TVA proposes 8th new gas plant despite fossil fuel grid failures

TVA: The Tennessee Valley Authority proposes building a 500 MW natural gas plant in Mississippi, marking its eighth proposed gas plant in three years despite implementing rolling blackouts last year because it couldn’t fully operate two-thirds of its fossil fuel plants in frigid weather. (WPLN)

ALSO: The Tennessee Valley Authority closes a 950 MW coal-fired power plant in Tennessee as part of its plan to shutter its entire coal fleet by 2035. (WATE)

PIPELINES:

• The owner of Mountain Valley Pipeline begins to explore selling the long-delayed, over-budget project. (Bloomberg, subscription)
• Landowners whose property was taken by eminent domain for the Mountain Valley Pipeline appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court for a pause in construction while their case is heard. (Roanoke Times)

STORAGE: Texas regulators delay a vote on new battery rules over concern they will discourage development of more storage facilities. (Utility Dive)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• The United Auto Workers sets its sights on South Carolina, targeting BMW and Volvo plants for unionization and eyeing a planned Scout electric vehicles plant. (Charleston Post and Courier, subscription)
• A North Carolina city adds electric vehicle chargers at parks and an athletic complex. (WSOC)

RENEWABLES: West Virginia regulators approve seven Ohio and Virginia solar projects totaling 204 MW and a 147 MW wind project for utilities Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power. (WCHS)

NUCLEAR:

• Georgia regulators consider a rate hike for Georgia Power to cover the cost of its long-delayed, over-budget expansion of its nuclear Plant Vogtle. (WABE)
• Entergy Arkansas will issue about $100 million in rebates to customers to settle overcharges involving its Mississippi nuclear plant. (Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

GRID: A Virginia locality continues to see a data center boom, with a newly proposed project set to grow the footprint of data centers approved in recent years to more than 9 million square feet. (Culpeper Star-Exponent)

OIL & GAS:

• The U.S. EPA finalizes methane emission regulations that will require Texas oil and gas operators to dramatically reduce how much methane escapes from equipment. (Texas Tribune)
• Natural gas company Chesapeake Utilities acquires Florida City Gas from NextEra Energy for an estimated $923 million. (Offshore Technology)

POLITICS: West Virginia U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin says he wants to achieve permitting reform for energy projects before leaving office at the end of 2024. (WV News)

FINANCE: Asset managers like BlackRock continue to look toward a lower-carbon economy with significant investments in carbon capture, but increasingly shift from environmental goals amid sanctions by Republicans. (Financial Times)

ACTIVISM: An arts collective links activists across the Southeast by bringing Gulf Coast residents to a ​“toxic tour” of fracking sites in Pennsylvania. (WESA)

UTILITIES:

• Texas regulators approve new price protections for consumers during power emergencies. (KXAN)
• FirstEnergy’s West Virginia utilities reach settlements to raise their rates and now await approval by state regulators. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)

CLIMATE: Florida illustrates climate change disconnect as storm-battered residents rebuilding from Hurricane Idalia say the COP28 climate talks in Dubai feel ​“irrelevant” amid the task of recovery. (Inside Climate News)

COMMENTARY: Louisiana’s coastline faces a dire future as rising seas continue to wash away land, the state’s restoration plan faces a pending financial cliff, and voters continue to elect leaders who deny climate change, writes a columnist. (NOLA.com)