Happy Friday the 13th!
We hope everyone’s day is going well. We’ve got lots of stories below.
Here are a few we found interesting:
Clean energy is catching up to natural gas much faster than anyone thought, “For around 10 years, the conventional wisdom in the energy sector has been that natural gas is ascendant. Coal is dirty, and it’s getting expensive, but it’s too early to jump all the way to renewable energy. To get from the fossil fuel present to the renewable future, we will need … a bridge. Natural gas is meant to be that bridge, a way to reduce our emissions relative to coal while we work on scaling up renewables…” Vox.com
FERC Thwarts ISO-NE’s Attempt to Keep Mystic Gas Units Online, “The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on July 2 denied ISO-New England’s (ISO-NE’s) request for a tariff waiver to keep two gas-fired units—a total capacity of 1,700 MW—at Exelon’s Mystic Generating Plant in Boston, Massachusetts, running to address “fuel security risks.” The commission instead gave the grid operator a year to submit permanent tariff revisions that will improve its market design and better address regional fuel security concerns.” Power Magazine
NEPOOL Votes for Press Ban, Discusses Fuel Security, “Fuel security was at the top of the agenda during the annual summer meeting of the New England Power Pool Participants Committee, which also featured presentations by ISO-NE’s external and internal Market Monitors. Members attending the June 26-28 committee meeting at the Water’s Edge Resort and Spa in Westbrook, Conn., also voted to change NEPOOL rules to formalize the policy of banning the press from their meetings. NEPOOL is the only RTO/ISO stakeholder body in the country that bars the public and press from meetings. The vote, which approved changes to committee bylaws and the Second Restated NEPOOL Agreement, passed with 79% in favor in a sector-weighted vote, according to a notice of action taken at the three-day meeting. The changes add a definition of “press” and bar anyone working for the news media from becoming a NEPOOL member or alternate for a participant.” RTO Insider
Have a great weekend.
Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling
Former FERC Chair Kelliher questions need for more New England pipelines, Utility Dive
Despite renewables gains, gas leads new US generation, Utility Dive
FERC allows Valley Lateral Pipeline to commence service, Utility Dive
Summer demand could push US gas generation to record levels: EIA, Utility Dive
Columbia Gas rate plan faces challenges, Salem News
Another shot in the pipeline wars, CommonWealth Magazine
NEPOOL Votes for Press Ban, Discusses Fuel Security, RTO Insider
Diamond Generating wins key permits for $1.5B gas plant to power NYC, Utility Dive
Easthampton Board of Health puts off signing anti-pipeline letter to Gov. Baker, MassLive
Duke Energy Is Betting on Pig Power to Curb Fossil Fuels, Bloomberg
Activist groups, officials host hike to illustrate opposition to Burrillville power plant, Providence Journal
Heat wave sparks switch to ultra-low sulfur heating oil, VTDigger
Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI
Clean energy is catching up to natural gas much faster than anyone thought, Vox.com
Mass. Senate passes $2 billion environmental bond bill for climate resiliency work, MassLive
Biomass plants shut down after Gov. Sununu’s veto of subsidy, New Hampshire Union Leader
Somerset gains $3.6M in RGGI funds to help next year’s tax picture, Herald News
Concord City Council Expected To Pass Renewable Energy Goal, New Hampshire Public Radio
Overheard at New York Renewable Energy Conference, RTO Insider
New York power users fear paying twice for clean energy attributes, Utility Dive
Wind
Cuomo kick-starts New York offshore wind with 800 MW procurement, Offshore Wind Journal
New wind industry investments in Maine hinge on election of governor, Portland Press Herald
State Takes Another Small Step Toward Cranking Up Offshore Wind Industry, NJ Spotlight
Wind developers wait for November to see market signals in Maine, Utility Dive
