Reports: South Carolina nuclear plant means excess power, higher bills

NUCLEAR: Reports show if South Carolina’s Summer nuclear plant expansion is completed, state utility Santee Cooper will have far more energy capacity than it needs and customers will likely see a spike in power bills should the project continue. (The State)

COAL:
• Officials worked to address the Kemper ​“clean coal” plant’s delays and overruns, but in the end had to ​“draw a line in the sand” and terminate the project. (SNL Energy)
• The Sierra Club wants federal energy regulators to reconsider an emergency order that would allow a Dominion Energy plant in Virginia that violates air quality standards to operate if necessary to meet summer demand. (Daily Press)
• U.S. coal exports were higher in early 2017 as a result of increased demand in Asia and Europe. (Associated Press)
• President Trump’s promises to revive the coal industry is keeping miners from changing careers. (Bloomberg)

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WIND: The Department of Energy will study the potential for offshore wind development in the Gulf of Mexico. (Offshore Wind Journal)

ENERGY: A Senate committee chaired by Republican Tennessee lawmaker Lamar Alexander approved legislation that supports energy research, among other energy- and water-related actions. (The Chattanoogan)

SOLAR:
• North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center’s 50 States of Solar report shows utilities are pushing for rates that would discourage customer adoption of solar. (PV Magazine)
• Ratepayers are footing much of the bill for a utility trade association that has pushed for polices hostile to rooftop solar. (Midwest Energy News)
• Some in South Miami, including representatives from local builders’ groups, are criticizing the city’s mandate that all newly constructed homes have solar panels. (Miami Herald)

COAL ASH:
• North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper says new rules regulating coal ash contaminants in the water are not final. (WBTV)
• A timeline beginning in 2014 details North Carolina officials’ response to coal ash safety issues related to residents’ well water. (WRAL)
• Department of Environmental Protection officials have asked federal regulators to approve a change to the way West Virginia’s water pollution limits are calculated. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)

FOSSIL FUELS: A new study from Duke University shows the burning of fossil fuels is linked to negative effects on cardiovascular health. (Blue Ridge Public Radio)

PIPELINES: The U.S. Department of Transportation is awarding Louisiana more than $1 million for its pipeline safety programs. (KSLA News 12)

CLIMATE: The city of St. Petersburg, Florida, is giving away free tickets to a screening of Al Gore’s ​“Inconvenient Truth” sequel to ​“educate and inspire” residents to take action against climate change. (SaintPetersBlog)

COMMENTARY: North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper should raise water-safety standards in an effort to protect residents from coal ash contamination, just as he promised when campaigning for office. (Winston-Salem Journal)