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FirstEnergy Defends $1B Power Plant Deal
May 21, 2013 8:03 am | by VICKI SMITH, Associated Press | CommentsThe $1.1 billion cost of selling a coal-fired power plant from one FirstEnergy Corp. subsidiary to another is "a reasonable price for protection" against the more expensive option of buying electricity on the spot market to meet demand in West Virginia, a utility executive said Monday.
Coal Operator Plans 7 Mines in Eastern Kentucky
May 21, 2013 8:01 am | by BRUCE SCHREINER, Associated Press | CommentsA longtime coal operator plans to open seven mines in the heart of the eastern Kentucky coalfields in a venture expected to create more than 250 jobs in a hard-pressed region where several thousand mining jobs have disappeared in recent years.
Coast Guard to Take Testimony on Shell Grounding
May 20, 2013 8:42 am | by DAN JOLING, Associated Press | CommentsCircumstances surrounding the grounding of a Royal Dutch Shell PLC drill barge off a remote Alaska island will be explored in a public hearing in Anchorage. The Coast Guard says a marine casualty investigation into the grounding of the Kulluk will begin at noon Monday at the Loussac Library and could last two weeks.
NRC Meets with Public After NC Nuke Plant Shuttered
May 20, 2013 8:41 am | CommentsThe sudden shutdown of a nuclear power plant outside North Carolina's capital city because of year-old data is likely to prompt questions at a local meeting with federal regulators. Nuclear Regulatory Commission employees hold an annual public meeting and question-and-answer session about the Shearon Harris nuclear plant on Monday.
Mine Agency Cites Alpha for 2012 Fatality
May 20, 2013 8:38 am | CommentsAlpha Natural Resources faces a proposed $6,000 civil fine for a fatal accident at one of its West Virginia mines. The Charleston Gazette reports that the West Virginia Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training cited Alpha for modifying a scoop. A state rule prohibits equipment modifications that limit visibility.
Maker of 'Pink Slime' Continues to Struggle
May 20, 2013 8:36 am | CommentsThe beef-processing company that makes the product that critics call "pink slime" continues to struggle more than a year after the initial stories on the lean bits of beef that Beef Products Inc. (BPI) makes. The company lost 80 percent of its business after the uproar over what BPI calls lean finely textured beef.
Texas Sues BP for Damages Related to Oil Spill
May 20, 2013 8:34 am | by JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press | CommentsA lawsuit, filed by the office of Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott in federal court in Beaumont, is seeking lost tax revenue, lost revenue from state parks, damages to natural resources and civil penalties from BP for each day that oil was spilled during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill and for every barrel of oil that was illegally discharged.
More Bodies Recovered in Collapsed Indonesia Mine
May 20, 2013 8:31 am | by JEFREY PATTIRAJAWANE, Associated Press | CommentsRescuers recovered five more bodies from a collapsed underground room at a giant U.S.-owned gold and copper mine in Indonesia, bringing the confirmed death toll to 14, police said Monday. Fourteen other workers were still missing and feared dead.
NC Nuclear Plant Shut Down After Tiny Cracks Discovered
May 17, 2013 10:31 am | by EMERY P. DALESIO, AP Business Writer | CommentsA nuclear plant near North Carolina's capital city was shut down after operators reviewing ultrasonic tests from last year found the results showed tiny marks of corrosion and cracking that need repair, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said.
Xcel Energy Proposes Power Plants in Southeast ND
May 17, 2013 10:27 am | CommentsXcel Energy is proposing two natural gas-fired power plants in southeastern North Dakota to help meet electricity needs during times of peak demand in the upper Midwest in coming years. The plants would be built near Hankinson, about 70 miles south of Fargo, if they are approved by regulators.
Foes Line Up Against Sale of W.Va. Power Plant
May 17, 2013 10:25 am | CommentsOpposition is mounting to Mon Power's proposed purchase of a coal-fired power plant in north-central West Virginia -- a deal critics say is overvalued and would unfairly raise rates. The Public Service Commission has scheduled hearings in Charleston for May 29-31.
Authorities: Crime Not Ruled Out in Texas Blast
May 17, 2013 10:19 am | by NOMAAN MERCHANT, Associated Press | CommentsInvestigators reviewing the explosion that ripped through a fertilizer plant in West, Texas last month have narrowed the number of possible causes to three: a problem with one of the plant's electrical systems, a battery-powered golf cart, and a criminal act.
Dozens Killed in Congo Mine Collapse
May 17, 2013 10:14 am | CommentsThe government of Congo says more than 20 people have died in village of Rubaye in the region of Masisi in North Kivu province in the far eastern part of the country when a bush mine collapsed Friday evening. A search for possible survivors is underway.
NRC to Discuss Review of Va. Nuke Plant
May 17, 2013 10:10 am | CommentsThe Nuclear Regulatory Commission has scheduled a meeting in Virginia to field questions on the agency's assessment of the safety performance last year at the Surry nuclear power plant. The meeting is scheduled for May 23 in Surry. NRC staff will be available to answer questions.
Ill. 'Fracking' Bill Ready for Vote
May 16, 2013 10:31 am | CommentsSupporters of high-volume oil and gas drilling say a bill to regulate the practice in Illinois is ready for a vote after last-minute negotiations over hiring and environmental concerns. The House bill was introduced in February with strong support but became stalled over an amendment requiring energy companies to hire Illinois-licensed water well drillers.
