S&P Global Market Intelligence presents the most read stories for the week ended Aug. 16.
1. Suitors eye Pattern Energy as clouds gather over US wind market
Pattern Energy Group Inc., a power producer with wind farms across North America, is fielding takeover interest ahead of a potential market slowdown in the U.S.
2. US utilities eyeing virtual power plants as emerging assets
Disrupted in recent years by an uncoordinated rollout of distributed energy resources across their service territories, U.S. electric utilities are increasingly exploring how to benefit from rooftop solar arrays, batteries and other small-scale resources by combining them into virtual power plants.
3. EPA proposes rule to keep states from blocking pipelines, energy projects
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a proposed rule to help infrastructure developers overcome permitting hurdles in states such as New York, which has used its Clean Water Act authority to stop natural gas pipeline projects approved by the federal government.
4. Changes to CEO pay structure could attract investors back to oil, gas sector
General investors could flock back to the underperforming energy sector if oil and gas companies make changes to the way they compensate CEOs in annual bonuses and long-term pay incentives, analysts from Evercore ISI said during an Aug. 8 webinar.
5. Contura weighing resale, early closure of Blackjewel's Powder River Basin mines
Contura Energy Inc. is keeping several options on the table should it secure the bankruptcy auction purchase of certain Blackjewel LLC coal assets, including a resale or relatively quick pivot to reclaiming the acquired Powder River Basin mines, executives said on an Aug. 14 earnings call.
