SNL Energy presents the most read stories for the week ended Aug. 4.

1. EPA planning 'inside the fence' replacement for Clean Power Plan

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency appears set to replace the broadly scoped Clean Power Plan with a narrower rule requiring generators to make plant-specific thermal efficiency improvements to coal-fired facilities, according to a former transition team member for President Donald Trump and two industry sources familiar with the agency's plans.

2. US coal mine jobs up slightly in second quarter as production dips

U.S. coal production declined 5.9% from the first quarter of 2017 to the second as employment inched 0.5% higher in the same period. Average coal mining employment increased by 258 jobs quarter-to-quarter, according to an S&P Global Market Intelligence analysis.

3. Santee Cooper, SCE&G cease V.C. Summer nuclear expansion project

Santee Cooper and South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. have decided to halt the construction of two new 1,117-MW reactors at the V.C. Summer nuclear power plant outside of Columbia, S.C., now expected to cost at least $25 billion compared with the $11.4 billion approved originally by regulators.

4. Likelihood of Calpine buyout rises in step with richer analyst valuations

Reluctance by Calpine Corp. management to address a potential private buyout may indicate a greater likelihood of a transaction occurring soon, especially one that could see the generator fetch a richer premium than analysts originally expected.

5. Energy Transfer to sell $1.57B stake in Rover Pipeline to Blackstone

Energy Transfer Partners LP on July 31 struck a deal to sell a 32.44% stake in the 3.25 Bcf/d Rover Pipeline LLC project to funds managed by Blackstone Energy Partners and Blackstone Capital Partners for $1.57 billion in cash.