Energy News for week ending February 2, 2018

Complete Turnaround | Nyet | Super Bowl Efficiency

Diving right in today, of course the big news story is that the New Hampshire Site Evaluation Committee unanimously denied an application for Northern Pass. That’s quite the turnaround from last week’s announcement that the Canadian hydro project was the sole winner of Massachusetts’ 83D RFP.

The reactions were all over the place. From Eversource’s “shocked and outraged” (Union Leader) to critics “reveling” in the project’s denial (Concord Monitor) to Massachusetts officials being “quiet” and “saying little” (WRAL). This morning Hydro-Quebec’s CEO Éric Martel seemed to take it all in stride during a CBC News interview. “We knew there was a risk in New Hampshire,” Martel told CBC’s Daybreak. “But we still believe the [Northern Pass] project is going to happen.” He added that “even if [Northern Pass] it collapses, there are other routes the lines can take to get to Massachusetts. ‘Hydro-Québec has proposed also a line going through Vermont and a line going through Maine to get to the same place,’ he said. ‘The people of Massachusetts want that energy so, at some point, we’ll find a way.’”

Alrighty then. Just in case it doesn’t work out for Canadian hydro, check out the list of the other projects that Massachusetts rejected from this WBUR story Win For Northern Pass In Mass. Could Signal A Shift Away From Smaller Renewables.

Last week we mentioned the news that a tanker carrying Russian gas was waiting offshore to unload in Everett and another was expected. Well the gas arrived and the drama began. A Boston Globe editorial lays out all of the reasons why Russian LNG is happening, and why we should just say, “Nyet.” As they conclude, “Russia’s dirty fuels — and dirty oligarchs — are suddenly our problem.”

Of course we need to end this week’s news with a reference to the big game on Sunday. According to Popular Science, “We consume a lot of food and beer on Super Bowl Sunday, but not a lot of electricity.” Why? “Analyses of energy consumption show that while we do use up a bit more energy than average before the big game, we usually drop below the norm while the Super Bowl is on (save for spikes at commercial breaks). We’re not getting up to open the fridge much. We’re not cooking. We’re not working on our laptops and checking our phones while we watch. We’re just sitting and staring the same energy-efficient television as 10 other people.”

That’s it for this week. As always, be sure to check out Northeast Energy News for events. Have a great weekend and Go Pats!

All Things Northern Pass

Critics of Northern Pass project revel in proposal’s denial, Concord Monitor

Hydro-Québec CEO optimistic that Northern Pass project isn’t dead in the water, CBC

Massachusetts officials quiet on Northern Pass rejection, WRAL

Eversource -5% as New Hampshire regulator denies Northern Pass project, Seeking Alpha

Northern Pass ‘shocked and outraged’ by application denial, Union Leader

Massachusetts attorney general to review hydropower contract, Boston Herald

The Controversy Behind Massachusetts’ $1.6B Hydro Power Transmission Line, Greentech Media

Full accounting needed on Northern Pass deal, Boston Globe

Our Opinion: Eversource a suspect hydropower choice, Berkshire Eagle

Win For Northern Pass In Mass. Could Signal A Shift Away From Smaller Renewables, WBUR