Soaring energy prices drive Appalachian Democrat’s election win

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.

AFFORDABILITY

• A Virginia Democrat campaigned on affordability and doing something to counter Appalachian Power’s spiking electricity bills on her way to winning 51% of the vote in a district that voted for President Trump in the last three presidential elections. (Canary Media)

SOLAR

• Pine Gate Renewables moves to close a solar factory in western North Carolina and lay off more than 78% of its workforce as it files for bankruptcy due to clean energy policy changes under the Trump administration. (Charlotte Observer)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• Volkswagen-backed electric vehicle maker Scout Motors announces it will open its U.S. headquarters in North Carolina as it builds a factory in the state. (WFAE)

FOSSIL FUELS

• Chevron details plans to build 2.5 GW of gas generation in West Texas to power co-located data centers, although its CEO remains hesitant to get the company more involved in directly producing power. (Wall Street Journal)
• Documents reveal that Texas regulatory reforms implemented after the explosion of a 100-foot-high geyser from a malfunctioning oil well still would not have prevented the incident. (Houston Chronicle)
• A West Virginia coal miner trapped by flooding over the weekend is found dead. (West Virginia Watch)
• West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey announces the state has secured nearly $4.2 billion in energy investments in the last four weeks, mostly for two new gas-fired power plants and refurbishment projects to extend the life of six coal power plants. (WV Metro News, news release)

PIPELINES

• A Virginia community say they’re worried about the health impacts of the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s plans to build an additional compressor station. (WVTF/​Radio IQ)

STORAGE

• A Virginia county official says Microporous, which makes lithium-ion battery separators for electric vehicles, has largely completed layout and design work and should soon begin construction on a new factory after questions about whether it would lose a federal grant. (Cardinal News)

CARBON CAPTURE

• The U.S. EPA approves Texas’ application to regulate carbon-capture injection wells, potentially clearing a regulatory obstacle and accelerate the industry’s development. (Houston Chronicle)

CLEAN ENERGY

• A physics program at the New Orleans Charter Math and Science High School gives students real-world experience installing six solar-powered generators around the city. (Verite News)

NUCLEAR

• Virginia regulators approve Appalachian Power’s request to recover costs from evaluating and developing a site for a potential small modular nuclear reactor. (Cardinal News)

GRID

• The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission dismisses a complaint by Kentucky regulators and its attorney general alleging that state ratepayers were paying for ​“self-planned” transmission projects by American Electric Power that weren’t subject to adequate oversight and didn’t benefit them. (Utility Dive)
• A Virginia county board approves new regulations for data centers, including provisions encouraging developers to use renewable energy, follow energy-efficient design standards, and locate within two miles of transmission lines. (WHRO)
• Documents reveal details about Google’s plans to build a sprawling, 855,846-square-foot data center campus on 307 acres in Virginia. (Virginia Business)

UTILITIES

• After championing diversity and inclusion a few years ago, Duke Energy has joined other companies in largely muting its environmental, social, and governance initiatives amid vocal opposition from the Trump administration. (The Assembly)
• The Tennessee Valley Authority sees its operating revenue rise by more than $1 billion over last year as it moves to build 3.7 GW of new, largely gas-fired generation, plus transmission and up to four small modular nuclear reactors. (Utility Dive)

POLITICS

• Environmental groups press the Georgia Public Service Commission to delay a vote on whether to allow Georgia Power to raise rates to pay for a wave of fossil fuel plants until two Democrats who won election this month are sworn in. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
• A far-right Texas Republican announces he’ll primary the chair of the state commission that oversees the oil and gas industry. (Texas Tribune)
• The Kentucky Artificial Intelligence Task Force recommends state lawmakers adopt new laws regarding the location of data centers and their requirements for water and power. (Kentucky Lantern)