Write off | LNG in Central MA | A gas leak every mile | About Face
Happy Friday afternoon. Be careful heading home or out this evening. We have a flash flood watch from 5:00 PM today until 3:00 PM Saturday for many parts of New England.
We start this week with three natural gas stories. First, from Jon Chesto at the Boston Globe, Eversource writes off its investment in Access Northeast because of Columbia Gas disaster, “When fires and explosions rocked Lawrence-area homes and businesses in September, the Columbia Gas incident was bound to hurt the already-tenuous political stature of the natural gas industry around here. Now, Eversource Energy is paying a price for the damage to the industry’s reputation: $32.9 million. That’s the pretax value of Eversource’s 40 percent stake in the proposed Access Northeast pipeline expansion project. Eversource just wrote off the full amount. The company hasn’t officially given up on Access Northeast. But the utility’s accountants have decided, at least for now, that its share in the project is worthless. The reason? Eversource blamed the Merrimack Valley gas disaster, in a document filed Tuesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission, even though the incident didn’t take place in Eversource’s gas service territory.”
While Eversource may have temporarily given up on Access Northeast, the Merrimack Valley disaster is not stopping Liberty Energy Trust of Pennsylvania from proposing a $100M LNG plant in Charlton, MA. From the Worcester Telegram, “On the fiercest of cold days this winter, thousands of Massachusetts residents will rely on the liquid form of natural gas for heat, and they likely won’t care where it comes from or how it gets to them, as long as it keeps their homes warm. Behind the scenes, though, utility companies take note every time a gigantic tanker ship carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) docks at the Distrigas terminal in Everett. The imported LNG, arriving from places like Trinidad and Russia, helps offset their natural gas supplies, but, with no power over the domestic and international markets, they worry about relying solely on overseas fuel. To assure reliability, the companies say, the state must find ways to create its own sources for LNG. Charlton could emerge as an option…Liberty Energy Trust has proposed construction of a more than $100-million LNG plant — operating under the name Northeast Energy Center LLC — on roughly 25 acres of a 220-acre wooded site at 249 Sturbridge Road (Route 20).”
USA Today brings us our third natural gas story, A gas leak every mile: Google Street View cars find problems that utilities don’t “In older American cities like New York and Boston, there can be as many gas leaks as there are miles of road. How do we know? Because Google drove those city streets – and mapped every leak. In some communities, those funny-looking Google Street View cars driving around taking pictures of houses and storefronts are also sniffing for natural gas – part of an effort to detect and fix leaks before they become bigger problems.”
Last for this week is a blog post from the Union of Concerned Scientists, which this week, basically did a 180 on their view of nuclear power. “Last month the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued a sobering report. Based on the most up-to-date scientific evidence, the report warns that we are rapidly losing any appreciable chance of meeting the Paris climate agreement goal of keeping temperature increases to “well below” 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The report also makes clear that if we fail to meet this goal, the consequences will not only be severe, but they will be experienced sooner than expected…These sobering realities dictate that we keep an open mind about all of the tools in the emissions reduction toolbox—even ones that are not our personal favorites. And that includes existing nuclear power plants in the United States, which currently supply about 20 percent of our total electricity needs and more than half of our low-carbon electricity supply…Factoring all of these considerations in, our new report calls for proactive policy to preserve nuclear power from existing plants that are operating safely but are at risk of premature closures for economic reasons or to ensure that lost nuclear capacity is replaced with carbon-free sources.”
That’s it for this week’s recap. Have a great weekend and please be sure to take a moment to give thanks to our veterans.
Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling
Eversource writes off its investment in Access Northeast because of Columbia Gas disaster, Boston Globe
States raise Exelon market power concerns over Mystic cost recovery proposal at FERC, Utility Dive
Fossil fuel money crushed clean energy ballot initiatives across the country, Vox
Natural Gas is Undermining Pennsylvania’s Nuclear Plants—And That’s Bad News for the Climate, Union of Concerned Scientists
Power plant opponents celebrate another victory as case moves into final months, Valley Breeze
$100M LNG plant proposed on Route 20 in Charlton, Worcester Telegram
A gas leak every mile: Google Street View cars find problems that utilities don’t, USA Today
US and British steelworkers’ union call on National Grid to end the lockout in Massachusetts, Morning Star
Merrimack Valley
Columbia Gas Pledges To Promote Energy Efficiency In Affected Merrimack Valley Homes, WBUR
Baker, Rivera warn ‘frustration’ will continue, Eagle Tribune
20,000 Thanksgiving meals planned for gas-deprived residents, Eagle Tribune
Drinking with the Merrimack Valley recovery workers who live on an old cruise ship in Southie, DigBoston.com
Tenants Affected By Gas Explosions Can Withhold Rent: AG, USA Patch
Feds open criminal investigation into Merrimack Valley gas disaster, Eagle-Tribune
Columbia Gas filing hints at future rate hike, Eagle-Tribune
Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI
Governors could drive the next wave of climate change action, Vox.com
The Elections, and What They Mean for Climate, Energy, and Science, Union of Concerned Scientists
N.H. Missing From State Coalition Opposing Clean Power Plan Rollback, New Hampshire Public Radio
On climate change, Trump disavows his own scientists, government, Axios.com
Carbon Pricing Winning Issue in Mass. Legislative Races, ClimateXChange
Wind
Fishermen ask for more time to study wind impact, South Coast Today
Disabled and disassembled: Blades removed from Applied Materials turbine, Gloucester Times
Market forces buffeting future of wind power in Maine, Portland Press Herald
New York offers 800MW offshore prize, reNews
Offshore wind giant with plans in A.C. closes $510M deal with competitor, Press of Atlantic City
Yarmouth, Barnstable react to status of wind farm cable review, Cape Cod Times
SCC reluctantly approves Dominion offshore wind test, The Virginian Pilot
Minorities need a place at table for wind employment, Andrade says, South Coast Today
Solar
Midterm Election Brings Victory And Defeat To Clean Energy Industry, Solar Industry
Town of Ashland and Ameresco Celebrate Completion of Three Municipal Solar Projects, Business Journals
Solar industry lights up over Republican governor’s win in Massachusetts, Washington Examiner
Salem State University Tripling On-Site Solar Through Massachusetts Grant, Solar Industry
Solar farm back on Ware Planning Board agenda after denial, MassLive
Harvesting renewable energy from the sun and outer space at the same time, Science Daily
Energy Efficiency/Storage
New England moves to open the market for battery storage, pv-magazine-USA.com
Ahead of biggest energy storage rule change yet, US’ transmission network operators open up markets, Energy-storage.news
Cape Light Compact Files Three-Year Energy Efficiency Plan, CapeCod.Com
Massachusetts grants help get energy storage projects off the ground, MA Clean Energy Center
EIA: Reduced electric demand has halved carbon emissions in power sector, ACEEE
EVs
Electric Vehicles Are Coming, And New England And California Better Watch Out, Forbes.com
Car Battery Pioneer Says New Breakthrough Will Lower Cobalt Use, Bloomberg
Nuclear
Millstone Unit 2 is shut down for repairs, The Day
Seabrook nuclear plant refueling boosts local businesses, Newburyport Daily News
Environmental group: Keep open nuclear power plants, Axios.com
Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.
ISO New England unveils new initiatives to enhance winter reliability, Utility Dive
Canada, New England Talk Trade, Politics and Clean Energy, RTO Insider
PUC won’t decide CMP’s $950M transmission line project until March, Mainebiz
Eversource misses window for herbicide spraying on Cape, Cape Cod Times
ISO-NE frets over reliability as winter approaches, Vermont Biz
States raise Exelon market power concerns over Mystic cost recovery proposal at FERC, Utility Dive
State tells CMP its application to build 145-mile power line incomplete, Kennebec Journal
CMP power line opponents plead case to Somerset County commissioners, Kennebec Journal
National Grid electric bills going up, Boston Globe
Company thinks Eversource customers can lower energy costs with online auction, New Hampshire Union Leader
National Grid unveils $250M corporate venture capital arm, TechCrunch
Editorial/Opinion
Are Trojan horses full of windmill parts destined for New London?, The Day
Why We’re Taking a Hard Look at Nuclear Power Plant Closures, Union of Concerned Scientists
Pipeline peril: Natural gas explosions reveal silent danger lurking in old cast iron pipes, USA Today
Ansley Bloomer: Never a better time to heat with wood, VTDigger
LETTER: Seabrook plant should share more information, Daily News of Newburyport