Tag Archives: Kinder Morgan

Hopefully the temperatures were good around the world today for the kids who skipped school to protest climate change. From the Washington Post, “It started 29 weeks ago when 16-year-old Swede Greta Thunberg began skipping school on Fridays to protest climate change by standing outside of her nation’s parliament building. Today, kids from almost 100 countries, including the United States, are following Thunberg’s lead and will play hooky from classes for something they think is ultimately more important: preventing the warming of their planet.” They asked the kids to tell their stories for why they are participating. Here is one from Massachusetts, “Saraphina Forman (age 16; Sophomore, Northampton High School, Northampton, Mass.): ‘I grew up in the country a little bit outside of Northampton, tapping trees for maple syrup, skating on a nearby pond, and I know that the effects of climate change are already happening…When I came across Greta Thunberg, I think she really sparked a movement around the world. I was very much inspired by her and wanted to do the same…I thought, why shouldn’t I do this? It’s the duty of everyone.’”

Speaking of Western Mass, here’s an article from the Cabinet Press with a headline I thought I’d never see, “Amherst Conservation Commission: Gas pipeline could benefit town.” It reads in part, “The natural gas pipeline through four miles of Amherst would have a limited long-term impact on the town’s ecology and could benefit the town as a whole. Those were two conclusions from the Amherst Conservation Commission’s environmental assessment of the Northeast Energy Direct pipeline proposed by Kinder Morgan and the Tennessee Gas Pipeline companies. Among the areas covered in the commission’s 36-page report are land use, water resources, hazardous materials, geology and soils, wildlife, air quality, public health, visual resources and pipeline construction methods as they apply to Amherst’s terrain. The commission concluded that, “based on current knowledge, the installation of the natural gas pipeline proposed by Kinder Morgan appears to have limited long-term impact on the natural systems temporarily impacted by the pipeline construction.”

Now here’s something that sounds like a lot of fun – from Southcoasttoday.com — “The Brayton Point cooling towers are scheduled to be imploded April 27, and tickets are available for those looking to be the lucky one to ‘push the plunger.’ All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall installation coordinated by the Greater Fall River Vietnam Wall Committee, according to a press release from the Office of Speaker Pro Tempore Patricia Haddad. ‘This is a ceremonial pushing of the plunger. The professional demolition team hired by Commercial Development Corporation, owners of the Brayton Point Commerce Center, will actually detonate the explosives simultaneously with the winner pushing the plunger,’ said Haddad, D-Somerset.” Only 1,000 tickets were printed. Each costs $20. You have until April 15^th to get your hands on one. It’s sure to be a blast!

That covers for it for this week. Have a great weekend.

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

‘Never Going to Let This Happen Again’: Incoming Columbia Gas President Offers Safety Assurances 6 Months After Merrimack Valley Disaster, NECN

Hearings Set to Resume for Burrillville Power Plant, ECO RI

Power plant would need 16k gallons of water a day, Johnston Sun Rise

Pinelands Commission says South Jersey Gas pipeline approval void, Press of Atlantic City

Amherst Conservation Commission: Gas pipeline could benefit town, Cabinet

Columbia Gas To Replace Heating Equipment, WGBH

Massachusetts Hired Energy Industry Execs to ‘Independently’ Review State’s Gas System, Desmog Blog

In America’s Shale Country, Nukes and Gas Are Duking It Out, Bloomberg

Ex-Transportation Czar to Oversee Utility’s Safety Efforts, NBC Boston

Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI

The Energy 202: Kids are skipping school today — to protest climate change, Washington Post

National Grid acquiring renewables developer Geronimo Energy, Power Engineering

What if the US-Mexico border wall was an energy corridor that could pay for itself?, Renewable Energy World

Climate bills call for Maine to reduce emissions to 80% below 1990 levels, Portland Press Herald

New York City has a plan to fight rising seas: Extend the Manhattan shoreline, Boston Globe

Overheard at NECA Renewable Energy Conference 2019, RTO Insider

Eversource is Helping Empower the Green Workforce of the Future, NA Clean Energy

Getting to 100% Clean Energy—and the Grid Operators that Stand in the Way, Union of Concerned Scientists

N.H. Town Meeting Voters Approve A Range Of Responses To Climate Change, NH Public Radio

Statewide Perspectives: Siting Renewable Energy Projects Takes Collaboration | #CleanTechnica Exclusive, CleanTechnica

Wind

At New London’s State Pier, wind power gives Connecticut its next economic development opportunity, Hartford Courant

Offshore wind industry could come to Gulf of Maine, Boston Globe

Residents resume fight over wind turbine, Valley Breeze (RI)

Van Scoyoc: Town “Probably” Won’t Ink Any Beach Lane Cable Deal for Offshore Wind Farm Before Full PSC Review, Sag Harbor Express

Controversial wind turbine back on town’s radar, The Valley Breeze (RI)

New Jersey report details strides state has made in meeting wind energy goals, Daily Energy Insider

Barnstable residents query Vineyard Wind, Barnstable Patriot

Concerned citizens speak out against installing wind turbines in Broome County, WBNG (NY)

Solar

Largest Community Solar & Storage Installation In Massachusetts Is Now Open For Business, CleanTechnica

Powerful times: Here comes the sun, Boston Globe

As US solar expands, states increasingly tackle compensation and community project complexities, Utility Dive

Solar array proposed in Oxford, Sun Journal

Energy Efficiency/Storage

Energy-efficient programs to be less costly under state deal, Nashua Telegraph

New York’s Answer to Westchester Gas Ban Is Energy Efficiency, Yahoo Finance

AI can help fight climate change by optimizing energy efficiency, thenextweb.com

Energy efficiency: A clue to politically feasible climate policy, Phys.org

Nuclear

Nuclear industry pushing for fewer inspections at plants, AP

Feds seek public input on Pilgrim performance assessment, Patriot Ledger

$500 million Pennsylvania nuclear rescue plan triggers fierce battle from rival power producers, Philly.com

Arguments heat up as PSEG fights for state to subsidize nuclear plants, NJspotlight.com

Pennsylvania’s First Nuclear Subsidy Bill, Explained, NRDC.org

Indian Point 3 Starts Last Refueling, Maintenance, USA Patch

Dominion faces March 15 deadline to secure utility contracts for Millstone nuke, Utility Dive

NRC grants license extension to Seabrook Station, Eagle-Tribune

Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.

