THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES approved multibillion dollar offshore wind contracts with Vineyard Wind on Friday and, over the objections of Attorney General Maura Healey, authorized the state’s three utilities to collect an additional $168 million from ratepayers just for carrying the contracts on their books. The contract approvals had been expected, both for […]
Electricity
Posted inUncategorized
Baker makes few changes in offshore wind RFP
THE BAKER ADMINISTRATION on Thursday unveiled the request for proposals it wants to use on its next offshore wind solicitation, which hews pretty closely to the terms of the previous one to avoid regulatory delays that could prevent the winning developer from taking advantage of a federal tax credit that expires at the end of […]
Posted inEnvironment
SE Mass. officials seek “tweak’ in wind policy
NEARLY 50 ELECTED AND BUSINESS officials from southeastern Massachusetts are urging the Baker administration to tweak the contracting process for the next offshore wind procurement to give a greater emphasis to onshore development investments. Gov. Charlie Baker has repeatedly marveled at the low bid Vineyard Wind made to secure the first wind farm contract in […]
Posted inEnvironment, State House News Service
Mass. hydro project showers benefits on Maine
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE ROAD HAS BEEN CLEARED of significant hurdles for the New England Clean Energy Connect project to bring clean hydropower from Quebec to Massachusetts, and Maine will get a bevy of economic and environmental benefits for hosting the lines that will deliver the energy. New Maine Gov. Janet Mills announced Thursday that she […]
Posted inEnvironment
Grid operator laments lack of action on carbon pricing
THE CEO OF THE REGION’S power grid operator indicated on Wednesday that he was surprised at the reluctance of New England states to embrace a price on carbon. Many of the states are pursuing aggressive greenhouse gas reduction goals, but so far they have shied away from putting a price on the carbon content of […]
Posted inEnvironment, Politics
Vineyard Wind, backed by Baker, plays power politics
A SHARP-ELBOWED GAME of power politics surfaced publicly on Thursday as it became clear that Vineyard Wind, backed by Gov. Charlie Baker, had sought and failed to participate more fully in an electricity auction that would have made the wind farm’s backers a lot of money while also driving down the price of electricity in […]
Posted inEnvironment
Homeowners, via Sunrun, participate in N.E. electricity auction
A SAN FRANCISCO COMPANY participated in this week’s New England electricity auction, agreeing to provide 20 megawatts of power from its 5,000 customers in the region. Sunrun Inc, participated in the so-called forward capacity auction, where the regional grid operator ISO-New England solicits commitments to provide electricity three years from now in 2022-2023. Chris Rauscher, […]
Posted inEnvironment
Electricity storage takes key role in energy efficiency plan
STATE REGULATORS on Wednesday approved utility plans to spend nearly $2.8 billion of ratepayer money over the next three years on initiatives designed to curb energy consumption in the aggregate and particularly at peak periods, resulting in energy savings of $8.5 billion. While Mass Save will continue to offer efficient light bulbs, insulation, and other […]
Posted inEnvironment
Region’s power generators using more oil, coal
FRIGID CONDITIONS led the region’s power generators to use more oil and coal than usual over the last few days, but as temperatures edged up Tuesday the fuel mix is expected to return to normal. Typically, coal and oil each account for less than 1 percent of the region’s power generation fuel mix and natural […]
Posted inOpinion
ISO should call for offshore wind transmission discussion
NEW ENGLAND is in the midst of an energy sea change. Brought about by the people of the region acting through their elected officials, states in the region have passed legislation directing the procurement of large sources of renewable energy, including up to 3,200 megawatts of offshore wind in Massachusetts. The federal government is a […]