Miami’s EV bus fleet breaks down

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21 February 2025

Good morning. Two counties in metro Miami invested in an electric bus fleet that promptly broke down — and the company that made them is bankrupt. On the flipside, half of the 10 electric vehicle battery plants set to come online this year are located in the Southeast. Kentucky is considering revamping its utility commission. And regulators are finally (?) coming down on West Virginia U.S. Sen. Jim Justice’s coal empire.

TODAY'S TOP NEWS

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Two metro Florida counties spent $126 million to buy a fleet of 117 electric buses and install charging stations, but most broke down within a year and the company that made them has filed for bankruptcy, leaving the buses unrepaired amid a parts shortage. (Miami Herald)
The Southeast is home to five of ten new electric vehicle battery plants scheduled to come online this year amid growing uncertainty over President Trump’s orders repealing funding for the fledgling industry. (Inside Climate News)

OVERSIGHT

A Kentucky state lawmaker expresses displeasure at the planned retirement of three coal-fired power plants and introduces a bill to expand the state regulatory commission from three to five members, with the two new members appointed by the Republican state auditor. (Lexington Herald-Leader)

FOSSIL FUELS

Federal regulators back off their threat to take over enforcement authority of one of West Virginia U.S. Sen. Jim Justice’s coal mines with chronic environmental violations, and instead sign off on a state agency’s oversight. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
A federal court issues a garnishment summons to Justice involving a lawsuit against him and two of his coal companies alleging breach of contract. (West Virginia Public Broadcasting)
A federal court hears a challenge by environmental groups of a deadline extension for the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s planned spur from Virginia into North Carolina. (NC Newsline)
Environmental groups sue the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to challenge a permit it issued for a coal mine in West Virginia. (West Virginia Public Broadcasting)

SOLAR

Two energy companies announce they’ll partner to build a 260 MW solar farm in Texas. (news release)

NUCLEAR

The Tennessee Valley Authority partners with an energy company to develop a fusion plant at a retired coal facility in Tennessee. (WATE)

UTILITIES

Southern utility Entergy’s stock price has increased nearly 75% over the past year, due in large part to its deals with tech companies that want to power data centers. (Fortune)
Southeast utility giant Southern Company reports earnings of $4.4 billion last year, an increase from the previous year. (AL.com)

CLIMATE

Last weekend’s storms produced historic flooding in parts of eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia that have already seen up to twice their normal precipitation so far this winter. (Washington Post)

COMMENTARY

Virginia lawmakers missed an opportunity to fund a program to develop renewable energy projects on former coal mines and other underutilized sites, write a state lawmaker and a solar company official. (Cardinal News)
South Carolina should pursue nuclear energy development as the cornerstone of an “all of the above” strategy that also includes natural gas and renewables, writes a former state lawmaker. (Post and Courier)
South Carolina lawmakers should reject legislation to fast-track construction of natural gas-fired power plants and pipelines because of environmental risks and the fuel’s unpredictable price swings, writes a climate activist. (Post and Courier)