Find out why electricity prices are rising, New Haven Register

Update: New Hampshire Microgrid Legislation Makes Progress, Microgrid Knowledge

Chatterjee: Transmission could be resilience docket solution, Utility Dive

Ipswich plan promotes local power, Wicked Local Ipswich

Overheard at NECA Renewable Energy Conference 2019, RTO Insider

Want to ‘push the plunger’ on Brayton Point? Get your tickets now, South Coast Today

New Hampshire Microgrid Legislation Passes Committee. Sent to House for March 14 Vote, Microgrid Knowledge

Massachusetts and California Rank High in Energy Democracy: Report, Microgrid Knowledge

Joi Scientific and New Brunswick Power to Develop World’s First Hydrogen-Powered Distributed Electricity Grid, Energy Central

Wholesale energy prices on the rise, Hartford Business Journal

ISO-NE Steady on Fuel Plan Despite NEPOOL Rebuff, RTO Insider

Final arguments delivered in CMP’s $950M hydropower transmission project, MaineBiz

Investigation of Jackman, Caratunk, Dover-Foxcroft complaints against CMP will extend through summer, Kennebec Journal

It’s time to Spotify the grid with DSO functions, Utility Dive

Eversource to Invest $41 Million in Tree Trimming Across Massachusetts, Cape Cod Today

Editorial/Opinion

Gov. Mills gets CMP project right, Kennebec Journal

Kevin Jones: Offshore wind could remedy New England brain drain, VTDigger

Seeing into our region’s future with wind power, Lowell Sun

CMP project has no place in Maine, Kennebec Journal

Letter to the editor: Replace CMP with a public power authority, Portland Press Herald

Cautionary tales on undersea cables, Martha’s Vineyard Times

Don’t make same mistake as Falmouth, MV Times

GUEST VIEW: Lighthouse Wind: When does no mean no?, Lockport Union-Sun and Journal

Want to Stop Climate Change? Then It’s Time to Fall Back in Love With Nuclear Energy, Time Magazine

Proceed with caution on wind, MV Times

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Filed under Climate Change, Electricity Costs, Natural Gas Pipelines, New England Energy News, Northeast Energy News, nuclear, offshore wind

Tagged as Columbia Gas of MA, Eversource, Kinder Morgan, National Grid, Rhode Island

December 14, 2018 · 1:27 pm

Energy News for week ending December 14, 2018

410 Million | Roasted by the sun | Substantial Completion | Lobstocracy

Happy Friday everyone.

Here are a few highlights from this week.

From Reuters, U.S. offshore wind lease auction ends with record $410 mln sale, “A U.S. government auction for three wind leases off the coast of Massachusetts ended on Friday with record-setting combined bids of $410 million, the agency that conducted the sale said. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) said it would announce the provisional winners of the leases on a conference call later on Friday. Combined, the three leases represent nearly 390,000 acres near the Massachusetts islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket and Rhode Island’s Block Island. It was not immediately clear whether a single company claimed all three or if there were more than one winner.”

While we’re in the midst of holiday season, according to a story in the Portland Press Herald, this is what happened on Thanksgiving, Solar power achieved a New England milestone on chilly Thanksgiving “On last month’s historically cold Thanksgiving Day, New England turkeys were being roasted by the sun. For the first time, according to the region’s electric grid operator, thousands of solar panels offset the midmorning peak demand for power from millions of homes and businesses cooking the holiday birds. The renewable energy milestone was noted this week by ISO-New England. It highlights the growing role of solar energy on the grid and counters lingering myths about the technology not working in cold climates.”

This is great news out of Lawrence. From the Eagle Tribune, Governor, Columbia Gas announce ‘substantial completion’ of gas restoration; say service back to 98 percent of customers, “The work to restore service to more than 10,000 homes affected by the gas disaster is pretty much done, but the mission is not accomplished, state and local officials said at a press conference early Wednesday afternoon. With natural gas service restored to 98 percent of residential and business customers, Gov. Baker, local municipal leaders and Columbia Gas announced the substantial completion of the gas restoration efforts in the Merrimack Valley…Officials said 150 customers are still without gas service, most of whom decided to “self-mitigate,” or complete necessary assessments and installations themselves on their own timeline, independent of Columbia Gas contractors, or have extenuating circumstances such as damages to their homes.

We end this week on some it’s good now but not later climate change news. From MSN.com, ‘We live in a lobstocracy’: Maine town is feeling the effects of climate change, “The American lobster is a symbol of Maine, central to the state’s ethos and economy…Lobster attracts tourists, feeds locals and is a lifeblood for coastal towns. It’s (sic) importance has even swelled in recent years as lobsters have been caught in record numbers. Lobster landings – or the amount of lobster caught – have risen fivefold in the past three decades. Lobster has become a half-billion-dollar industry in Maine. And the reason for the boom, according to scientists, is climate change. The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99% of the world’s waters, rising at three times the global average. That warming has created optimal conditions for lobsters to reproduce and survive into adulthood…But while the warming waters have resulted in a lobster bonanza, scientists say climate change will ultimately bring a bust to the boom: As the Gulf of Maine continues to warm, that temperature sweet spot for lobsters will continue to move north. That could result in a similar spike in lobsters in Canada, but leave Maine’s industry broken.

That’s it for this week. Enjoy the news below and have a wonderful weekend.

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

Massachusetts natural gas companies would support greater engineering oversight, MassLIve

Agawam farm family protests Tennessee Gas Pipeline land-taking, MassLive

Lawmaker questions gas safety consultant’s ties to industry, Boston Business Journal (subscriber content)

Columbia Gas appoints new executive in Massachusetts, Boston Globe

Agawam farm family protests Tennessee Gas Pipeline land-taking, MassLive

Mass. Town Asks 1st Circ. To Block Enbridge Pipeline Project, Law360

Judge halts Keystone XL pipeline, citing ‘complete disregard’ for climate, MSN

The Oil Industry’s Covert Campaign to Rewrite American Car Emissions Rules, New York Times

Merrimack Valley

Governor, Columbia Gas announce ‘substantial completion’ of gas restoration; say service back to 98 percent of customers, Eagle Tribune

Columbia Gas Holds Community Meetings For Remaining Four Percent Of Affected Customers, WGBH

Whistleblower: Columbia Gas Cut Corners Prior to Explosions, NECN

In Wake Of Gas Disaster, Lawmakers Probe Utility Companies’ Safety Plans, WGBH

Execs back Baker gas-safety bill at fiery hearing, Lowell Sun

Sen. Barrett questions gas safety consultant’s ties to industry, Lowell Sun

Lockout

House, in informal session, passes Grid legislation, CommonWealth Magazine

Developers left out in the cold as National Grid lockout continues, Patriot Ledger

Lawmakers push harder to resolve labor dispute at National Grid, Boston Globe

Top senator to National Grid: end the lockout “immediately”, Sentinel & Enterprise

National Grid, unions start daily meetings next Monday, Boston Herald

Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI

Why greens are turning away from a carbon tax, Politico

That was awkward — at world’s biggest climate conference, U.S. promotes fossil fuels, Washington Post

Batteries could worsen CO2 emissions — study, E&E News

NYPA Announces $250 Million Commitment to Accelerate Flexibility of Electric Grid to Combat Climate Change, Energy Storage Association

‘We live in a lobstocracy’: Maine town is feeling the effects of climate change, MSN

Shaheen and Hassan warn of continued negative impact of climate change, Conway Daily Sun

Researchers: Sawdust is Next Wave in Renewable Energy, UMass Lowell News

Not So Sweet: Climate Change Means Slow-Growing Sugar Maples, Study Finds, NPR

France Will Save $44.5 Billion By Betting on Renewable Energy, Says Government Agency, Bloomberg L.P.

