AP: Builder Projects 18-Month Delay for Nuclear Plant in Georgia

Southern Co. said the firms building its new nuclear power plant in Georgia estimate the project will be delayed eighteen months, potentially costing the power company $720 million in new charges, company officials said Thursday.

The latest delay at Plant Vogtle is another setback for a project that was supposed to prove nuclear reactors could be built on time and without the cost overruns that financially strained utilities decades ago. Power companies are already shuttering existing nuclear plants because natural gas is so cheap by comparison.

Green Car Reports: Where Will BMW Electric-Car Batteries Go When They Retire?

Presuming you don't toss it over the nearest cliff, what do you do with a used electric-car battery pack?

Even after battery capacity has degraded too much for use in cars, lithium-ion cells still have usable storage capacity.

Now, BMW plans to put those used batteries to good use.

National Journal: With Keystone Theater Done, Senate Primed for Meaty Energy Debate

After a month that saw more than 40 roll-call votes on energy issues, the Senate is geared up to do it all again -- just a little slower.

The final vote on the Keystone XL oil pipeline bill capped a long-awaited open debate on energy, with votes on issues ranging from the reality of climate change to renewable-energy tax incentives. It was, both sides said, a chance to knock off some rust and get into topics that hadn't seen votes on the Senate floor in years.

Bloomberg: Seven Reasons Cheap Oil Can't Stop Renewables Now

Oil prices have fallen by more than half since July. Just five years ago, such a plunge in fossil fuels would have put the renewable-energy industry on bankruptcy watch. Today: Meh.

Here are seven reasons why humanity’s transition to cleaner energy won’t be sidetracked by cheap oil.

htxt.Africa: Wind and Solar Energy Saved South Africa R5.3 Billion Last Year

Renewable energy is still very much on the back burner for the South African government, but if you need any more proof that it can dramatically ease the burden of electricity supplier Eskom’s fossil fuel generation, look no further than a recent Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) study.

According to the study, wind and solar energy saved South Africa around R3.7 billion, which would have otherwise been used to support the generation of electricity through diesel and coal.