GRID: Federal officials say a drone found near a Pennsylvania substation in summer 2020 was the first known case of a “modified unmanned aircraft system likely being used in the United States to specifically target energy infrastructure.” (CNN)

ALSO:
• New York utility regulators urge their federal counterparts to reject a proposal they say would make transmission bidding less competitive by giving incumbent utilities the right of first refusal. (Utility Dive)
• PJM Interconnection says it should have more than enough resources to handle forecasted peak demand this winter. (news release)

FINANCE: Public finance experts say a $20 million bond sought by Burlington, Vermont, may be the first tied specifically to a net-zero energy goal. (Energy News Network)

COURTS:
• A conservation group asks Maine to halt construction on Central Maine Power’s transmission line following a voter referendum shunning the project, though Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker thinks it still has a chance to be finished. (Bangor Daily News, Boston Globe)
• A federal judge denies most of a motion filed by Exxon Mobil and 64 other defendants to throw out dozens of Maryland’s claims in a lawsuit asserting that the companies knew a gasoline additive would likely contaminate groundwater. (Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION: Maine Gov. Janet Mills proposes new electric commercial truck and van sales requirements, starting with 2025 models, similar to California’s EV sales policies. (Maine Public Radio)

CLIMATE:
• Delaware Gov. John Carney unveils a climate action plan, outlining various avenues the state can take to mitigate the threat to its tourism and agriculture industries. (state report, WHYY)
• As a court considers Central Maine Power’s power line, some business leaders wonder: Can New England build the energy infrastructure it needs to meet its climate goals? (Commonwealth Magazine)

SOLAR:
• Nine public housing authorities are taking advantage of Rhode Island’s virtual net metering program to pool resources on a major solar contract, collectively saving them an estimated $30 million over the next two decades. (Energy News Network)
• A New Hampshire yogurt company will buy power from four solar farms to completely power its Londonderry manufacturing center with renewable energy by the end of next year. (New Hampshire Public Radio)
• An energy developer wraps up construction of a 6.3 MW community solar project outside of Bangor, Maine. (PV Magazine)
• A town planning board in Maine’s Kennebec Valley area approves its second large-scale solar farm: a 4.1 MW array with an undisclosed but local offtaker. (Morning Sentinel)

WIND:
• A new poll shows most New Jersey voters believe offshore wind development brings good-paying jobs, with over half saying it benefits the environment, reduces air pollution, mitigates climate change and results in lower electric bills. (Asbury Park Press)
• In New Jersey, a NextEra subsidiary proposes an offshore wind transmission project to PJM Interconnection. (North American Wind Power)

UTILITIES:
• Maine and New Hampshire will respectively receive about $36 million and $25 million in federal heating assistance this winter, but that still probably won’t be enough to offset fuel price increases. (Associated Press)
• Con Edison cautions New York residents that energy bills this winter could rise nearly 25% over last year because of increased supply costs and delivery charges, urging energy conservation and efficiency to save on heating. (Patch.com)

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.