by Ralph Chapoco, Alabama Reflector
August 5, 2025

The Alabama Public Service Commission Tuesday approved Alabama Power’s purchase of a natural gas power plant in Autauga County.

Commissioners also approved the company’s request to increase the monthly electricity rates it charges to its residential customers by $3.32 to offset the cost of acquiring the plant.

“After a review of all of the pre-filed testimony, the transcript of the hearing and the post hearing briefs in the form of proposed orders, the Staff has determined that Alabama Power Company has demonstrated a need for additional capacity and presented evidence demonstrating that the Lindsay Hill Facility proposed by the Company represents a reasonable means by which the Company can meet this need in a reliable and economic manner,” said John Garner, executive director of the Public Service Commission during the meeting.

The company said in a filing with the PSC in October that it needs roughly 1,200 megawatts in new power capacity by the end of the decade, due in part to the growth of data centers. The utility estimates that it will have surplus capacity until 2028.

This would be the third Alabama Power rate increase that the company imposed on its customers since 2020. The company acquired other power plants in 2020 and 2022 and increased the rate by $5 per month to pay for the cost of those purchases.

Alabama Power seeks to purchase natural gas plant in Autauga County

Alabama Power said in a statement on Tuesday that the decision reinforces the company’s commitment to deliver dependable energy to Alabama.

“Adding Lindsay Hill’s strong track record of reliable power to our generation mix will strengthen our ability to meet the growing needs of our state so we can economically produce the electricity our customers count on,” Alabama Power said. “Customers will not see any impact on their bills from this facility until mid-2027.”

Renewable energy advocates who intervened in the case and sought to block the purchase.

“Alabama Power’s five-year gas grab burdens families with higher bills and highlights the utility’s failure to consider cheaper and cleaner alternatives,” said Daniel Tait, executive director of Energy Alabama, in a statement.

“Alabama families deserve better than approving polluting power plants without proof they’re absolutely necessary,” said Jilisa Milton, director of Greater-Brimingham Alliance to Stop Pollution (GASP), in a statement.

Energy Alabama and GASP, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center argue that Alabama Power overestimated the demand of these data centers when it estimated future capacity needs and excluded other energy sources that are more friendly to the environment from consideration

Alabama Power said it based its estimates on the power demand of a currently operational data center. It also said that it excluded renewable energy sources, such as solar power and energy storage, from its options because the company does not have the experience with those energy sources.

Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Brian Lyman for questions: info@alabamareflector.com.

The post Alabama PSC allows Alabama Power to purchase Autauga County power plant appeared first on alabamareflector.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Right

The article primarily presents factual reporting on the Alabama Public Service Commission’s approval of Alabama Power’s purchase of a natural gas power plant and rate increase. The framing largely reflects a pro-business and utility-friendly perspective, emphasizing the company’s need to meet growing power demands and maintain reliable service. While it includes critical voices from environmental groups who oppose the purchase and rate hike, their perspectives are presented as opposition statements rather than integrated analysis. Overall, the article maintains a tone that leans toward supporting traditional energy infrastructure and regulatory decisions favoring the utility, aligning it with a Center-Right bias.

SUMMARY: Alabama schools are starting the new year with a focus on student health, attendance, and readiness. A new law banning phone use in schools is in effect, and educators emphasize the importance of consistent attendance to reduce chronic absenteeism. Greene County Superintendent Corey Jones reports about 900 students returning, with teachers prepared to support diverse needs, including nontraditional and homeless students. The Alabama Department of Public Health advises physicals for all students, especially athletes, to ensure proper growth and mental health. Governor Kay Ivey encourages students to be brave and strive for their best year yet, highlighting their potential to impact Alabama’s future.

Leaders across the state are sharing what students and parents need to know as the new school year kicks off.

News 19 is North Alabama’s News Leader! We are the CBS affiliate in North Alabama and the Tennessee Valley since November 28, 1963.

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Source

by Ben Solis, Alabama Reflector
August 4, 2025

This story is a collaboration between Michigan Advance in collaboration with Wisconsin Examiner. 

A coalition of 15 state attorneys general have filed a multistate lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s effort to restrict access to medically-necessary care for transgender, intersex and nonbinary youth.

The lawsuit challenges recent federal action to deter doctors and medical providers from offering gender affirming care to youth under the age of 19 years old, including states like Michigan where that care is legal and protected.

Joining the suit are the attorneys general of Michigan, New York, California, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, as well as Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

“The Trump administration shouldn’t be interfering with the provision of health care,” said Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul in a statement Friday. “The administration should be respecting individual liberty and equal rights, not shamefully targeting transgender people.”

The attorneys general have asserted that President Donald Trump’s White House is overstepping its authority, using threats of criminal prosecution and federal investigations to pressure health care providers.

“The Trump Administration is attempting to strip away lawful, essential healthcare from vulnerable youth. These orders are illegal and dangerous and have no medical or scientific basis,” said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel in a statement. “I will continue to protect families, defend doctors, and stop politicians from putting our kids’ lives at risk.”

Trump in the beginning of his second administration signed an executive order stating that the U.S. would only recognize two sexes, and called for an end to what Trump labeled “gender ideology.” A second order focused on medical restrictions, directing the U.S. Department of Justice to pursue enforcement actions related to that care.

Since then, Nessel’s office said the Department of Justice has issued subpoenas to providers under the guise of criminal law enforcement, but the attorneys general filing the lawsuit Friday argue those efforts lack legal standing and are intended only to intimidate.

“Health care decisions for kids should be made by parents and doctors, not by politicians,” said Erin Knott, executive director of Equality Michigan, a LGBTQ+ advocacy group, in a statement. “The federal government is using funding as a weapon to force providers to abandon their patients and override parents’ rights to make health care decisions for their own children.”

Patricia Wells, a doctor and the medical director of The Corner Health Center in Ypsilanti, Michigan, said in a statement that she and her colleagues are distressed by new punitive changes to funding and regulations, which threaten to dismantle essential care.

“These policies do not protect children; they endanger them,” Wells said. “They undermine trust in the medical system and place affirming providers in an impossible position, forcing hospitals to close clinics and providers to stop offering the very care that helps young people survive and thrive. The loss of these services would not simply be a policy failure; it would be a moral one.”

Wells said the nation must do better.

“These young people deserve our compassion, our evidence-based care, and our unwavering commitment to their well-being,” she said. “I applaud the leadership of the state of Michigan for protecting transgender and gender nonconforming youth, their families, and the caregivers who are saving lives every day.”

Erik Gunn of Wisconsin Examiner contributed to this report.

Michigan Advance is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Michigan Advance maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jon King for questions: info@michiganadvance.com.

Wisconsin Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Wisconsin Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Ruth Conniff for questions: info@wisconsinexaminer.com.

Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Brian Lyman for questions: info@alabamareflector.com.

The post AGs from 15 states sue to block attacks on medically necessary care for transgender youth appeared first on alabamareflector.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Left-Leaning

This article clearly advocates for transgender rights and criticizes the Trump administration’s policies restricting gender-affirming care for youth. The language used is sympathetic toward transgender individuals and emphasizes medical and scientific consensus supporting such care. It highlights legal actions taken by Democratic attorneys general and frames the federal government’s enforcement efforts as overreach and intimidation. While the piece reports facts about the lawsuit and quotes officials and advocates, its framing and selection of sources indicate a perspective aligned with progressive values on LGBTQ+ rights and healthcare access.