Utilities brace for sprawling winter storm

GRID: Utilities from Texas to the Carolinas prepare for outages from a winter storm that’s expected to bring wind, rain, snow, freezing temperature, and the chance of tornadoes across much of the Southeast. (CBS, WGHP)

ALSO: A proposed high-voltage transmission line to power new data centers in northern Virginia faces pushback from local activists who want to see the project buried. (Prince William Times)

EFFICIENCY: A Virginia lawmaker proposes legislation that would require data centers to meet certain energy efficiency requirements and procure carbon-free renewable energy as the industry’s growth surges. (Utility Dive)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• North Carolina officials publish a map of proposed locations where federal funding will be available for businesses to install charging stations. (WAVY)
• Alabama firefighters say electric vehicle fires present unique challenges and dangers and can be difficult or impossible to extinguish. (AL.com)

HYDROGEN: Officials from Hyundai and the state of Georgia announce plans to use hydrogen-fueled trucks to supply the carmaker’s electric vehicle factory under construction near the Port of Savannah. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

SOLAR:

• A Virginia county will hold a public hearing this month on a proposed ordinance to regulate large-scale solar projects. (Bluefield Daily Telegraph)
• A South Carolina county approves a fee in lieu of tax agreement with Duke Energy for a planned $61 million solar farm. (FOX Carolina)
• Some Texas landowners are upset about a planned $150 million solar project they say will ruin the aesthetics of their rural area. (KSAT)
• A Texas solar farm employs more than 450 sheep to help maintain the property so that plants don’t shade solar panels and reduce generation. (WFAA)

CARBON CAPTURE: The U.S. EPA’s decision last month to hand over carbon capture permitting to state officials in Louisiana has environmental advocates worried that economic considerations will trump public health. (Grist)

COAL: Two years later, West Virginia lawmakers have yet to act on a workgroup’s recommendations for revitalizing devastated coalfield communities. (Mountain State Spotlight)

COAL ASH: The environmental group that challenged Alabama Power’s plan to cap a coal ash pit in place says it is considering all its options after a judge last week ruled in the utility’s favor. (WALA)

BIOMASS: Wood pellet manufacturer Enviva has seen its share price crash and enters 2024 with questions about whether it will survive or be broken up. (Wilmington Star-News)