Feds approve nation’s largest oil export facility for Gulf of Mexico

OIL & GAS: Federal officials approve the construction of a deepwater oil export facility off the Texas Gulf Coast that will be the largest oil export terminal in the U.S. (Houston Chronicle)

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ALSO:

• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott celebrates the groundbreaking of a 380 MW natural gas-fired “peaker” plant that intends to take advantage of new state incentives to spur such construction. (KXAN)
• U.S. House Republicans hold a field hearing in Texas to argue against the Biden administration’s pause on approval of new liquified natural gas export terminals. (E&E News, subscription)
• Executives of a Georgia oil company lobby for changes to a federal law that requires the use of American-made ships to transport goods between U.S. ports, which they say blocks the shipment of domestic oil and gas to the East Coast. (Savannah Morning News)

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STORAGE: Federal investigators cite an electric vehicle battery plant in Georgia for safety violations after a recent fire in which employees “suffered potentially permanent respiratory damage.” (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

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NUCLEAR:

• Experts are divided on whether Georgia Power’s costly, long-delayed expansion of its nuclear Plant Vogtle heralds a new era for nuclear power development or will discourage future investment in the power source. (Grist)
• Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin amends two bills to allow Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power to seek cost recovery for development of small modular nuclear reactors. (Cardinal News)

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EMISSIONS:

• The U.S. EPA issues a new rule requiring more than 200 chemical plants, more than half of which are in Louisiana and Texas, to reduce toxic emissions that are likely to cause cancer. (Associated Press, Texas Tribune)
• Residents of Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley” hail the new rule as a relief and the first time their complaints about risk from nearby facilities have been taken seriously. (WWNO)
• North Carolina regulators begin public hearings on Duke Energy’s long-term plans to reduce carbon emissions while keeping power bills affordable. (Blue Ridge Public Radio)

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SOLAR:

• Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signs bills to create and expand community solar programs by Appalachian Power and Dominion Energy. (Cardinal News)
• A Texas Congress member announces a $30 million federal grant to fund the installation of solar panels on rooftops, parking lots, and parking spaces across 42 city facilities in San Antonio. (KABB)
• The Southeast accounts for half of the top 10 U.S. states with the highest estimated savings from going solar, according to a study. (CleanTechnica)
• Oklahoma residents gather to oppose NextEra Energy’s plans to build a solar and battery storage facility. (KOKH)

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BIOMASS: Mississippi officials agreed to give more than $24 million in incentives to wood pellet producers in an effort to revitalize struggling rural areas, only to see a global debate erupt around the industry and its biggest company file for bankruptcy. (Mississippi Today)

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OVERSIGHT: South Carolina regulators move to pass sweeping legislation that overhauls how the state regulates utilities to help clear the way for a planned natural gas-fired power plant, while renewable energy companies lobby for changes to encourage more solar development. (Utility Dive)

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GRID: Texas solar and battery installations are growing so much that federal energy officials say there’s less need for natural gas generation during the day. (U.S. Energy Information Administration, PV Magazine)

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COAL ASH: Duke Energy announces a new rail yard and loading dock at a retired coal-fired power plant in North Carolina to assist with disposal of about 1.3 million tons of coal ash. (Greensboro News & Record)

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UTILITIES: The Tennessee Valley Authority names a new executive leader for its east region, which includes eastern Tennessee, northern Georgia, western North Carolina and southwestern Virginia. (news release)

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