Taking it in | No reconsideration | They don’t belong to you
Happy Friday!
Given it’s the start of a long weekend we’ll keep it short today.
The biggest news of course was the awarding of the MA 83C RFP for offshore wind to Vineyard Wind. According to an article on Southcoasttoday.com there were some who were surprised that the state didn’t award contracts to two bidders. And just after the announcement Erich Stephens, chief development officer for Vineyard Wind, was quoted only as saying “I’m still at the point of … taking it in.” The New York Times also has a great story on what it means for the offshore wind industry in the US and in particular, New Bedford. And, how at the same time as Massachusetts’ announcement, “Rhode Island announced it would award a 400-megawatt offshore wind project to another bidder (Deepwater Wind) in the auction.”
The Union Leader reports “There will be no reconsideration of the Northern Pass by the state’s Site Evaluation Committee…An appeal to the state Supreme Court is now the most likely option for the project.”
And last for this week is a report in the Salem News that “State regulators earlier this year told a dozen electric, natural gas and water companies to show how they plan to pass along savings from a federal tax cut to their customers. Attorney General Maura Healey wasn’t happy with the response, it seems. Her office blasted the companies, calling their plans inadequate and accusing them of “holding onto tax revenues that legally do not belong to them,” in a letter to the state Department of Public Utilities…Healey’s office is hiring a private consultant to review the utilities’ plans and determine if they are fudging the numbers, Geary noted.
As always you can find events at Northeast Energy News. Enjoy the long weekend!
Offshore Wind/83C RFP/RI
‘Taking it in’: Vineyard Wind wins offshore wind contract with Massachusetts, South Coast Today
Project Selected to Bring Offshore Wind Energy to the Commonwealth, Mass.gov (press release)
Massachusetts and Rhode Island Contract for 1,200MW of Offshore Wind, Greentech Media
In Landmark Day, East Coast States Secure 1.2 GW of Offshore Wind for US, Renewable Energy World
Massachusetts Gains Foothold in Offshore Wind Power, Long Ignored in U.S., New York Times
Two big wind farms to rise off coast of Martha’s Vineyard, Boston Globe
Baker makes bold bet on offshore wind, CommonWealth Magazine
Massachusetts and Rhode Island announce large offshore wind projects, Press Herald
CMP’s parent company to build nation’s largest offshore wind project, Bangor Daily News
Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling
Northeast Region Slated for Record Natural Gas Pipeline Capacity Buildout in 2018, The Energy Collective
Divided FERC restricts climate impacts in pipeline reviews, Utility Dive
N.H. Supreme Court on natural gas pipeline expansion could provide spark for Northern Pass, Concord Monitor
NH court OKs novel pipeline financing approach, CommonWealth Magazine
Court Overturns Pipeline Denial, Valley News
Fall River Regrets Water Sale to Burrillville Power Plant, ecoRI news
The Great American Fracking Bubble, CleanTechnica
Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI
NY Task Force Examines Carbon Pricing Impacts, RTO Insider
NY Gov., Communities Question Environmental Justice of Proposed Waste-to-Energy Facility, Renewable Energy World
As more solar and wind come onto the grid, prices go down but new questions come up, The Conversation
1st Franklin candidates debate energy, climate policy, Daily Hampshire Gazette
Report: Renewables, Energy Efficiency in New England Will Replace the Need for Gas Pipelines, Renewable Energy World
Activists rally against bill that would allow energy incentives for biomass, The Providence Journal
Wind
Vineyard Wind to deploy wind measurement buoy at Massachusetts offshore wind project, Compelo
Turbine will not spin again in Falmouth, Cape Cod Times
New London, state leaders push offshore wind development as Mass., R.I. projects move forward, The Day
Solar
New UMaine energy proposal calls for biomass, solar, Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel
‘Solar For All’ Brings Green Energy To Lower-Income Households, WSHU
GID and Black Bear announce Massachusetts solar projects, pv magazine USA
Rhinebeck and Vermont solar companies merge, plan to add employees, Poughkeepsie Journal
City Council to talk solar power, The Laconia Daily Sun
Energy Efficiency/Storage
Energy Efficiency Leads in Job Growth as Energy Sector Adds Over 130,000 Jobs in 2017, Renewable Energy World
Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs Harder to Find, More Expensive in High-Poverty Neighborhoods, Greentech Media
EVs
Utility trade groups press EPA to embrace EVs in fuel standard rewrite, Utility Dive
EV charging could significantly reduce storage needs, DOE lab finds, Utility Dive
Nuclear
NorthStar makes new promises for Vermont Yankee purchase, Brattleboro Reformer
NRC releases summary of Seabrook nuclear plant visit, Gloucester Daily Times
Panel seeks to define state role in Pilgrim closure, Cape Cod Times
New Jersey Gov. Murphy signs bills creating zero emission credits for nuclear, Utility Dive
Proposed NRC rule changes raise safety concerns, Cape Cod Times
Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.
Site Evaluation Committee rejects Northern Pass appeal for new hearing, Union Leader
Bill Gives Municipalities More Say in Power-Plant Siting, ecoRI news
Eversource Under Fire For Gas Rate Hike Request, Hartford Courant
3 Questions: New England’s wholesale electricity markets, MIT News
Electricity company overcharged customers millions, but was still losing money, Bangor Daily News
New York Public Service Commission forecasts lower energy prices this summer, Daily Energy Insider
Cold snap tested reliability of region’s power grid and arguments against fossil fuels, Portland Press Herald
Maine eyes lower ratepayer costs from increased electric integration with Canada, Utility Dive
Utilities slow in reducing charges, Salem News
New York State Public Service Commission begins management, operations audit of National Grid, Daily Energy Insider
Generators slam ISO-NE cost recovery proposal for Exelon gas plant, Utility Dive
Some Mainers question hydro-electricity line for MA, CommonWealth Magazine
Farmington rethinks endorsement of Quebec to Massachusetts power line, Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel
Is the Great Experiment of Wholesale Electricity Competition Ending?, Electric Light and Power
Governor LePage seeks input on a new era in Maine energy, PenBayPilot.com
Concerns raised over CMP transmission line proposal, Daily Bulldog
Rhode Island and New England May Get Hit with Rolling Blackouts in the future, GoLocalProv
Blumenthal Slams Eversource For Proposed Rate Hike, New England Public Radio
Editorial/Opinion
Eversource: Time to rein in competitive electricity suppliers, CommonWealth Magazine
Offshore wind rush is irresponsible, CommonWealth Magazine
Natural gas is not a clean fuel, CommonWealth Magazine
We need to put a price on carbon, CommonWealth Magazine
How Massachusetts can blaze a trail for climate action, Boston Globe
“Green” energy, an environmental disaster, PowerLine Blog
Northeast Energy News 