THE TWO SIDES fighting over whether the region needs additional natural gas pipeline capacity both took comfort on Thursday from a fuel security study by the operator of the region’s […]
Plugging In
Posted inOpinion
Mass. needs to think bigger on offshore wind
MASSACHUSETTS HAS A ONCE-IN-A-GENERATION opportunity to build a world-class offshore wind industry. The Commonwealth has embarked on a series of procurements to develop at least 1,600 megawatts of offshore wind, enough […]
Posted inEnvironment
ISO study warns of precarious energy future
A NEW STUDY by the operator of the region’s power grid warns that without additional natural gas pipeline capacity New England will face a precarious energy future, where emergency actions […]
Posted inEnvironment
Generators burned 2m barrels of oil over 15 days
FROM DECEMBER 25 UNTIL JANUARY 9, New England power generators burned close to 2 million barrels of oil, which is more than they burned during the rest of 2017 and […]
Posted inEnvironment
More natural gas not answer to climate change
AS MOTHERS AND CAREGIVERS, we are appalled that the executive director of the New England Petroleum Council, Stephen Dodge, characterizes concerned citizens as “environmental extremists” in his Commonwealth magazine opinion […]
Posted inEnvironment
Procurement not following regular playbook
CENTRAL MAINE POWER sent out a press release and started running ads on Thursday questioning why Massachusetts electricity customers should pay an extra $2 billion over 20 years for clean […]
Posted inEnvironment
With temps rising, power grid back to normal
WITH TEMPERATURES RISING, the New England power grid returned to normal on Wednesday as wholesale prices fell and generators returned to producing electricity using natural gas instead of oil. At […]
Posted inEnvironment
DPU oks new fees on solar, wind installations
EVERSOURCE ENERGY CUSTOMERS who install new solar or wind installations on their property after December 31 of this year will face higher monthly charges under a ruling last week by […]
Posted inEnvironment
Pilgrim nuclear plant goes offline
PILGRIM STATION, the nuclear power plant in Plymouth, took itself offline Thursday afternoon, adding uncertainty to efforts by the New England power grid operator to meet electricity demand as a […]
Posted inEnvironment
Cold snap putting squeeze on oil-fired power plants
NEW ENGLAND’S POWER GRID OPERATOR said on Tuesday that the system is “operating under normal conditions,” but warned that the prolonged cold snap is driving up wholesale electricity prices and […]
Posted inOpinion
The terrible price of inaction
THIS WEEK NEW ENGLAND reached the terrible distinction of having the most expensive natural gas in the world. You read that correctly: Not just the highest natural gas prices in […]
Posted inEnvironment
Frigid weather causing spike in natural gas prices
FRIGID LOW TEMPERATURES are pushing up energy demand across New England, sending the price of natural gas soaring and prompting many of the region’s power generators to switch from gas […]
Posted inEnvironment
Offshore wind: Start big or small?
THE THREE COMPANIES VYING to build the first major offshore wind farm in the United States filed their proposals on Wednesday with Massachusetts officials. Each of the firms kept their […]
Posted inOpinion
Electric vehicle charging gets a jump
MASSACHUSETTS TOOK A MAJOR STEP toward its goal of 300,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2025 when the Department of Public Utilities last week approved the nation’s largest electric […]
Posted inOpinion
S. Coast lawmakers push offshore wind project
The following is a letter sent to Matthew Beaton, the secretary of energy and environmental affairs, on December 12 by Rep. Patricia Haddad of Somerset and cosigned by Sen. Michael […]
Posted inOpinion
Mass. should import wind power from Canada
RIGHT NOW, New England’s energy future sits at a crossroads. The New England states have made some of the most ambitious clean energy and carbon emission reduction goals in the […]
Posted inOpinion
Hydro-Quebec power is not what we want
OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, the Baker Administration will be making billion-dollar decisions about the kind of energy that will be powering our homes, businesses, and municipalities for decades to […]
Posted inEnvironment
Baker tries to kickstart energy storage business
THE BAKER ADMINISTRATION on Thursday handed out $20 million in energy storage grants, an attempt to kickstart an industry that holds promise in reducing peak electricity demand and increasing the […]
Posted inEnvironment
Maine utility: Our hydro project has lowest cost
IN THE PUBLIC JOCKEYING for a multibillion-dollar clean energy contract with Massachusetts, Central Maine Power on Wednesday said its project would deliver the largest amount of hydroelectricity from Quebec at […]
Posted inEnvironment
Who’s behind consumer energy group?
A GROUP CALLED Consumers for Sensible Energy is refusing to say who is bankrolling the operation amid reports that the Newton-based organization is linked to a similar-type outfit in New […]
Posted inEnvironment
Cape Wind calls it quits
THE DEVELOPER BEHIND CAPE WIND, who sought to pioneer offshore wind power in the United States but never managed to shake legal challenges from locals led by billionaire William Koch, […]
Posted inUncategorized
DPU cuts Eversource rate hike by 60%
THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES on Thursday cut Eversource Energy’s overall rate hike request by 60 percent, turning aside the company’s bid for $90.8 million and allowing an increase […]
Posted inOpinion
It’s time for outrage in business community
OVER THE YEARS, the four major groups representing commercial and industrial (C&I)customers in proceedings berfore the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities — Associated Industries of Massachusetts, the Energy Consortium, […]
Posted inEnvironment
Natl. Grid finds novel way to lobby clean energy procurement
NATIONAL GRID, which has been raising concerns about the Massachusetts procurement process for clean energy, found a novel way to make its case: enlist the help of the New Hampshire […]
