Progress Energy accepts $200 million federal grant - BusinessWeek:

"Progress Energy Inc. said Wednesday that it has accepted a $200 million federal grant that will be used to modernize the company's two utilities in the Carolinas and Florida.

The upgrades will give the utilities real-time information about the state of their electric grids, and give customers more information about and control over their energy use."

Report: Duke Energy out of E.On deal - Dayton Business Journal:: "

Duke Energy Corp. has lost out on a bid to purchase E.On U.S.’s assets, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing individuals familiar with the $6 billion to $7 billion deal."

Federal regulators to talk about SC nuclear plant - State & Regional - Wire - TheState.com:

Associated Press

"Staffers from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will be at Wednesday's meeting, which begins at 5 p.m. at McCrorey-Liston Elementary School in Blair, about 30 miles northwest of Columbia. The public is invited to ask questions and get an update on the plant's operations."

Senate refuses to confirm Crist appointees to PSC -

BY BRENT KALLESTAD

ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

Florida AP
- MiamiHerald.com:

"The Senate vote against confirming commissioners David Klement of Bradenton and Benjamin 'Steve' Stevens of Pensacola came after more than a half hour of animated floor debate. In separate votes, the Senate opposed Klement 21-17 and Stevens 23-14."

Senate should approve two PSC appointments
BRADENTON HERALD EDITORIAL | Keep utility commission free of special interests - Our Take - BradentonHerald.com: "The appointments of two Floridians to the state’s Public Service Commission are threatened by powerful special interests and the political warfare between Gov. Charlie Crist and fellow Republicans in the Senate. Chamber President Jeff Atwater should compel a vote by the Ethics and Elections Committee, which abruptly and rudely adjourned last Tuesday while one appointee answered questions at the podium."

Packed house pummels proposed SCE&G rate hike

Charleston Regional Business Journal | Charleston, SC:

By Daniel Brock
dbrock@scbiznews.com

"More than 170 people packed into the Summerville Town Council chamber in protest of the increase that would eventually cost customers about $140 annually on average. The spikes would come in three stages of about 3% each. The first would hit in July, followed by additional rate increases in January and July of next year."

Violet Skipper speaks at Summerville public hearing on proposed rate increase from Charleston Business Journal on Vimeo.

Voters Give Mixed Reviews to Global Warming Legislation, But 56% Don’t Want To Pay For It - Rasmussen Reports™:
"But a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that while 39% of likely voters favor a major energy bill aimed at reducing global warming, 40% oppose it. Twenty-one percent (21%) more are undecided.
Forty percent (40%) think a major energy bill aimed at reducing global warming will hurt the economy. Thirty-four percent (34%) say such a bill will help the economy, and 15% say it will have no impact."