Happy New Year! The first week of 2017 brought us news that the story of Russian hackers infiltrating a Vermont utility laptop was not true (Washington Post). Two interesting stories came out over the holiday break: first more details came out about Spectra delaying its Access Northeast pipeline possibly pushing it out to 2019 (Utility Dive) and second, the Commonwealth of MA is proceeding with energy storage procurement goals (Solar Industry Magazine). And, if you have a few minutes check out the video from Vox that takes you in and up a wind turbine and read the story about the Archimedes Screw technology that is now creating power from a CT dam (Hartford Courant).
Natural Gas/Pipeline
Spectra delays Access Northeast natural gas pipeline, Utility Dive
Weymouth sues power plant owner over land deal, The Patriot Ledger
Council Ordinance Works to Eliminate Gas Leaks in Boston, Beacon Hill Times
New England’s Controversial Pipeline Proposal Suffers Severe Setbacks, POWER Magazine
$1.2 million settlement clears a hurdle for Tennessee Gas’ Sandisfield Pipeline, Berkshire Eagle
Weymouth: Town Council Wary About Spectra Energy Projects, 95.9 WATD-FM
Connecticut Supreme Court: No environmental study needed for gas expansion plan, New Haven Register
Tennessee Gas pipeline may ‘bulldoze’ sacred Native American sites, The Berkshire Edge
Tennessee Gas sets Nov. 1 target for Otis State Forest pipeline, The Berkshire Eagle
Renewable Energy
US government forges ahead on offshore wind, FuelFix
Get a look at the innards of a 270-foot wind turbine, Vox.com
Scott plans to keep wind moratorium pledge, Rutland Herald
Scott And Legislators Differ On Two-Year, Large-Scale Wind Moratorium, Vermont Public Radio
Fight Over A Wind Turbine In Holland Pits Pastoral Beauty Against Renewable Energy, Vermont Public Radio
Dozens of rural Maine townships opt out of fast-track wind power zone, Press Herald
In Vermont, Solar, Batteries Key Energy Revolution, ABC News
Final wind-turbine rule permits thousands of eagle deaths, CT Post
Massachusetts Readies Energy Storage Targets, Solar Industry
Hanover Committee Embraces New 2050 Energy Goal for Town, Valley News
A Small Public Investment In Solar Could Produce Large Benefits for Vermont, CleanTechnica
Northeastern States Look to Power Purchase Agreements to Cut Carbon, Environmental Leader
Archimedes Screw Being Used To Generate Power At Meriden Dam, Hartford Courant
Renewable Power Standards Face Uncertain Future, MainePublic.org
MIT report questions value of distributed solar, PV Magazine
Net Metering Rules in Maine to Remain in Place for Now, State Regulators Say, Renewable Energy World
Energy Efficiency
New England to Charge Ahead on Clean Energy Makeover in 2017, RTO Insider
Final batch of Obama efficiency rules could test Trump administration, Utility Dive
Federal Funding Helps Massachusetts Farms Save Energy, Business West
Greenfield surpasses goal to reduce energy use, The Recorder
Nuclear
NRC questions Seabrook Station in audit report, Eagle-Tribune
As a US Business, Nuclear Power Stinks, POWER magazine
Protest Planned as Federal Inspectors Return to Pilgrim, CapeCod.com News
NRC “carefully considering” request for meeting on Pilgrim station, Patriot Ledger
Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.
City Council opposes Burrillville power plant, Cranston Herald
Woonsocket would get $18M in water deal for Burrillville plant, The Providence Journal
Details revealed on Invenergy’s play for Providence Water, RI Future
Community Aggregator Beats Eversource Prices, Energy Manager Today
Climate Report Looks to Spark Action, ecoRI news
FERC conditionally approves Dynegy’s $3.3B purchase of Engie fossil fuel plants, Utility Dive
Eversource spends $930 million for service maintenance across state, Monroe Courier
Study: Make big changes to energy rules to aid Maine’s struggling loggers, Bangor Daily News
Russian government hackers do not appear to have targeted Vermont utility, say people close to investigation, Washington Post
Editorial/Opinion
Editorial: Care needed in Vermont Yankee mothballing, GazetteNET
Tom Evslin: Is Vermont better off without Yankee?, vtdigger.org
Leach: Perry may solve nuclear waste problem, Barre Montpelier Times Argus
Smith: Put wind off the right shores, Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel
Invenergy power plant: A new political monster?, Valley Breeze
Let’s hold Exxon accountable, CommonWealth magazine
Editorial: A clean, and green, alternative, Worcester Sun
Northeast Energy News 