New Bucket Technology Could Slash Offshore Wind Costs, Maritime Executive
New R&D Consortium Aims to Slash Offshore Wind Costs in the US, Greentech Media
Wind developers wait for November to see market signals in Maine, Utility Dive
Developer gives up on planned North Ridge wind energy project, Central NY Business Journal via National Wind Watch
Offshore wind development in Maryland seen higher cost option, IER says, Daily Energy Insider
Solar
Deerfield Select Board gives informal OK to solar farm, Daily Hampshire Gazette
The Future of Exeter—Solar or More Housing—Farmers Seek Support, GoLocalProv
Solar-Powered Food Car Brings Sustainably Sourced Food, U.S. News & World Report
Solar Investment Down Nearly 20% From the First Half of 2017, Greentech Media
Pennsylvania draft plan calls for 11 GW in-state solar, Utility Dive
DSUN, Emergya have 75 MW of NY community solar shovel-ready, Renewables Now
Energy Efficiency/Storage
Vermont Increases Energy Efficiency Standards, Ecopreneurist
Massachusetts Faces Make-or-Break Decision on Landmark Storage Incentive, Greentech Media
New York’s energy storage target could end up at 3 GW by 2030, Utility Dive
Grid resiliency and energy storage bill passes Massachusetts House, MassLive
EVs
EVs could drive 38% rise in US electricity demand, DOE lab finds, Utility Dive
When Will Electric Vehicles Act as a Grid Resource Under the V2G Paradigm?, Renewable Energy World
Nuclear
Dominion to state: Millstone ‘at risk now’, The Day
Communities around NH nuke plant want info on evacuation, Southcoasttoday
Criticism of Seabrook nuclear power plant finds new momentum, Wicked Local
Millstone nuclear plant threatens shutdown, Connecticut Post
Vermont Yankee water cost: $6M and counting, VTDigger
Panel learns: Nothing happens fast when it comes to fate of nuke waste, The Recorder
State Will Postpone Decision On Vermont Yankee Sale Until Federal Ruling, VPR
New Brunswick should have second nuclear reactor: energy minister, The Chronicle Herald
Fearing climate change, experts in San Diego warn U.S. nuclear industry faces collapse, Energy Central
Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.
FERC Thwarts ISO-NE’s Attempt to Keep Mystic Gas Units Online, Power Magazine
Utility Non-Wires Alternative RFPs Coming to Massachusetts?…Enel X Expands Canadian Footprint, Microgrid Knowledge
Transforming the Massachusetts Grid to Accommodate DERs, North American Clean Energy
NYPA applies predictive monitoring strategy to transmission assets, Utility Dive
Legislature Overrides Veto of Bill Holding Utility Shareholders – Not Customers – Responsible for Investigation Costs, Energy Central
Somerset ConCom addresses former Brayton Point power plant property demo work near river, South Coast Today
Locked out, National Grid workers grapple with loss of income, health insurance, Boston Globe
Haverhill passes moratorium on National Grid projects during lockout, Eagle-Tribune
U.S. Northeast grids monitoring heat wave, say power is sufficient, Business Insider
Wallingford electric rates decreasing for the remainder of 2018, New Haven Register
City Strikes Deal On Energy Prices, Valley News
Pacheco: ‘No excuse’ for House not to act on energy bill, Taunton Daily Gazette
Eversource substation to stay, solar farm under consideration for Manresa Island, The News-Times
How FERC’s ‘unprecedented’ PJM order could unravel capacity markets, Utility Dive
Connecticut electric utilities finish near the bottom in customer service study, New Haven Register
Maine regulators broaden audit of CMP to include the company’s customer service, Portland Press Herald
In Need of Electricity, Massachusetts Looks to the North—Again, Wall Street Journal
Editorial/Opinion
Massachusetts residents pay the highest power bills in the continental US, Boston Globe
Gas lockout endangers everyone, CommonWealth Magazine
Our best interests on the Connecticut River?, National Wind Watch
Why federal regulators shouldn’t save the Mystic power plant, Boston Globe
LETTER: Offshore wind will help stop use of fossil fuels, southcoasttoday
Column: Significant savings through solar, Gloucester Daily Times
Northeast Energy News 