Will N.C. Sen. Tillis protect clean energy incentives?

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Southeast Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each morning.

CLEAN ENERGY

• Clean energy advocates closely watch North Carolina U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis for signs of whether he’ll support Trump’s ​“big beautiful bill” despite his stated concern about wiping out clean energy tax incentives that support tens of thousands of jobs in his state. (Canary Media)

• North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein credits clean energy tax credits for the creation of hundreds of jobs announced last month alone. (Raleigh News & Observer)

• Three bills that would have seriously slowed Texas’ booming deployment of solar, batteries, and wind power seem to have quietly died ahead of today’s legislative deadline amid growing signs of support for renewables from Republicans and business interests. (Canary Media)

• A third-party analysis commissioned by a conservative group finds a rollback of federal clean energy incentives could cost more than 100,000 jobs in Florida and increase energy costs. (WUSF)

• An analysis finds clean energy tax credits have led to $18.2 billion in investments and the creation of 21,642 jobs in Virginia. (Inside Climate News)

FOSSIL FUELS

• The Tennessee Valley Authority reconsiders plans to close its coal-fired power plants, which it’s previously used as justification to build new gas-fired plants instead of renewables. (WPLN)

• U.S. oil and gas drillers cut the number of operating rigs to the lowest number since November 2021, due largely to lower prices and a focus on boosting shareholder returns. (Reuters)

• A Federal Energy Regulatory Commission report says the Mountain Valley Pipeline reached its full capacity for the first time in January and helped ensure electricity supply met rising demand from cold temperatures. (WV News)

FEDERAL CUTS

• The Trump administration cancels more than $3.7 billion in funding for decarbonization projects, including a $72 million grant to test a carbon capture system on a gas-fired turbine in Kentucky. (Canary Media, Kentucky Lantern)

SOLAR

• A metro Atlanta county launches the installation of 46 solar panels on county facilities. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• A startup that uses robots to charge electric fleet vehicles enrolls in a 12-week accelerator program in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as it aims to locate in the region. (Chattanooga Times Free Press)

NUCLEAR

• The University of Tennessee signs an agreement with Consolidated Nuclear Security — which operates a facility that stores the nation’s bomb-grade uranium — to create a center in Tennessee focused on nuclear deterrence, national and global security, and nuclear energy. (Oak Ridger)

GRID

• A West Virginia county board unanimously approves a resolution opposing NextEra Energy’s plans to build a 105-mile, 500 kV transmission line and substation from Pennsylvania to Virginia. (WV News)

OVERSIGHT

• Georgia regulators consider Georgia Power’s plan to add 9,000 MW of generation to meet anticipated demand from data centers and economic growth, largely by extending the life of its coal plants and ramping up its fossil fuel capacity. (Georgia Recorder)

CLIMATE

• Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin says Trump’s plans to rework the Federal Emergency Management Agency won’t affect preparations for this year’s hurricane season. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

• Tennessee lawmakers’ rollback of the state’s requirement for reflective roofs on commercial buildings spotlights a lobbying campaign by manufacturers of dark roofing materials that critics warn will lead to higher energy costs and heat-related health issues. (Floodlight)

COMMENTARY

• Louisianans deserve answers and a plan to improve grid reliability after about 100,000 people unexpectedly lost power when the regional grid operator ordered Entergy to shed some of its energy load, writes a columnist. (Times-Picayune)

• Louisiana’s lawmakers have continued to coddle the oil and gas industry even as its economic footprint has shrunk, writes a columnist. (Times-Picayune)

NEW FROM CANARY

• Months after the catastrophic fire at Vistra’s grid battery in Moss Landing, California, a neighboring battery project is back online, Julian Spector reports.