GRID:
• A study commissioned by Ameren Illinois finds that moving the southern two-thirds of the state from grid operator MISO to PJM would cost $3.4 billion through 2034, outweighing any potential benefits. (WCBU)
• Ameren Illinois seeks public input on a grid infrastructure plan that calls for 380 miles of new or upgraded transmission lines by 2030. (WMBD) • Indiana regulators will examine recent storm responses by the state’s five major utilities following widespread outages earlier this summer. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)
• Iowa utilities are planning alongside the National Guard to prepare for future storms like the powerful derecho three years ago. (KCRG)
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CARBON CAPTURE:
• An Illinois county bans carbon pipelines through 2023 until the project developer and regulators can ensure public safety from the routes. (WAND) • A carbon pipeline developer says its proposed project through South Dakota would move forward regardless of whether it receives federal tax credits. (KELO)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• A line of General Motors electric vehicles will support bidirectional charging by 2026, allowing customers to transfer power to a home during peak demand periods or outages. (Automotive Dive) • Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm visits St. Louis in support of an Israeli company’s $400 million facility that will produce a key component for electric vehicle batteries. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
CLIMATE: Muncie, Indiana, officials adopt the city’s first climate action plan, which has been in the works since 2021 and creates an emissions-reduction strategy. (Indiana Public Radio)
SOLAR: • A western Iowa county approves solar siting regulations with a late amendment that blocks development on areas classified for agricultural preservation. (KCAU) • Dozens of creditors await the results of an auction of a failed Wisconsin solar company’s assets after the company went into receivership and faces lawsuits in multiple states. (WKOW)
UTILITIES:
• Xcel Energy claims Minnesota regulators erred and were unreasonable when they granting a much smaller rate increase than the utility requested. (Star Tribune)
• AES Indiana admits that it recently underestimated the calculation for customer rate increases, saying the increase was mistakenly based on future rates that are not yet in effect. (WRTV)
BIOENERGY: Michigan State University researchers are developing a system to convert cow manure into renewable natural gas that can be used to charge electric vehicles. (WWMT)
POWER PLANTS: The trade group representing U.S. investor-owned utilities says the EPA’s proposed limits on emissions from coal and gas plants are too strict and that plant owners need more time to install pollution controls. (NPR)
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WIND: Township voters in Michigan reject an ordinance amendment that would have created restrictions on a proposed wind project. (Sanilac County News)
