Duke-Progress merger troubles regulators - Local/State - NewsObserver.com

John Murawski

"As a result, the commission conditionally approved the merger but said the two electric utilities had 60 days to propose solutions if they wished to proceed with the merger. The agency's suggested remedies are to sell off power plants, build new transmission lines, or join a regional transmission authority.

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Faulty gauge leads SC nuke plant to shut down - State & Regional - Wire - TheState.com

"HARTSVILLE, S.C. — Progress Energy officials say a faulty electrical relay has caused a reactor to shut down at the Robinson Nuclear Plant near Hartsville.
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ECT.coop » First in US Co-op Loan Program

Michale W. Kahn, ECT Staff Writer

"Central Electric Power Cooperative has received a $740,000 Department of Agriculture loan. Columbia, S.C.-based Central will use the funds to underwrite 100 residential loans for an energy efficiency research pilot over the next year.

The zero-percent interest money comes from the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program, or REDLG. State co-op officials said this is the first time a REDLG loan has been used strictly for energy efficiency.

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How Government Can Stimulate Green Technology - Room for Debate - NYTimes.com

Lisa Morganelli

"How the U.S. Can Be Effective"

Lisa Margonelli, is the director of the Energy Policy Initiative at New America Foundation. She is the author of "Oil on the Brain: Petroleum's Long Strange Trip to Your Tank" and published the Energy Trap.

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G.M. Plans to Develop Electric Cars With Chinese Automaker - NYTimes.com

Keith Bradsher

"Tuesday’s announcement was being made as the Chinese government was putting heavy pressure on foreign automakers to transfer electric car technology to joint ventures in China. But G.M. took pains to say that its joint-venture agreement was not connected to its plans to begin importing its new American-made Chevrolet Volt plug-in electric hybrid to China this year"

S.C. group fighting biomass pollution - Local / Metro - TheState.com

Sammy Fretwell

"The S.C. Coastal Conservation League, one of the state’s largest environmental groups, says the federal government should not exempt biomass plants from pending carbon dioxide rules. The league on Monday joined an Aug.15 lawsuit challenging the federal exemption.
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Duke Energy, Progress Energy to cut 2,000 jobs - Business Courier

John Downey

"Duke Energy and Progress Energy will tell North Carolina regulators this week that they expect to eliminate 2,000 positions after the companies merge.
That is 500 more than a rough estimate of 1,500 – about 5 percent of their combined work force – that a witness provided to the N.C. Utilities Commission in pre-filed testimony for next week’s hearings on the merger."

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