Wind

U.S. offshore wind lease auction ends with record $410 mln sale, Reuters

Baker: Fishing, offshore wind coexistence is ‘something we have to deal with,’ Salem News

390K acres up for auction today for offshore wind, South Coast Today

First major offshore wind project in jeopardy of being blocked, Boston Globe

Fishing industry says it doesn’t endorse Vineyard Wind’s ‘consensus plan’ for transit lanes, South Coast Today

Bay State Wind comes to O.B., MV Times

Turbines vs. eagles debate continues amid new science, National Wind Watch

Zero hour nears for Massachusetts offshore bonanza, reNews

Vineyard Wind Endorses Offshore Transit Corridor Plan, Cape Cod Today

More Than 680 Gigawatts Of New Wind Power To Come Online By 2027, CleanTechnica

Solar

Solar power achieved a New England milestone on chilly Thanksgiving, Portland Press Herald

Watertown Becomes 1st Town In New England To Require Solar Panels On New Commercial Constructions, WBUR

Rhode Island Encourages Brownfield Solar Projects, Renewable Energy World

U.S. solar takes hit from Trump tariffs but is cheaper than ever: report, Reuters

Renewables, Energy Storage, & Managing The Utility Grid Of The Future, CleanTechnica

Governor pushes for solar in low-income areas, New Hampshire Union Leader

Milford Eyeing Plans for 120-Acre Solar Farm, New Hampshire Public Radio

CleanChoice Launches MA Community Solar Program, Solar Industry

Solar project at Kennebec Sanitary Treatment District on target, Kennebec Journal

EVs

Massachusetts Needs More Than MOR-EV, Union of Concerned Scientists

Massachusetts extends electric vehicle rebate program, Gloucester Times

Survey: Consumers keen on EV purchases, though cost remains a barrier, Utility Dive

Why General Motors Is Ditching the Chevy Volt, Greentech Media

As More Cars Plug In, Utilities and Makers Juggle Ways to Power Them, New York Times

Energy Efficiency/Storage

As grid operators file FERC Order 841 plans, storage floodgates open slowly, Utility Dive

New Massachusetts energy plan zeroes in on vehicles and buildings for emissions reductions, MassLive

Nuclear

Vermont Yankee buyer looking for quick start, VTDigger

Are Floating Reactors The Future Of Nuclear Energy?, Oilprice.com

Department of Energy to shut down Idaho nuclear waste treatment project, deemed not to be cost-effective, Los Angeles Times

Trump plan to reclassify nuclear waste alarms environmental groups, NBC News

Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.

Eversource plans increase in winter electric rates, MassLive

Price of electricity going up in E. Mass., CommonWealth Magazine

US unprepared for ‘catastrophic’ power outage, presidential advisory report finds, Utility Dive

Most of Maine’s electricity customers will pay higher rates next year, Energy Central

A study examined why customers remain in TOU programs, and the results were terrible, Utility Dive

NERC: Winter preparedness initiatives will help keep lights on in northern US, Utility Dive

Report: Smart Grid Upgrades Offer Less Risk, More Flexibility than Power Lines, Renewable Energy World

Why are electricity prices spiking this winter?, CommonWealth Magazine

CMP standard-offer customers electric bills will rise in 2019, Mainebiz

Eversource’s Seacoast power project approved, Foster’s Daily Democrat

Several factors could affect power this winter, Journal Inquirer

Southern Maine electricity supply prices set to rise Jan. 1, Portland Press Herald

Cape Light Compact Announces Winter Electric Pricing, Cape Cod

Businesses win exemption from costly meter installations, Portland Press Herald

Eversource sues Portsmouth in tax dispute, Seacoastonline.com

Editorial/Opinion

Charlie Baker, Marty Walsh, and Robert DeLeo need to move on climate change, Boston Globe

Keeping Millstone humming, The Day

GOP and Dem lawmakers: Interstate gas pipelines must adhere to N.J’s tougher safety regulations., NJ.com

Viewpoint: Transportation commission report could be a holiday gift for entire region, Business Journals

Our View: Hydro-Quebec answers key climate question, Kennebec Journal

Leave a comment

Filed under Electricity Costs, New England Energy News, Northeast Energy News, offshore wind, solar, Vermont Yankee Closing

Tagged as Charlie Baker, climate change, Columbia Gas of MA, ISO New England, Kinder Morgan, National Grid, offshore wind

August 31, 2018 · 10:54 am

Energy News for week ending August 31, 2018

Solar: 20 million in savings | Limiting Range Anxiety | Unsteady Progress

Happy long-weekend Friday!

Here’s what we found interesting in the energy news for this week.

From Utility Dive, Distributed solar saved ISO-NE consumers $20M during July heatwave, report says “Distributed solar reduced New England wholesale power costs by nearly $20 million dollars during a heat wave from July 1 to July 7, according to a new analysis completed by Synapse Energy Economics. During peak hours for electricity demand, distributed solar can reduce load on the New England grid by more than 1 GW, the report found, helping to reduce system-wide costs. The analysis was commissioned by SunCommon, a distributed solar provider…The analysis found solar is expected to produce 2,162 GWh of total annual energy savings in 2018, rising to almost 4,800 GWh in 2027.”

From MassLive, Eversource begins rollout of 400 electric car chargers across Massachusetts; ‘range anxiety’ seen as enemy to emissions progress “…Over the next five years, Eversource will spent [sic] $45 million to install more than 400 charging sites across Massachusetts as part of its Grid Modernization plan. Hunt [Eversource senior vice president and chief communications officer] said Eversource has made great progress in switching from dirty coal to cleaner fuels like natural gas, offshore wind, hydroelectricity and solar power. But 40 percent of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions come in the transportation sector, Hunt said. ‘The trick is getting those clean fuels into the cars,’ Hunt said. ‘Range anxiety is a real limiting factor,’ Hunt said, referring to the fear of being stuck someplace without a charging station to get home. He said a four-hour charge will boost most electric car batteries to 80 percent of their capacity.”

From CommonWealth Magazine, Mass. makes unsteady progress on emissions “Massachusetts greenhouse gas emissions increased for the fourth year in a row in 2015, but state officials are forecasting a downturn when numbers are crunched for 2016, according to an email sent out by the Baker administration. State law mandates that emissions reach a target of 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. Data lag by several years, but the numbers suggest the state has been going the wrong way the last few years, with emissions falling to 72 million tons in 2012 before rising in 2013 and 2014 and hitting 76.3 million tons in 2015. The 2015 number was 19.2 percent below 1990 levels, which was not as good as 2014 (21.5 percent below) or 2013 (19.7 percent). Officials are forecasting emission levels to be 20.8 percent below 1990 levels in 2016.”

That’s it for this week. Have a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend.

