UTILITIES: A Pennsylvania cybersecurity firm sues Connecticut-based Avangrid — Central Maine Power’s parent company — over alleged bid-rigging to increase ratepayer costs; Maine Gov. Janet Mills calls the accusations “deeply troubling.” (Maine Public Radio)

ALSO: Avangrid counters the cybersecurity contractor’s lawsuit, characterizing his accusations as meritless and vindictive. (Portland Press Herald)

GAS:
• Western Massachusetts environmentalists hope tomorrow’s state environmental protection hearing over the Pittsfield peaker plant’s operating permit renewal will result in closure or a reconfiguration for cleaner power. (Berkshire Eagle)
• The National Park Service intends to disconnect from Philadelphia’s steam-heating system and use natural gas boilers instead to save money, though environmental advocates say it runs counter to the Biden administration’s climate goals. (E&E News, subscription)
• Providence, Rhode Island’s city council instructs the state energy siting board to fully review a liquid propane storage expansion proposal after the company behind the project tried to call the upgrades an “insignificant modification” that shouldn’t require review. (ecoRI)

GRID:
• New York’s grid operator warns that while there isn’t an immediate reliability threat, government policies to curb climate crisis-worsening emissions will cut into reliability margins beginning in 2023. (Times Union)
• With parts of western New York under threat of strong winds through today, National Grid and two local Avangrid utilities bring in additional crews to help with storm response. (WXXI, WIVB)
• Fire officials say a four-alarm blaze in a Boston-area multi-family home was caused by a nearby power line; it wasn’t the first time the adjacent infrastructure threatened the home. (NBC 10 Boston)

WIND:
• Massachusetts lawmakers decide how to invest $4 billion in federal pandemic relief funds, earmarking $90 million for offshore wind and port infrastructure development and $6.5 million for a low-to-middle-income energy efficiency pilot program. (Boston.com)
• New Hampshire’s energy department wants to hire a consultant to understand how offshore wind development will impact the state. (New Hampshire Public Radio)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Vermont’s draft energy plan recommends mandating that only zero-emission light-duty vehicles be sold in the state by 2035. (RTO Insider, subscription)
• A New York City school bus company signs up to convert five of its diesel buses to electric and become a charging-as-a-service customer. (news release)

RATEPAYERS:
• Eversource asks Massachusetts’ utility regulator to raise its average residential customer’s electricity bill by about 25% starting in January. (Boston Globe)
• UGI Utilities raises its natural gas rates 9.6% for Pennsylvania customers starting this month. (Express)

EFFICIENCY: Nearly half of New York City’s buildings are still failing on energy efficiency despite improvements, according to a municipal analysis. (The Real Deal)

CLIMATE: Federal rural energy project grants will help complete nearly two dozen Pennsylvania projects worth over $1 million. (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)

SOLAR: A bank foundation donates $400,000 to expand Maine’s community college electrical journey technician program to help increase the number of licensed electrical workers who can work on solar panels. (Associated Press)

 

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Bridget Reed Morawski

Bridget is a freelance reporter and newsletter writer based in the Washington, D.C., area. She compiles the Northeast Energy News digest. Bridget primarily writes about energy, conservation and the environment. Originally from Philadelphia, she graduated from Emerson College in 2015 with a degree in journalism and a minor in environmental studies. When she isn’t working on a story, she’s normally on a northern Maine lake or traveling abroad to practice her Spanish language skills.