Plugging In

Energy and the Environment

A new way to connect offshore wind power to the grid

Owners of Sandwich power plants seek to sell surplus interconnection capacity

By Bruce Mohl 0 Comments May 26, 2023

THE OWNER OF the Canal Station power plants in Sandwich is telling state regulators it may have an easier way for offshore wind farms to feed their electricity into the regional power grid and save ratepayers as much as $200 million. Jera Americas Inc., a Japanese company that bought the Canal power plants last year,(...)

Eversource exiting offshore wind business

Utility to take a charge of $220m-$280m in second quarter

By Bruce Mohl Energy, Offshore Wind 0 Comments May 25, 2023

EVERSOURCE, New England’s largest utility, said on Thursday that it plans to exit the offshore wind business and write down the value of its holdings by $220 million to $280 million. The utility said it is selling its 50 percent stake in an undeveloped 175,000-acre lease area 25 miles off the coast of Massachusetts for(...)

Vineyard Wind components arrive in New Bedford

Visible step forward for US offshore wind industry

By Bruce Mohl Energy, Offshore Wind 0 Comments May 24, 2023

THE NATION’S fledgling offshore wind industry took a very visible step forward on Thursday as a ship from Portugal delivered components for the first US industrial-scale wind farm to the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal. The UHL Felicity bought in tower components for the giant General Electric wind turbines that will be assembled at the(...)

We must pursue a real plan for net-zero emissions by 2050

Solution proposed by gas companies is 'business as usual'

By Cynthia Creem, Jennifer Armini and Steven Owens 0 Comments May 23, 2023

AS THE COMMONWEALTH moves forward with its ambitious mandate to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, it’s essential that we have a real plan for implementing a real solution. Failure to adopt a concrete plan at best means piecemeal, uncoordinated and inefficient action. At worst, it could mean major disruption and harm to workers and ratepayers. A full(...)

Healey seeking $250m for grid upgrades

Federal funds would promote offshore wind interconnections

By Bruce Mohl Electricity, Energy 0 Comments May 23, 2023

THE HEALEY ADMINISTRATION announced on Monday that it has filed an application for $250 million in federal matching funds to help build connections to the power grid in Massachusetts for offshore wind and solar power developers. State officials portrayed the grant proposal as an attempt to “jumpstart state and regional collaboration on necessary transmission infrastructure,”(...)

Ocean grid key to explosive offshore wind growth

We need to discard old ways of thinking, build necessary infrastructure

By Peter Shattuck Energy 0 Comments May 13, 2023

OFFSHORE WIND could be as beneficial to Massachusetts economy as life sciences, but not without transmission infrastructure to scale the industry. The life science sector grew by over 60,000 jobs in the 15 years leading up to 2022, a growth rate of 131 percent vs. 6.9 percent over the same period for the broader Massachusetts(...)

Energy storage facilities hit regulatory black hole

Siting board says it has no jurisdiction over projects in Carver, Medway

By Bruce Mohl Electricity, State Government 0 Comments May 10, 2023

THE STATE’S Energy Facilities Siting Board concluded on Wednesday that it lacks authority to approve large energy storage facilities, which means two projects in Carver and Medway may be in jeopardy. Energy storage facilities are becoming an integral part of the regional power grid. The facilities help the grid deal with fluctuations in demand by(...)

Healey playing catch-up with latest offshore wind procurement

Firms headed for default in last round not disqualified from this round

By Bruce Mohl Maura Healey, Offshore Wind 0 Comments May 2, 2023

THE HEALEY ADMINISTRATION made the best of a bad situation on Tuesday, issuing a draft of the state’s fourth request for offshore wind proposals that reworks the failed third procurement, pushes forward with a modest wind farm expansion, and provides some increased flexibility to future bidders. The cloud hanging over this procurement is its predecessor,(...)

Connecticut taking different approach to utility regulation

Seeks to link economic compensation to performance

By Bruce Mohl Electricity, State Government, utilities 0 Comments May 1, 2023

CONNECTICUT IS CHANGING the way it regulates utilities, and the new approach has the companies and investors scared. The new approach, called performance-based regulation, is intended to compensate utilities based on how well they perform tasks rather than on how much money they spend. Many states, including Massachusetts, incorporate some element of performance into their(...)

End the DPU’s stall on municipal electricity aggregation

Removing bureaucratic roadblocks could save money, boost renewables

By Larry Chretien Electricity, State Government 0 Comments Apr 29, 2023

AS FOLKS ACROSS Massachusetts confront the consequences of a changing climate and emerge from a winter of extraordinarily high energy costs, it’s clear that we need cleaner, more affordable power. Expanding municipal aggregation programs would increase demand for clean energy, reduce fossil fuel emissions, and lower energy costs for ratepayers – yet the Department of(...)