AES Ohio & Google Team Up to Boost Renewables; Coal Plant Expansion Faced with Opposition
AES Ohio is collaborating with tech giant Google to enhance reliability and boost renewable energy integration on its electric grids in Ohio and Indiana. Meanwhile, opponents in North Dakota are challenging plans to extend the life of the state's largest coal plant by targeting an interstate power line sale in Minnesota. In Illinois, a historic Black farming community faces an existential threat from a proposed natural gas pipeline, while a 150 MW solar project near Iowa City presses ahead with private funds. Elsewhere, a coal lobbyist backed by former President Trump has secured a Republican U.S. House primary win in Ohio, and lawmakers in Illinois are debating a nuclear bailout deal.
AES Ohio and Google are teaming up to simulate and model improvements to reliability and increase renewables on the electric distribution grids in Ohio and Indiana. This collaboration aims to enhance the grid's capacity to accommodate more renewable energy sources.
In North Dakota, opponents of a plan to sell and extend the life of the state's largest coal plant are focusing their efforts on convincing Minnesota regulators to reject the sale of an interstate power line. This move could potentially block the coal plant's expansion.
Federal investigators have been actively seeking records related to former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Chairman Sam Randazzo and other aspects of the state's power plant bribery scandal. This development suggests an ongoing investigation into the matter.
In Illinois, a historic Black farming community is grappling with a proposed natural gas pipeline, which they perceive as an existential threat to their community and way of life.
After a county board rejected funding, a planned 150 MW solar project near Iowa City is forging ahead with a grid application using private funds. This demonstrates the project's determination to proceed despite initial setbacks.
Enbridge has yet to make public whether it has fulfilled its promise to hire thousands of local workers for its Line 3 project in northern Minnesota. The company's hiring practices are thus under scrutiny.
In Ohio, a coal lobbyist backed by former President Trump has secured a Republican U.S. House primary win. This victory could indicate a shift in political support for the coal industry.
Some lawmakers in Illinois are exploring a standalone deal to bail out two uncompetitive nuclear power plants. This proposal could have significant implications for the state's energy landscape.
Indiana environmental advocates are pushing for federal regulators to mandate a study of a proposed interstate natural gas pipeline expansion. This study could provide crucial insights into the pipeline's potential environmental impact.
Labor leaders and environmental groups in Illinois have reached an impasse over stalled clean energy legislation. This deadlock highlights the challenges in balancing labor interests with environmental concerns.
These developments highlight the complex interplay between energy policy, environmental concerns, and political dynamics across multiple states. From collaborative efforts to enhance grid reliability to contentious battles over pipeline expansions and nuclear bailouts, the energy landscape is evolving rapidly, with significant implications for communities, workers, and the environment.
