Plugging In

Energy and the Environment

Rep. Haddad is star of energy documentary

‘Empowered’ places Somerset’s struggles in historical context

By Bruce Mohl Brayton Point, Patricia Haddad, Somerset 0 Comments May 16, 2022

REP. PATRICIA HADDAD of Somerset, long a powerful figure in the Massachusetts House, is now also the star of a new documentary written, directed, and produced by California-based filmmaker Kiki Goshay about America’s love affair with energy. The documentary’s strength is the long look it takes at the country’s haphazard energy evolution from one president(...)

Japanese firm has different plan for Cape power plants

Proposes using the facility as a conduit for offshore wind

By Bruce Mohl Energy 0 Comments May 12, 2022

A JAPANESE COMPANY is buying the oil and gas-fired power plants located in Sandwich on the Cape Cod Canal and seeking to repurpose them primarily as a conduit for delivering energy from offshore wind farms to the New England power grid. At first glance, the power plants wouldn’t seem to hold much value. One is(...)

NE power grid demand falls to its lowest level ever

Part of shift caused by solar power on homes

By Bruce Mohl Electricity, Energy 0 Comments May 6, 2022

DEMAND FOR ELECTRICITY from the New England power grid fell to an all-time low on Sunday, a reflection of the weather and the region’s embrace of solar power. Sunday was a very pleasant day, with mild temperatures, sunshine, and Sunday’s relatively low demand for electricity. The combination meant homeowners didn’t need heat or air conditioning,(...)

CommonWealth wins six awards from New England newspaper association

Four first-place honors across a range of coverage areas among the winning entries

By CommonWealth Staff Journalism awards 0 Comments May 5, 2022

COMMONWEALTH WON SIX AWARDS, including four first-place designations, from the New England Newspaper & Press Association in its Better Newspaper Competition. The awards were for articles written between August 1, 2020 and July 31, 2021. The awards were announced over the weekend at the association’s annual convention in Boston. CommonWealth competed in the category of(...)

US Senate committee deadlocks on Robinson

Republican questions Framingham rep's desire to lower electricity costs

By Chris Lisinski Energy, Massachusetts Legislature 0 Comments May 3, 2022

STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE A US SENATE COMMITTEE split evenly along party lines on whether to advance Massachusetts Rep. Maria Robinson’s nomination for a federal energy job, teeing up another situation in which Democrats may need to turn to the vice president to break a tie and muscle through a Bay State elected official. Nearly(...)

Challenging the status quo on electricity, heating

Conservation Law Foundation officials call for change

By Bruce Mohl Energy, Environment 0 Comments Apr 25, 2022

TWO TOP OFFICIALS with the Conservation Law Foundation say the region’s power grid operator and the state’s utilities are in some ways part of the problem instead of the solution to dealing with climate change. Greg Cunningham, the vice president and director of CLF’s clean energy and climate change program, and Caitlin Peale Sloan, the(...)

Healey climate plan calls for cabinet czar

Sets ambitious electricity goals for grid, transportation

By Bruce Mohl Elections, Electricity, Energy, Environment 0 Comments Apr 19, 2022

DEMOCRATIC GUBERNATORIAL candidate Maura Healey began to flesh out her policy positions on Tuesday by unveiling a climate change plan that calls for the appointment of cabinet-level official to oversee and coordinate the effort and sets ambitious goals for eliminating the use of fossil fuels in generating electricity and powering the MBTA. As the state’s(...)

National Grid has new vision for heating

Plan relies on renewable natural gas, green hydrogen

By Stephen Woerner and Robert Rio Energy, Environment 0 Comments Apr 19, 2022

THERE IS OVERWHELMING evidence the world is experiencing the impacts of climate change, and that we must move away from fossil fuels. As an energy company serving millions of people in the Northeast (National Grid), and as an organization representing over 3,400 businesses in Massachusetts (AIM), we’re both deeply invested in not only assisting in(...)

Senate passes climate bill, adds offshore wind boost

Amendment doubles the size of procurements over next decade

By Chris Lisinski Climate change, Electricity, Energy 0 Comments Apr 15, 2022

STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE SENATORS TOOK a major step Thursday toward achieving the net-zero emissions target they already set for Massachusetts by approving a policy-heavy bill aimed at expanding the clean energy industry and reining in emissions from the transportation and building sectors. Nearly 12 hours after they kicked off debate, senators voted 37-3 on(...)

Somerset political infighting continues

State rep urges kindness as newcomer Vaught defeats Souza

By Bruce Mohl Massachusetts politics, Municipal Government 0 Comments Apr 12, 2022

VOTERS IN SOMERSET on Monday ousted from the Select Board a leader of the successful effort to shut down a controversial scrap metal export business at Brayton Point, a move suggesting the bitter political divisions within the community have not gone away. The scrap metal operation has dominated politics in the South Coast community for(...)