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

State: Environmental Impact Report needed for Tennessee Gas Pipeline projects in Agawam and Longmeadow, MassLive

Weymouth compressor opponents to unveil Braintree billboard, Weymouth.WickedLocal.com

Rally to revive Energy East pipeline meets opposition in Halifax, CBC.ca

Oil companies, staff remain liable for spill damage during N.J. home deliveries, WHYY

Portland, Maine, rule blocking pipeline OK’d in court, Boston Globe

European Oil Majors Are Out-Talking American Peers on Climate, Bloomberg L.P.

National Grid workers plan to rally outside Mass. Department of Public Utilities, WHDH

Billerica issues moratorium on future National Grid work, Billerica.wickedlocal.com

Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI

Regional Environmental Groups Pan Proposed Pollution Rule, WAMC

Mass. makes unsteady progress on emissions, CommonWealth Magazine

Portland tidal energy startup entering rough investment waters, Press Herald

Two roads diverging: Pennsylvania lawmakers rethink their renewables mandate, Utility Dive

Carbon price hits decade high in boost for cleaner fuels, Financial Times

New analyses agree carbon pricing is a powerful solution, Environmental Defense Fund

New “Affordable Clean Energy” Plan Lands With A Thud, CleanTechnica

Facebook says it will be powered by 100% renewable energy by 2020, MSN

How New Jersey can finance its bold new clean energy targets, Environmental Defense Fund

Wind

Barnstable Considered as Possible Home to Vineyard Wind Substation, CapeCod.com

Falmouth Resident Tells Of Lasting Turbine Troubles, Falmouth Enterprise

Petition mobilizes opponents of proposed Yarmouth power line, Cape Cod Times

The Race to Build a Wind Behemoth, Wall Street Journal

Antrim Wind blasting resumes after one day cease and desist, Monadnock Ledger-Transcript

Neighbors of Plymouth turbines bring health concerns to Bourne board, Cape Cod Times

Paperwork filed to transfer ownership of Antrim Wind Project, Monadnock Ledger-Transcript

Massachusetts offshore wind farm forecasts incredibly low rates, Institute for Energy Research

DOE Report: Cost of Wind Energy Technology Falls, Engineering News-Record

Offshore Wind Energy Market Projected To Exceed $60 Billion By 2024, epmag.com

U.S. Wind Power Is ‘Going All Out’ with Bigger Tech, Falling Prices, Reports Show, Inside Climate News

In 2017, four US states generated more than 30% of their electricity from wind, Ars Technica

Solar

Distributed solar saved ISO-NE consumers $20M during July heatwave, report says, Utility Dive

Solar supplies more than 10% of electricity in five US states, pv magazine International

As the heat rises, solar drives New England grid savings, VTDigger

M&A Action: Mitsubishi Subsidiary Invests In Massachusetts Energy Companies, Solar Industry

SouthCoast solar field revenues earmarked for New Bedford, Fairhaven housing authorities, Southcoasttoday

Air pollution can put a dent in solar power, Science Daily

Energy Efficiency/Storage

Xcel to Replace 2 Colorado Coal Units With Renewables and Storage, Greentech Media

EVs

Owning An Electric Car & The Neighborhood Effect, CleanTechnica

Eversource begins rollout of 400 electric car chargers across Massachusetts; ‘range anxiety’ seen as enemy to emissions progress, MassLive

Nuclear

The Nuclear Power Plant of the Future May Be Floating Near Russia, New York Times

Researchers use Microwaves to Stabilize Fusion Reactor Plasma, EdgyLabs.com

Board of Public Utilities moves to create zero emission credit program for nuclear plants, Press of Atlantic City

Seabrook residents plea to have water/sewer rates raised, Seacoastonline.com

Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.

Massachusetts hit with power outages as heat sets in, Boston Herald

Sudbury: Eversource can do soil tests, but with conditions, MetroWest Daily News

Eversource completes sale of New Hampshire hydro plants, Utility Dive

Rhode Island approves National Grid modernization plan, rate increase, Utility Dive

Under fire from all sides, CMP losing the power of its word, Portland Press Herald

Energy companies dominate list of top spenders on lobbying in Mass., Boston Globe

SouthCoast solar field revenues earmarked for New Bedford, Fairhaven housing authorities, CommonWealth Magazine

Eversource completes $83m sale of hydro plants, New Hampshire Union Leader

Otis Air National Guard Base Cuts Ribbon on New Energy Grid, Cape Cod

Eversource Cable Route Draws Criticism In Norwalk, WSHU

Editorial/Opinion

Editorial: High tension moment for Seacoast Reliability Project, Seacoastonline.com

Say yes to renewable energy, New Hampshire Union Leader

Lawmakers have more work to do on energy, CommonWealth Magazine

Letter: National Grid pursuing improvements in region, The Eagle-Tribune

Maine Voices: Now is the time for a public electric utility in Maine, Portland Press Herald

Slow and Steady Approach to Clean Energy Protects Ratepayers, AIM Blog

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Filed under Electricity Costs, New England Energy News, Northeast Energy News, nuclear, solar, Wind Power

Tagged as climate change, electric vehicles, Eversource, ISO New England, Kinder Morgan

June 1, 2018 · 2:38 pm

Energy News for week ending June 1, 2018

Carried Away | Footprint online | Investing in offshore wind

Happy Friday afternoon.

This week, Bruce Mohl at CommonWealth Magazine thinks Massachusetts’ Governor Charlie Baker “may have gotten a little carried away on Wednesday talking about the “terrific pricing” the state is going to get for offshore wind power…The governor’s comments seemed to imply that the price of electricity from the Vineyard Wind project selected last week under a state procurement would be competitive with existing forms of power generation. But that’s highly unlikely, unless analyst estimates are way off base. Prices for the electricity produced by Vineyard Wind are likely to be higher than electricity produced using natural gas and other fuels – just not as high as Baker and many other analysts had expected.”

After delays, the Salem News reported on Thursday that “Salem Harbor Footprint has officially flipped the switch. The $1 billion natural gas-burning power plant on Derby Street and Fort Avenue went online overnight. ‘Beginning at midnight, we’ll be in operation and providing power to Salem, the North Shore and the region,’ said Scott Silverstein, chief operating officer of Footprint Power, which runs the plant. The plant has been providing power to the grid off and on through a series of tests over the last several months. And while there’s still some work to be done at the site, Silverstein said the plant is ready to be fully operational. ISO-New England, the independent organization that oversees the region’s electric grid, was notified of the change on Wednesday.”

Investments in the offshore wind industry in New England continue. Hartford Business reports that $15 million in funding to repair and improve State Pier in New London was approved today. “Gov. Dannel Malloy’s office said Tuesday that the funding would allow the pier to compete with other ports to be used as a staging area by companies that have proposed seven offshore wind farms on the Northeast’s Atlantic coast. That includes an 800-megawatt proposal that’s moving forward in Massachusetts.” And in Rhode Island, the Providence Journal reports that “Deepwater Wind will invest $250 million in Rhode Island and use a local workforce of more than 800 to build a utility-scale offshore wind farm that would be able to meet the electric needs of 200,000 households in the state, CEO Jeffrey Grybowski and Governor Gina Raimondo announced Wednesday morning. The investment by the Providence-based company will include $40 million in improvements to the Port of Providence, the port facilities in the Quonset Business Park in North Kingstown and potentially one or more other ports in Rhode Island, where Deepwater would stage construction of the 400-megawatt project that is being called Revolution Wind.”

