Rising electricity bills in rural Virginia were a significant factor in recent elections, contributing to Democratic victories in districts that have historically leaned Republican. Energy affordability emerged as a top concern for voters, with candidates campaigning on promises to address the issue through state-level policies.
See the full story in Canary Media.
More DMV News
Maryland’s EV Charger Inspection Program Rolls On, Despite Consumer, Industry Pushback
Maryland Matters
Key players in the electric vehicle industry said they’re concerned that state-imposed costs to fund a new charger inspection program could suppress the budding EV industry in Maryland.
Report Finds Low-Income Virginians Pay the Most for Energy, Points to Need for Affordable Solar Projects
The Bay Journal
Keep everything unplugged. Turn off the AC. Seal air leaks. Virginians are doing what they can to keep their energy bills low, but for some, it might not be enough.
Former Gov. McAuliffe Joins Pro-Natural Gas Group as National Co-Chair
Virginia Mercury
Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has joined Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future as a co-chair to promote natural gas as a route to long-term energy reliability as renewable energy sources are built out, the organization announced Tuesday.
Will PJM Do What it Takes to Get Data-Center Costs Under Control?
Canary Media
The data-center boom is pushing electricity costs to the breaking point for PJM Interconnection — the country’s biggest grid operator, serving more than 65 million people from the mid-Atlantic coast to Illinois — and that’s fueling a popular backlash.
National and International News
World Still on Track for Catastrophic 2.6C °C Temperature Rise, Report Finds
The Guardian
The world is still on track for a catastrophic 2.6 °C increase in temperature as countries have not made sufficiently strong climate pledges, while emissions from fossil fuels have hit a record high, two major reports have found.
How Trump Officials Have Transformed the EPA to Weaken Enforcement
Washington Post
The Trump administration is rapidly reshaping the Environmental Protection Agency to weaken enforcement against polluters and slash regulation of industry, according to data reviewed by The Washington Post, with the government shutdown accelerating the shift.
Electricity is Too Expensive. Here Are Three Ways to Fix That.
Canary Media
Lawmakers nationwide can lower power bills by cutting utility profits, rewarding the companies for boosting efficiency, and unleashing solar and storage.
St. Paul, Minnesota, and Environmental Groups Sue Over Canceled DOE Clean Energy Grants
Smart Cities Dive
St. Paul, Minnesota, and a coalition of energy and environmental groups on Monday sued the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Office of Management and Budget to restore $7.56 billion in clean energy grants the Trump administration canceled in October.
Thousands March for Climate Action as U.N. Talks Enter Second Week
NY Times
Thousands of climate activists flooded the Brazilian city of Belém this weekend, marching with a giant inflatable Earth, singing, dancing and demanding that nations gathered for a global climate summit at the edge of the Amazon rainforest take action to protect the planet.