Utilities propose major transmission line through Minnesota

GRID: A group of utilities propose spending up to $700 million on a 200-mile transmission line from South Dakota to Minnesota that officials say will be essential for integrating renewables on the grid. (Star Tribune)

ALSO:

• Ann Arbor, Michigan, estimates that prolonged power outages from recent storms cost the city nearly $2 million in emergency expenses. (MLive)
• A service provider specializing in demand response files a complaint with federal regulators claiming grid operator PJM’s rules effectively block large-scale residential demand response programs. (Utility Dive)
• Southern Wisconsin officials want an alternative location for a proposed power distribution substation, claiming it would be an ​“abomination” to the surrounding neighborhood. (Lake Geneva Regional News)

Sponsored Link
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicle Bootcamp
Join the Electrification Coalition for two state-specific events about the transition to electric vehicles, October 17 in Chicago and October 24 in Lansing, Michigan Learn from government and industry experts about the benefits of medium- and heavy-duty EVs and opportunities to accelerate their deployment. Attendees can also view cutting-edge electric truck and bus models in person!

CARBON CAPTURE:

• Congress members from Illinois and Minnesota lead a group of Democrats urging President Biden to halt federal permitting for carbon pipelines, citing public health risks from a potential rupture. (Reuters)
• A central Illinois county zoning board postpones a vote on regulations for drilling carbon sequestration wells until it can provide adequate meeting space for the public. (Pantagraph)
• It may take more than a year for Summit Carbon Solutions to get approval for a carbon pipeline project in South Dakota after state regulators rejected the company’s initial proposal. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

COAL: Residents in a southern Illinois community next to a large coal plant and mine grapple with a future without the industry that contributed to local prosperity. (Grist)

SOLAR: A western Michigan city will install solar panels on a local arena, offsetting about a quarter of the facility’s power use and saving tens of thousands of dollars a year. (WZZM)

BATTERIES: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer believes Ford will resume plans for a $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery plant once the company and the striking UAW reach a contract agreement. (Crain’s Detroit Business, subscription)

BIOGAS: Local officials and nearby residents raise concerns about persistent noise and flaring from an Ohio renewable gas facility. (Ideastream)

Sponsored Link
MnSEIA Gateway to Solar
MnSEIA’s 10th annual Gateway to Solar conference will be October 9-10, 2023, at the InterContinental MSP/​St. Paul Airport Hotel. Meet industry professionals and gain insights into Minnesota’s booming solar market during this two-day conference. Register today!

GEOTHERMAL: An Illinois community college receives a $95,000 grant to add a geothermal energy job training program to its environmental and energy curriculum. (WCIA)

COMMENTARY: Iowa regulators’ upcoming ratemaking study is an opportunity to bring transparency and ensure low-income ratepayers aren’t unfairly saddled with rising costs, a community group leader writes. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)