As always you can find more news and events at Northeast Energy News. Have a great weekend.

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

New Jersey is leading the resistance to offshore drilling, Stamford Advocate

Judge Shuts Down Work on Sunoco Pipelines, Cites Danger, US News & World Report

Canada to Buy Kinder Morgan Pipeline for $3.5 Billion, The Wall Street Journal

Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI

Vermont coffee roaster produces ‘green’ beans, WPTZ Burlington

Dan Haar: Fuel cell makers hoping state ends drought, Stamford Advocate

Statewide climate funds tilted toward Long Island, power plant owners, study claims, Albany Times Union

Ben & Jerry’s Bets On Blockchain To Cancel Out The Carbon In Every Scoop, Forbes

Environmentalists: Biomass bill bad for RI, The Pendulum

Boston’s Cardinal O’Malley leading effort to go green, Aleteia EN

Wind

Is Baker getting carried away with offshore wind?, CommonWealth Magazine

Baker: Offshore wind energy to feature ‘terrific pricing,’ South Coast Today

Deepwater Wind to invest $250 million in Rhode Island to build utility-scale offshore wind farm, Providence Journal

After a decade of dithering, the US east coast went all in on offshore wind power this week, Quartz

Malloy: $15M would position New London pier for offshore wind activity, Hartford Business Journal

America, your offshore wind is coming: 1.2GW in contracts awarded, Ars Technica

Falmouth insurer pays $255K to settle turbine lawsuits, Cape Cod Times

Fishermen’s lands NJ ‘lifeline,’ renews

New offshore wind farm project will dwarf nation’s 1st one, AP News

Solar

Massive solar project planned near wind farm in coastal Maine, Bangor Daily News

Sungrow Wins Deal to Supply Over 50MWh of ESS Solutions to North America, Market Watch

Sun surge in Hudson Valley as solar energy projects make gains, Poughkeepsie Journal

Natick could save nearly $1M with solar panels, MetroWest Daily News

Energy Efficiency/Storage

Big savings boost, The News-Times

Vermont law ‘ups the ante’ on energy efficiency, Utility Dive

N.J. sets ‘aggressive’ 2 GW storage target by 2030, Utility Dive

Zero Energy Modular home comes to town, The Valley Reporter

Nuclear

Nuke Advisory Panel Leader to Depart, Valley News

Millstone siren malfunctions in Lyme, going off despite no emergency, The Day

Competition drives nuclear industry to look for millions in subsidies, Washington Post

The 60-Year Downfall of Nuclear Power in the U.S. Has Left a Huge Mess, The Atlantic

Oyster Creek nuclear plant submits 60-year, $1.4 billion closing plan, Press of Atlantic City

Vermont Yankee Buyer Says Success Here Could Mean Big Business Elsewhere, Vermont Public Radio

N.J.’s oldest nuclear plant is closing, begins booting workers, NJ.com

EVs

California, New York, New Jersey see nearly $1.3B in new EV funding, Utility Dive

Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.

Salem power plant online, Salem News

Ratepayers’ group planning class-action lawsuit against CMP, Portland Press Herald

National Grid begins turning Somerset into power hub, Fall River Herald News

Bloomberg Baystate Business: Power, Betting, Beer, Bloomberg

Virtual power plants are now powering electrical grids without fuel, Quartz

Officials: Bird flew into substation, knocked out power, Stamford Advocate

‘Smart’ electric meters come to NJ, bringing fears of Big Brother, The Record

Trump Prepares Lifeline for Money-Losing Coal Power Plants, Bloomberg

Quebec’s electricity deal with cryptocurrency miners makes sense, The Next Web

Hydro Power Not Green Enough for New Hampshire As Regulators Reject Northern Pass Proposal, Inside Sources

Editorial/Opinion

LETTER: State doesn’t need the PennEast pipeline, MyCentralJersey.com

Letter to the editor: CMP customer demands answers on big increase in bills, Portland Press Herald

Letter to the editor: Officials abet plundering by Central Maine Power, Portland Press Herald

It’s Time To Take Climate Change Personally, WBUR Boston

My Turn: Scott Wolf: R.I.’s ‘Wild West’ of renewable energy, The Providence Journal

New York is a bad neighbor to New England, CommonWealth Magazine

Renewable Energy and DERs Are a Better Deal than New Gas Generation Almost Every Time, Renewable Energy World

The clock is ticking to save TMI and keep our air clean | Opinion, The Patriot-News

Our view: Time for utilities to share in tax cut windfall, Salem News

My Turn: Meredith Angwin: We’ll lose power in future winters, The Providence Journal

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Filed under New England Energy News, Northeast Energy News, nuclear, offshore wind

Tagged as Charlie Baker, climate change, Connecticut, energy efficiency, Footprint Power, Kinder Morgan, Rhode Island

December 8, 2017 · 12:46 pm

Energy News for week ending December 8, 2017

Santa & Solar Panels | Energy Storage | Blockchain Investments

Holiday Alert: We’ve found a few stories with great gift ideas for the energy geeks in your life. Prices range from $30-50 for a thermal leak detector to $5,500 for a solar panel package and Tesla Powerwall that can handle the energy needs of an entire house, depending on where you live and your energy usage. The panels, combined with a 13.5 kilowatt-hour Powerwall might let you go off the grid, or sell power back to your utility company. Plus they offer protection against power outages by giving you days of backup.

And in more holiday season giving, 26 energy storage projects in Mass. are sharing $20M in grants to grow the energy storage market. WBUR reports these pilot projects represent a quarter of Massachusetts’ 200-megawatt-hour grid storage mandated target, set for 2020. The state currently has seven megawatt hours of advanced energy storage installed.

Finally, if you haven’t been paying attention to blockchain, a distributed, digital transaction technology, now might be the time. GreenBiz reports that as we transition to a decentralized, digitized and decarbonized energy world, blockchain technology may be the ‘missing link’ to spur on renewable energy investments.

As always, be sure to check out Northeast Energy News for more stories and events. Have a great weekend.

