As Main Street businesses wait, coal companies take advantage of virus relief

COAL: As the businesses on the main street are deprived of assistance, a Lexington coal company valued at $ 100 million received an $ 8.4 million forgivable loan under the Trump administration’s Small Business Assistance Program. (Chief of the Lexington Herald)
ALSO: United Mine Workers union leader says liquidated Murray Energy as proposed by creditor would be bad for minors. (MetroNews)
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NUCLEAR:
• The pandemic is slow down the pace of construction at Plant Vogtle in Georgia, the only active nuclear power plant project in the country. (Greentech Media)
• Georgia Power says 171 workers at the Plant Vogtle site have now tested positive for the coronavirus, while 81 have recovered. (Chronicle of Augusta)
COAL ASH: Government contractor accused of endangering Kingston coal ash clean-up workers offers 197 of them $ 10,000 each to withdraw from their lawsuits against the company. (Knoxville News Sentinel, subscription)
SOLAR:
• The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill is part of a partner in a US Department of Energy effort to accelerate the commercialization of thin, flexible solar cells made from a material called perovskite. (CleanTechnica)
• Invenergy announces the start of operations for its 100th solar project, a 160 megawatt system in Mitchell County, Georgia. (Energy technology)
• Arkansas utility partners with developer to build its first solar project, a 13.25 megawatt system in Jonesboro, Arkansas. (Solar industry)
STORAGE: Virginia Electric Co-op COO Appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of the US Energy Storage Association. (Electrical engineering)
UTILITIES:
• A group of manufacturers in North Carolina asks Duke Energy to temporarily waive the application fee for industrial and commercial customers. (Charlotte Observer)
• San Antonio’s electricity and gas company CPS Energy is prepare for a loss of up to $ 100 million this exercise due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Rivard Report)
PETROLEUM GAS: Halliberton Oil Services Company laid off 233 employees in Kilgore, Texas, because he plans to close his factory there. (Longview News-Journal)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Korean oil refiner turns to electric vehicle batteries says so will build a second factory at its Jackson Country, Georgia site. (Global Atlanta)
• A research article from the University of Florida imagines a “peer to peer car charging” system in which the telescopic arms would connect and share power with other moving vehicles on a highway. (New Atlas)