Rural Energy Savings Program Press Conference - VIDEO

(Washington, DC) – House Majority Whip and Sixth District Congressman James E. Clyburn joined with Senator Lindsey Graham and Congressman John Spratt today to introduce legislation establishing a nationwide Rural Energy Savings Program, modeled on the South Carolina electric cooperatives’ plan to save their consumers money on their utility bills. This bipartisan legislation provides $4.9 billion in lending authority through the Rural Utilities Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide energy efficient upgrades for participating consumers. Those improvements will be paid for through energy savings spread across monthly payments on participating consumers’ utilities bills. The federal government will be repaid its initial investment, and as many as one million electric cooperative consumers will enjoy the benefits of energy efficient homes through the program.

North Charleston Wind Turbine Facility - TheState.com

Turbine executives to meet today - Business - TheState.com:

By KATY STECH - postandcourier.com

"The group has the extraordinary task of designing a test facility that can handle mega-drive trains, which are so large they won't fit at any existing test center.

Wind turbines typically can handle between 3 and 5 megawatts of power. The Clemson facility will be designed to handle turbine parts that can process up to 15 megawatts, enough electricity to power 20,000 homes."

CERAWEEK-FPL may delay nuclear plants; seek loan guarantee | Reuters

CERAWEEK-FPL may delay nuclear plants; seek loan guarantee
| Reuters:

By Eileen O'Grady

"HOUSTON, March 11 (Reuters) - Florida Power & Light is studying a delay in construction of two proposed nuclear reactors in Florida and may reconsider seeking a federal loan guarantee, Moray Dewhurst, vice chairman of the utility's parent FPL Group (FPL.N), said on Thursday."

Progress Energy Rolls Out EE Program in Marion County

Progress Energy to help provide residential energy saving upgrades in Marion | SCNow:

"According to Progress Energy officials, the program will begin with an auditor conducting an energy assessment at each residence to identify the appropriate upgrades.
Measures include installing compact fluorescent light bulbs and programmable thermostats, changing air filters, caulking doors and windows, insulating water heaters, and other upgrades that can help homeowners save up to $95 a year on their electric bills, Birmingham-Byrd said.�"

SCE&G Public Hearing Schedule

SC regulators set hearings on SCE&G rate hike - BusinessWeek: "The first hearing is April 26 at Summerville Town Hall. The second is April 27 at the International Longshoreman's Association in Charleston. The last is May 24 at the Public Service Commission headquarters in Columbia."

Bill would fund energy efficiency loans for SC coop customers

Lawmakers pushing S.C. energy idea - Business - TheState.com:

By JAMES ROSEN - McClatchy Newspapers

"The measure would bring $70 million in low-interest loans over a decade to 700,000 households and businesses in South Carolina that use power distributed by 20 electric co-ops.
'This legislation will create jobs, save American businesses and families on their electric bill and reduce pollution,' Clyburn said.
Clyburn's aides said the measure would lead to the creation of 4,750 permanent jobs in South Carolina over a decade, 2,100 of them in the first year.
Customers would pay off the loans through monthly charges on their electric bills that the legislation's backers say would be more than offset by reduced power usage through installing insulation, double-paned windows, heat pumps and other energy-efficient products."

FCC Staff Makes Broadband Reccomendations

FCC may set aside free wireless spectrum for Internet broadband | ZDNet Government
| ZDNet.com:
 "Commissioner Mignon L. Clyburn during a speech at the Digital Inclusion Summit suggested that the FCC may look at some wireless spectrum being set aside for at little or no cost for anyone’s use."