Green Gift Guide for Energy Geeks

Energy Adviser: Geeky energy gifts on a budget, The Columbian

HybridCars.com Green Holiday Gift Guide, Hybrid Cars News

Natural Gas/Pipeline

In Massachusetts, Protesters Balk At Pipeline Company’s Payments To Police, HuffPost

Kinder Morgan payments for state police details at nearly $1 million, Berkshire Eagle

Liberty Proposes Gas Pipeline To Run From NH Seacoast To Manchester, New Hampshire Public Radio

Narragansett Tribe plans to sue FERC over gas pipeline approval in Berkshire County, MassLive.com

As more elected officials call for resignation of CRMC chair, Governor Raimondo remains silent, Uprise RI

Community members protest gas plant, The Brown Daily Herald

Weymouth compressor review could take a year, state says, The Patriot Ledger

12 Anti-Pipeline Protestors Will Face Criminal Charges In Court, WAMC

PCBs, fracked gas pipelines endanger human and planetary health, warns author activist, theberkshireedge.com

Leaked PowerPoint Reveals The Gas Industry’s Playbook For Waging Pipeline Fights, HuffPost

Renewable Energy

Mass. Gives Out $20M In Grants To Grow Energy Storage Market, WBUR

The missing link for renewable energy investment? Blockchain, GreenBiz

Maine Utility: Our hydro project has lowest cost, Commonwealth Magazine

Surge of Carbon Pricing Proposals Coming in the New Year, MIT Technology Review

As Cape Wind dies, offshore wind picks up steam in Massachusetts, MassLive.com

Energy chairman Golden gets tour of Greenfield, The Recorder

CAS Scientists Develop ACES to Monitor Greenhouse-Gas Emissions, BU Today

Koch-funded network targets New Hampshire’s renewable energy policies, ThinkProgress

To-the-point: Avangrid touts best cost proposal in Massachusetts RfP, Renewables Now

Energy Efficiency

The Hidden Gem of Wholesale Energy Markets: Energy Efficiency, Energy Collective

A bipartisan message of clean energy progress, MIT News

Clean energy slashed in new budget, Yale Daily News

US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Rejects Energy Efficiency Restrictions, CleanTechnica

Nuclear

Millstone shares data with DEEP, PURA, theday.com

On 75th anniversary of first nuclear fission reactor, MIT stages tribute to seminal experiment, MIT News

Saudis invite US firms to develop multi-billion-dollar nuclear power projects, CNBC

Christie Hints He Might Sign Bill to Subsidize PSEG’s Nuclear Plants, NJ Spotlight

Weighing 75 years of the nuclear age, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.

ISO-NE Preparing for Energy Storage Growth, RTO Insider

Eversource, National Grid Complete Transmission Line From Mass. To NH, WBUR

Aquarion Water Co. sale to Eversource approved, Seacoastonline.com

Energy fights loom in conference talks, E&E News

As grid modernization accelerates, which states are in the lead, and why?, Utility Dive

Massachusetts approves Eversource rate increase to help boost EV, storage investment, Utility Dive

National Grid to install back-up battery system as electricity demand grows, Nantucket Island Inquirer

National Grid report defends storm response, Gloucester Daily Times

Decision on Eversource rate hike drawing criticism, The Recorder

Why Mergers and Acquisitions Will Define the Distributed Energy Boom,, Greentech Media

One Trump Buzzword to Seal Fate of $700 Billion Power Trade, Bloomberg

Efficiency Vermont rates rise for residents, down for businesses, vtdigger.org

CMP touts its bid to build transmission line through Maine, Press Herald

ExxonMobil opposes ALEC’s attempt to fight EPA climate policy, The Hill

Rethinking the utility company as solar power heats up, PBS NewsHour

Editorial/Opinion

Cape Wind: A blown opportunity, Cape Cod Times

Sandra Levine: An innovative climate policy for Vermont, vtdigger.org

Who Will Fund Clean Energy? Familiar Faces, Bloomberg

Letter: RI Energy Challenge helps town, residents, The Independent

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Filed under Climate Change, Electric Grid, Electricity Costs, Energy Efficiency, Natural Gas Pipelines, nuclear, Renewables, solar

Tagged as Cape Wind, clean energy, electric rates, energy efficiency, Eversource, ISO New England, Kinder Morgan, National Grid, nuclear, renewable, smart grid

December 1, 2017 · 3:05 pm

Energy News for week ending December 1, 2017

The next big thing | An unlikely partnership | Heating assistance en route

Good afternoon. For this week’s recap we’re focusing on some positive stories.

Starting on the renewables front, NBC News brings us a story of how wave power may be “the next big thing in green energy.” One of the technologies to harness wave power is called the “Lifesaver.” It’s described as a “hulking device, as wide as a school bus is long, [and] looks a bit like a massive buoy or life raft.” The benefits they say are that, “Like solar and wind power, wave power harnesses energy that comes ultimately from the sun. Solar radiation causes air pressure gradients that cause wind, and wind gives its momentum to the ocean surface, producing waves.” They note that a square meter of a solar panel receives 0.2 to 0.3 kilowatts of solar energy, however every meter of the California coast receives 30 kilowatts of wave energy. Further, wave energy has another advantage over solar and wind. Waves are easy to forecast… and unlike solar, wave energy can be harnessed 24/7.

This week WGBH reports that environmentalists and gas companies in Massachusetts are doing something unusual — they’re teaming up to try to fix something they both agree is a problem. That problem is gas leaks. Audrey Schulman, founder of HEET talks about dealing with the utilities, “The relationship in the past was really, really contentious,” Schulman said. “In general, HEET would — my nonprofit — would release some sort of report in the press and the utilities would come back with some angry statement, and I would respond with some angrier statement, and we would both cast aspersions upon each other’s facts, knowledge, clothing. Like, anything we could.”

But one day, a utility executive responded differently, saying more information on gas leaks could help his company. “And I was so startled by that, that I think that that was the moment when I began to realize we might be able to all work together,” Schulman said.

Last upbeat note for this week the MetroWest Daily News reports that, “Despite threats that funding would be eliminated in President Donald Trump’s preliminary budget, the state’s home heating program will continue to keep low-income families warm this year, just as temperatures are beginning to drop.” Nice!

As always, be sure to check out Northeast Energy News for more stories and events. Have a great weekend.

Natural Gas/Pipeline

In An Unlikely Partnership, Local Environmentalists And Utilities Work Together To Reduce Gas Leaks, WGBH

Eight energy companies commit to reduce methane emissions within natural gas industry, Penn Energy

Opening of 1-GW Burrillville Power Plant Pushed Back to 2021, Penn Energy

Gas rush: FERC’s pipeline approvals underline persisting controversy over permitting, Utility Dive

Fire reported at natural gas power plant (CT), Penn Energy

Kinder Morgan says holding tank is source of contamination of 547,000 gallons of pipeline test water, Berkshire Eagle

Opponents of LNG facility in Providence say look to the future, The Providence Journal

Opponents Bring Passion, Scrutiny to LNG Hearing, ecoRI news

Vermonters join suit over alleged electricity price-fixing, vtdigger.org

Gas rush: FERC’s pipeline approvals underline persisting controversy over permitting, Utility Dive

South Dakota Warns It Could Revoke Keystone Pipeline Permit Over Oil Spill, InsideClimate News

Environmental concerns mount as Keystone pipeline leaks more oil than predicted, AccuWeather.com

Eversource Energy begins $3.8M expansion of natural gas distribution in Shelton, Westfair Online

A map of $1.1 billion in natural gas pipeline leaks, High Country News

Keystone pipeline spill blamed on damage from its construction, The Hill

Ecologist Sandra Steingraber to speak on fracked gas, PCBs, and our health Saturday in Lenox, theberkshireedge.com

