Rising Waters | Winter Wallop | Plea for LNG
Happy soggy Friday afternoon.
Here are a few stories you may have missed this week.
For those of you who enjoy taking Amtrak to destinations between Boston and DC – take note. Bloomberg Businessweek reports, Rising Waters Are Drowning Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor. “By the middle of this century, climate change is likely to punch a hole through the busiest stretch of rail in North America. Parts of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor route, which carries 12 million people each year between Boston and Washington, face ‘continual inundation.’ Flooding, rising seas, and storm surge threaten to erode the track bed and knock out the signals that direct train traffic. The poles that provide electricity for trains are at risk of collapse, even as power substations succumb to floodwaters. ‘f one of the segments of track shuts down, it will shut down this segment of the NEC,’ warned members of Amtrak’s planning staff. ‘There is not an alternate route that can be used as a detour.’
If that long-term forecast doesn’t worry you, how about this short term one? The Washington Post had a story this week, Polar vortex could unleash winter wallop by January. “Winter got off to a fast start in the Lower 48 even before it was technically winter. Waves of cold gripped the eastern two-thirds of the United States and several winter storms tracked across the region. Conditions have since eased some, but the heart of winter lies ahead. Will cold and snowy conditions return and turn more harsh? The polar vortex, the roaring river of air winding around the North Pole, holds the cards. What they reveal could be very disturbing and a harbinger of extreme winter weather in the Eastern United States.”
Cold snaps often create natural gas supply issues. So what’s a region to do? The Sentinel and Enterprise reports, ‘Disaster’ has Gov. seeking LNG changes. “As cold weather and higher electricity prices start to encroach, Massachusetts energy officials want to lobby the federal government to ease restrictions on shipments of liquified (sic) natural gas into New England in hopes of controlling costs and improving reliability in the energy grid…So the Baker administration, with the support of the rest of the New England governors, is planning to try ‘working with federal officials to explore modifying the Jones Act to facilitate shipping of LNG from domestic sources,’ Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Judith Judson said last week. The Jones Act has been suspended or amended before, often in the wake of a natural disaster when the government wants to maximize the number of ships that can help deliver relief aid. EEA said such a waiver or exemption ‘could be done permanently or semipermanently to ensure a reliable and affordable supply of LNG to Massachusetts consumers.’”
There are a lot of news stories below. We’ll be off next Friday for the holidays but will be back in your inboxes on January 4th. In the meantime, thank you for letting us be a part of your energy world each week and we wish you all a wonderful holiday week and a happy and healthy 2019.
Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling
‘Disaster’ has Gov. seeking LNG changes, Sentinel and Enterprise
After change of heart, Eversource will fund repairs to Framingham couple’s home, MetroWest Daily News
Gateway Gas Pipeline Expansion Connecting to Utilities in Northeast, Power Engineering
Natural gas industry burns for more pipeline capacity in Mass., Boston Globe
Rising LNG demand to exert more pull on U.S. natgas prices, Reuters
Watchdog Finds ‘Significant’ Weakness in U.S. Pipeline Security, Bloomberg
Natural gas utility to fund ‘alternative heating’ in Western Massachusetts, MassLive
State joins suit to block offshore drilling, Salem News
East Braintree resident raises concerns about Calpine generators, Weymouth.WickedLocal.com
CT regulator wraps pipeline review, finds utilities acting properly, Hartford Business Journal
Despite moratorium’s end, new National Grid gas hookups will not begin immediately, MassLive
Merrimac Valley
Gas recovery will extend into fall 2019, Eagle Tribune
Massachusetts senators press Columbia Gas on whistleblower’s warning, Boston Herald
Lawsuit filed against Columbia Gas, Boston Herald
Day care owner joins those suing Columbia Gas, Salem News
Recovery Will Finish More Than A Year After Gas Explosions, Patch.com
Sen. Markey Promises Hearings After Columbia Gas Whistleblower’s Warnings, NECN
Columbia Gas says it will meet DPU deadline, Eagle-Tribune
Massachusetts DPU puts Columbia Gas under engineering firm’s oversight, Boston Herald
Foundation Set To Release Third Stipend To Gas Explosion Victims, USA Patch
More Aid For Merrimack Valley Gas Explosion Victims, USA Patch
Lockout
With differing bills for locked-out workers, House calls for Baker’s suggestions, Boston Globe
House, Senate at odds on Grid legislation, CommonWealth Magazine
Oops: DeLeo says Grid bill drafted incorrectly, CommonWealth Magazine
Baker backs more worker benefits if Grid lockout doesn’t end soon, CommonWealth Magazine
Senate readying bill to extend benefits for locked-out National Grid workers, Boston Globe
Decision on National Grid unlikely to help Quincy projects, Patriot Ledger
Moratorium on National Grid gas hookups lifted, Boston Globe
Montigny presses Spilka to act on lockout bill, South Coast Today
