destroy the region’s rural character.” (Minnesota Public Radio)
• An Ohio county considers buying into a long-term solar energy contract to reduce electric costs. (The Daily Standard)
• The Kansas Department of Revenue issues an opinion that only utilities can sell electricity in the state, which could have implications for solar financing arrangements. (Renewable Energy World)

COAL:
• A clean-energy advocacy group is questioning whether Peabody Energy has the resources through ​“self bonding” for the future clean-up of the company’s Illinois coal mines. (Associated Press)
• An air monitoring station installed by We Energies at one of its Wisconsin coal plants after pressure from residents ​“has so far detected nothing out of the ordinary.” (Racine Journal Times)
• The city of Detroit rejects a company’s request to store a coal-based byproduct called ​“coke breeze” at a site along the Detroit River. (Detroit Free Press)

CONGRESS: A federal aid package for the Flint water crisis is becoming a sticking point as lawmakers seek to attach it to a sweeping energy proposal. (The Hill)

POLITICS: Ethanol critics say Ted Cruz’s victory in the Iowa caucus diminishes the industry’s political clout, but not all observers agree; also, a similar debate played out in the last presidential cycle. (E&E Daily, AP archive)

RATES: DTE Energy is pushing Michigan regulators for a rate increase to improve its regional distribution system. (Oakland Press)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A new study by University of Michigan researchers finds that battery-powered electric vehicles produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions overall than hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. (CNET)

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TRANSPORTATION: Due to budget constraints, Illinois’ environmental agency has stopped sending emissions test notices to vehicle owners. (WLS-TV)

COMMENTARY:
• A Minnesota regulator discusses why federal tax credits for wind and solar have been beneficial for the state’s industries. (Clean Energy Resource Teams)
• A conservative group in Michigan says regulated utilities should be held accountable to keep electric rates affordable through ​“performance standards” on renewable energy and efficiency. (Bridge Magazine)