Ohio EPA: Rover Pipeline spill leaks 200 gallons of drilling fluid into Black Fork, Richland Source

US FERC approves 223 MMcf/d Millennium Pipeline expansion in New York, Platts

Chatterjee blames national environmental groups for delaying pipeline approvals, Utility Dive

Renewable Energy

A tale of 2 states: Massachusetts and California provide different lessons on growing community solar, Utility Dive

Savings from solar farm to pump $200K into Williamstown budget, Berkshire Eagle

Why wave power may be the next big thing in green energy, NBC News

In Bid To Sell Wind Energy To MA, Bay State Wind To Hold Community Meetings, RIPR

Work moves forward at 100-kW Bell Mill Hydro in New Hampshire, Renewable Energy World

UMass Dartmouth to study offshore wind and commercial fishing, MassLive

Is Wave Power Finally Ready to Scale Up? Energy Manager Today

Cape Wind fight spins on, Cape Cod Times

Wind industry leaders tout Somerset’s power potential, Fall River Herald News

Long Island muni proposes new compensation scheme for C&I solar, Utility Dive

The Obscure ‘Poison Pill’ Senate Tax Provision Threatening Renewables, Greentech Media

The Energy 202: Why the wind and solar lobby is terrified of the Senate tax plan, Washington Post

Last-minute provision in Senate tax bill could ‘devastate’ renewable energy, Utility Dive

Looking For A Green Way To Heat Your Home? Try A Wood Pellet Stove, Rhode Island Public Radio

Boston Begins Effort To Become Carbon Neutral By 2050, WBUR

Retired Massachusetts coal plant may serve to advance offshore wind, (press release) Windpower Engineering

Shell, one of the biggest oil companies, plans to halve its carbon emissions. Here’s how, CNBC

Energy Efficiency

Harvesting the Sun for Energy Increases Efficiency by 60 Percent, Futurism

First Ever International Symposium on Energy Efficiency, (press release) ELE Times

MA: Two South Shore Farms Receive State Grants to Improve Energy Efficiency, 95.9 WATD-FM

Local farms receive energy grants, The Recorder

Solar powered smart windows break 11% efficiency – enough to generate more than 80% of US electricity, Electrek

Energy efficiency is linked to the internet of things, but adoption rates of energy saving devices is low, Alt Energy Magazine

Nuclear

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Releases List Of Issues To Consider In New Decommissioning Rules, Vermont Public Radio

C-10 responds to Seabrook nuke plant owner’s appeal, The Daily News of Newburyport

Entergy contends Vermont Yankee testing could be dangerous, vtdigger.org

NRC Issues Confirmatory Order Over Security-Related Violations at Millstone Nuclear Power Plant, Energy Central

Closing Indian Point Nuclear Plant Could Be Costly For Surrounding Communities, CBS New York

Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.

ISO New England warns of gas pipeline constraints while promising adequate power for winter, MassLive

Mass. officials approve Eversource rate hike, Boston Globe

DPU cuts Eversource rate hike by 60%, CommonWealth Magazine

Cape Light Compact announces winter electric pricing, Barnstable Patriot

Pittsfield explains new electricity aggregation agreement, Berkshire Eagle

Powerline: How Hydro-Québec Helped Shape Canadian Energy and Cultural History, New Hampshire Public Radio

If bid is approved, CMP to invest millions in Lewiston converter station, Lewiston Sun Journal

Critics Fault Eversource For Proposing Business Fees Be Charged To Ratepayers, Hartford Courant

National Grid proposes rate increases for RI customers, Turn to 10

Who Needs Coal? Huge Hydropower Project On Tap For New England, CleanTechnica

Northern Pass says it continues to work with developer of recently-approved Bethlehem hotel, The Union Leader

After uncertainty, state gets heating assistance funds, MetroWest Daily News
New York PSC approves Orange and Rockland smart meter installation plan, Daily Energy Insider

Empire State Connector Announces Open Solicitation for 1,000 MW HVDC Transmission Line from Utica to Brooklyn, Energy Central

Pittsfield explains new electricity aggregation agreement, Berkshire Eagle

Utilities commission approves Eversource power plant sale, Penn Energy

New York energy storage target official after Gov. Cuomo signs bill, Utility Dive

Editorial/Opinion

Editorial: Pipeline bills would protect consumers, GazetteNET

Opinion: Housing unlikely for Vt. Yankee site, BurlingtonFreePress.com

As Northern Pass drags on, what’s the Legislature to do?, Manchester Ink Link

Our view: Keep pressure on utilities to repair gas leaks, Salem News

Big business should watch this tiny state’s power transformation, GreenBiz

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Filed under Electricity Costs, Energy Efficiency, Natural Gas Pipelines, nuclear, solar

Tagged as Columbia Gas of MA, Eversource, ISO New England, Kinder Morgan, National Grid, Rhode Island, wave power

November 4, 2017 · 12:23 pm

Energy News for week ending November 4, 2017

Protests take new turn | Storm creates havoc | Natgas Moratorium News

Happy Saturday folks!

We had a “wicked busy” day yesterday so this newsletter is a day behind its normal schedule but it’s filled with an extra day of stories so it’s more a like a “Bonus edition!”

Out in western Mass, WAMC reports that Kinder Morgan protests are turning more aggressive. “Massachusetts State Police said in a statement three pipeline opponents were arrested Wednesday. State police say one man trying to escape arrest pushed a trooper and was hit with a stun gun. Further from home, but incredibly disturbing, is a story from KWWL where it is suspected a wind power opponent placed more than a dozen dead rabbits at the base of a wind turbine. A local environmental consultant believes the rabbits were likely placed under the turbine to attract eagles and other birds into the path of the propellers. Just awful.

Big news this week was the wind storm that knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of people around New England. Some still remain without power. The response, or slowness of it, has caught the attention of government leaders in Massachusetts (Boston Herald), Rhode Island (ProJo) and Connecticut (NBC Connecticut).

Last for this week, is news from the Daily Hampshire Gazette where Columbia Gas laid out plans to lift the moratorium on new gas connections in Northampton and East Hampton along with several other projects to improve reliability and reduce gas leaks in its Springfield territory.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Natural Gas/Pipeline

Bill aims to protect consumers in pipeline expansions, Daily Hampshire Gazette

Columbia Gas outlines solutions to natural gas logjam, Hampshire Gazette

Natural gas industry seeks expanded infrastructure, Lowell Sun

Spectra defends Weymouth compressor plan amid new concerns, WickedLocal Weymouth

There’s a new tool in the fight to seal the state’s gas leaks, Boston Globe

Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. cleared to start flow through Otis State Forest spur, Berkshire Eagle

Police: Kinder Morgan Pipeline Protests Have Turned More Aggressive, WAMC.org

Northeast pipeline controversy exposes gas markets as ‘a recipe for chaos,’ researchers say, Utility Dive

Kinder Morgan denies claims about Otis forest project; TD Bank says it’s not involved, Daily Hampshire Gazette

Power grid operator disqualifies proposed Burrillville plant from electricity auction, The Providence Journal

Public forum in Concord on gas leaks, The Boston Globe

Chelmsford board backs gas leaks bills, Wicked Local Chelmsford

Company says it knew of pipeline coating damage 3 years ago, PennEnergy

Now it’s oilmen who say fracking could harm groundwater, E&E News

How a 672000-Gallon Oil Spill Was Nearly Invisible, New York Times

The Fracking Boom’s Midlife Crisis, Bloomberg

U.S. Energy Regulator Says Coal More Reliable Than Natural Gas, Bloomberg

Climate Change

Dual bills call for climate change action, Lowell Sun

Massive Government Report Says Climate Is Warming And Humans Are The Cause, WBUR

UN environment chief: US likely to live up to Paris accord, CT Post

Atmospheric CO2 Levels Are Now The Highest In 800,000 Years, IFL Science

October 2017 was second warmest on record in Worcester, Telegram.com

Renewable Energy/Policy/etc.