Locked-out workers blast DPU lift of National Grid moratorium, Boston Herald
Massachusetts imposes gas safety protocols on National Grid following over pressurization incident, Utility Dive
Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI
Rising Waters Are Drowning Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, Bloomberg Business
From climate change to congestion, Massachusetts has a new transportation plan, MassLive
Polar vortex could unleash winter wallop by January, Washington Post
New Jersey regulators issue rules to rejoin RGGI carbon trading system, Utility Dive
New York Gov. Cuomo pledges 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040, Utility Dive
New York Power Authority to invest $250M in electric grid for better access to renewables, Daily Energy Insider
DC passes ‘most ambitious’ mandate for 100% renewables by 2032, Utility Dive
Energy transitions are usually slow. Here’s why the clean energy transition might be faster., Vox.com
Report: Massachusetts clean energy sector added 1,500 jobs in 2017, MassLive
Cap-and-Trade for Cars Is Coming to the Northeast, Scientific American
In landmark agreement, Mass., eight other states vow to cut transportation emissions, Boston Globe
Conn. Looks To Mix Of Strategies To Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions, WSHU News
Rhode Island Renewable Energy Becomes Part Of The Everyday Landscape, CleanTechnica
Wind
A 21,000% Gain Shows Sky-High Value of Offshore Wind Leases, Bloomberg
Offshore Wind Auction For 390,000 Acres South Of Mass. Blows Through Sale Record, WBUR
Vineyard Wind Lands Second Offshore Lease, Vineyard Gazette
New Jersey regulators hand third rejection to Atlantic City offshore wind pilot, Utility Dive
Avangrid Renewables expands offshore wind portfolio after auction win, Windpower Engineering & Development
CT wind, fuel cell projects win long-term contracts, Hartford Business Journal
Shell Places 1.6 Gigawatt Bet On US Offshore Wind Energy, CleanTechnica
Association to Preserve Cape Cod Formally Endorses Vineyard Wind, Cape Cod
Solar
New Jersey moves to end solar RECs, take next steps toward 100% renewables, Utility Dive
Portland’s newest and largest solar array moves city toward its renewable-energy goal, Press Herald
Solar Wolf Energy Expands Footprint in Massachusetts, NA Clean Energy
LIPA OKs consumer-protection measures for solar customers, Newsday.com
New England Talks Solar, Storage and Public Policy, RTO Insider
ReVision Energy launches fund to help nonprofits tap solar energy, Mainebiz
Environmental group worries proposed solar farm could destroy Milford’s ecological gem, New Hampshire Union Leader
Energy Efficiency/Storage
New York State PSC approves increases in energy efficiency, energy storage targets, Daily Energy Insider
MIT researchers make strides on location-independent, large-scale energy storage, Daily Energy Insider
NYPA board approves $600M credit line for efficiency projects as utility targets double, Utility Dive
NY’s energy storage target: It’s the journey, not the destination, stakeholders say, Utility Dive
Waltham Considers Hiring Full-Time Sustainability Manager, USA Patch
Design Building awarded LEED Gold certification, Massachusetts Daily Collegian
Nuclear
Indian Point closure will put power supply in flux, Times Herald-Record
Accelerated retirement of U.S. coal, nuke plants has potential risks –NERC, Reuters
PSEG first to file for subsidies to keep its nuclear plants online, NJ Spotlight
Nuclear Advisory Group Endorses Seabrook’s Plan To Monitor Concrete Cracks, NHPR
Seabrook Station: Study: Plant can operate, Newburyport Daily News
Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.
Eversource balks at state law ordering it to buy wood power, New Hampshire Union Leader
Consumer Energy Alliance Report Finds Higher Household Heating Costs Threaten Northeast Consumers, Boston Business Journal
Capacity pricing changes: How each power market plans to account for resource adequacy, Utility Dive
Wallingford not affected by utilities’ rate hikes, Record-Journal
Connecticut regulator weighs ‘amnesty’ for alternative electric suppliers, The Hour
Meriden To Recoup $3.4 Million From Eversource, USA Patch
Audit of CMP billing errors reveals lapses in training, testing, Portland Press Herald
FERC approves cost recovery for Exelon’s Mystic gas plant, Utility Dive
Zoning board approves generators at Fore River power plant, Patriot Ledger
Camden, N.J. Looks to Innovative Bonds to Expand Microgrid Project, Microgrid Knowledge
Editorial/Opinion
Has the Mass. solar gamble paid off?, CommonWealth Magazine
New Congress will bring a green wave on climate change, Boston Globe
In Quebec, clean energy goes to waste. Let’s use it., Boston Globe
Governor Baker, it’s time to hold gas utilities accountable, Boston Globe
Ocean plot auctions reap windfall for future, Boston Herald
The state’s social contract with utilities, CommonWealth Magazine
Clarity coming to NJ’s aggressive clean energy plan and its costs, Press of Atlantic City
Column: Justice for the Merrimack Valley starts with real accountability, Eagle-Tribune
Record-Smashing Auction Sets America on Course for Offshore Wind, Union of Concerned Scientists
Letter to the editor: Why are Massachusetts power needs prioritized over Maine’s?, Portland Press Herald
Lights out for Eversource (Letters), MassLive
Letter to the editor: Shame on National Grid, Sun Chronicle
Northeast Energy News 