SOLAR: Central Maine Power blames mid-level engineers for sending much higher cost estimates to solar developers without proper review by senior management. (Portland Press Herald)

ALSO: Maine regulators will conduct three investigations into the ability of the grid to accommodate a large influx of solar power that led to the controversy. (Bangor Daily News)

CLIMATE: The Massachusetts undersecretary for climate policy resigns after comments he made at a conference about how residents would need to change their behavior to reduce emissions. (WBUR)

EFFICIENCY: Massachusetts legislators introduce a bill to retrofit nearly 1 million homes to be more energy efficient over the next decade. (RTO Insider, subscription required)

EQUITY: Advocates say third-party suppliers are compounding energy burdens for low-income households in Maryland. (Inside Climate News)

RENEWABLE ENERGY: New York City Council passes a law to conduct a feasibility study to convert the Rikers Island prison complex into a renewable energy hub. (New York Daily News)

GRID: The capacity auction for 2024-25 grid in New England held this week includes 630 MW of battery storage for the first time. (Concord Monitor, Greentech Media)

UTILITIES: New Jersey utility customers see no big hikes in bills as the state completes its 20th annual power supply auction. (NJ Spotlight)

OFFSHORE WIND: The nomination of Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo as U.S. Commerce Secretary rekindles a 2019 dispute with the state’s fishing industry over compensation related to the proposed Vineyard Wind offshore wind project. (E&E News, subscription required)

TRANSMISSION: New York regulators approve a 53-mile transmission line to bring renewable energy from upstate closer to New York City. (Albany Times Union)

PIPELINES: A federal court will hear arguments today in a lawsuit filed by opponents of a Massachusetts compressor station. (WBUR)

NATURAL GAS: County officials in New Jersey oppose the construction of a natural gas compressor which it says goes against the state’s emissions reduction goals. (news release)

COMMENTARY: Efficiency advocates say the Massachusetts climate law should be embraced by the building and construction industries as the standards it codifies have been successful in lowering costs elsewhere. (CommonWealth Magazine)

 

Bill is a freelance journalist based outside Albany, New York. As a former New England correspondent for RTO Insider, he has written about energy for newspapers, magazines and other publications for more than 20 years. He has an extensive career in trade publications and newspapers, mostly focused on the utility sector, covering such issues as restructuring, renewable energy and consumer affairs. Bill covers Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire and also compiles the Northeast Energy News daily email digest.