NY Green Bank seeks $1B in private sector investment for clean energy projects, Utility Dive

HomeBiogas 2.0: Ready-to-use biogas solution for the home, Treehugger

New York Stakeholders Question Carbon Pricing Process, RTO Insider

Wind

Bay State Wind opens downtown New Bedford office in wind power bid, South Coast Today

Moosehead-area lawmakers oppose wind projects, Press Herald

Public back New England offshore, REnews

Wind mill tax program not worth the ‘headache,’ Sun Journal

US Bill targets offshore boost, renews

Wind Power Set a New Renewable Energy Record in Europe Last Week, Futurism

US and Denmark sign deal for offshore wind cooperation, Energy Digital

Dead rabbits found on local wind farm, KWWL

Solar

Is solar+storage eligible for net metering in Massachusetts? Tesla and others want to know, Utility Dive

Solar permitting data shows residential market woes, pv magazine USA

New England Solar and Storage Symposium 2017: The Presentations, Greentech Media

Energy Efficiency

Town of Maynard reduces energy use by 22 percent, Wicked Local Bolton

Time to Change Our Clocks Back and Our Lightbulbs Forward, Natural Resources Defense Council

New Hampshire House committee votes to end RGGI-funded efficiency investments, Utility Dive

Nuclear

Malloy signs Millstone bill, then questions its need, The Day

Connecticut governor calls for Dominion cooperation, World Nuclear News

Consultant airs Vermont Yankee contamination concerns, Brattleboro Reformer

NARUC, other energy organizations urge Congress to fund Nuclear Waste Program, Daily Energy Insider

Crews restoring power to Seabrook nuke plant sirens, Seacoastonline.com

Storm knocks out Pilgrim power line, Cape Cod Times

Storm

AG eyes utility’s power restoration efforts after storm, Boston Herald

Following outage, Grid wants to bill ratepayers $39M for tree-clearing, Boston Herald

National Grid under fire for slow response to outages, The Providence Journal

State reports 31000 still without power, Lowell Sun

Utility’s storm prep called into question, Boston Herald

Frustration Mounts As Thousands Remain Without Power, Hartford Courant

Ledyard Mayor, Frustrated With Eversource Response, Postpones Trick or Treating, NBC Connecticut

Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.

Healey fights Eversource’s $4.9M reimbursement request, Boston Globe

Eversource touts N. Pass ‘certainty,’ CommonWealth Magazine

Eversource Seeking $336.8M Electricity Rate Increase Amid Criticism Over Recent Storm Response, Hartford Courant

Sudbury: Eversource power line proposal faces state hearings, Wicked Local Sudbury

Sixty-Four House Members Tell Pruitt RFS has Failed, DTN The Progressive Farmer

Mayor Carpenter: Brockton Power is dead, Enterprise News

Budding marijuana sector brings big load growth, efficiency challenges for utilities, Utility Dive

Fall back no more? Commission moves time zone issue forward, WCVB Boston

Thoughts for fuel: Bringing new technology to home-heating delivery, Boston Globe

Why You Should Fear a Cyberattack on the Grid, Greentech Media

In private meeting Cuomo administration pushes utilities for more REV investment, Politico

What Is Grid Modernization? An Explainer, Conservation Law Foundation blog

Why We Need Microgrid Cybersecurity: The Threat is Real, Microgrid Knowledge

Editorial/Opinion

Budget Hurts Environment, Hartford Courant

Lessons from first campus carbon-pricing scheme, Nature.com

Opinion: Approve Vermont Yankee plan, BurlingtonFreePress.com

Paying environmental tribute to neighboring states, Commonwealth Magazine

Guy Page: ‘Residential standards’ for VY decommissioning make little sense, VT Digger

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Filed under Climate Change, Electricity Costs, Natural Gas Pipelines, solar, Wind Power

Tagged as climate change, Columbia Gas of MA, Eversource, Kinder Morgan, National Grid, natural gas, Northern Pass, power outages, Spectra

June 30, 2017 · 12:32 pm

Energy News for week ending June 30, 2017

Happy Friday everyone!

Gas stories abound this week. First, CommonWealth Magazine brings us the news that the companies involved in the Access Northeast Pipeline are putting the project on hold. According to the story, company officials said the project was being withdrawn from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s pre-filing review process and would not be revived until “gaps in legal authority” are addressed. Its backers said the region needed more access to gas, particularly in the winter months, when prices rise and backup coal and oil-fired plants are rushed into service to meet the region’s power needs.

Earlier in the week, The Recorder’s Going Green blog wrote about Kinder Morgan’s Tennessee Gas subsidiary “open season” filing seeking bids from gas distribution companies and other customers for a new pipeline in the region. The past couple of weeks have also brought us two reports on the benefits of natural gas. The API’s report looks at all 50 states, while the Northeast Gas Association directs its attention specifically on Massachusetts.

Last tidbit for this week comes from Microgrid Knowledge in an article that demonstrates bigger is not necessary better, at least when it comes to grid reliability according to two reports from the Brattle Group and the Analysis Group. The studies find renewables are not jeopardizing reliability and the very idea of ‘baseload’ — power plants that run almost all the time — may be antiquated, given today’s mix of flexible, software-driven power resources.

Have a wonderful and safe 4^th of July weekend.

Natural Gas/Pipeline

Access Northeast pipeline put on indefinite hold, CommonWealth Magazine

Gubernatorial candidates join compressor station opposition, Berkshire Eagle

Native Americans to fight FERC over pipeline work, Berkshire Eagle

98-year-old Northampton peace activist Frances Crowe faces trespassing charge after Berkshire pipeline protest, MassLive.com

8 protesters arrested at Massachusetts gas pipeline project, Boston.com

Kinder Morgan pitches future natural gas pipeline capacity in New York, New England, MassLive.com

Risk assessment requested for Weymouth compressor station site, Wicked Local Weymouth

Eversource invests $3.5M in Danbury’s natural gas system, CT Post

‘Victory’: Irish Lawmakers Ban Fracking | Common Dreams, Common Dreams

Study of oil and gas drilling finds pollution and connections to earthquakes, Houston Chronicle