NATURAL GAS: A massive fire over the weekend in a coastal Massachusetts town may have been caused by a downed power line igniting a leaking gas main. (ABC News)
GRID:
• Maine environmental regulators confirm Central Maine Power isn’t clear-cutting vegetation beyond what permits allow for the New England Clean Energy Connect transmission project. (Portland Press Herald)
• New York State Electric & Gas begins a six-month grid reliability project to increase its distribution network capacity in southeast New York. (Katonah Lewisboro Times)
• The owner of the Cross-Sound Cable sues the Long Island Power Authority, claiming LIPA should’ve continued paying for millions of dollars worth of services even after a 2020 explosion shut down service on the line. (Newsday)
OFFSHORE WIND: The number and size of planned offshore wind projects in the Northeast may upend Canada’s longtime exports of hydropower to the U.S. (S&P Global Market Intelligence)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: New Jersey officials plan to again offer a popular electric vehicle rebate program once the state budget is finalized, but advocates and carmakers are criticizing proposed changes to the program, including lowering rebates to ensure it doesn’t run out of funding. (NJ Spotlight)
SOLAR:
• A northern Vermont school plans to replace its small wind turbine, which needs costly repairs, with solar power generated by an array next to the campus. (Associated Press)
• An upstate New York college student finds rampant misinformation in local social media groups dedicated to fighting solar power in their area. (Lockport Union-Sun & Journal)
COMMENTARY:
• Two leaders of the Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs claim a local solar association is creating misinformation about the impact of a fair wages bill targeting renewable energy jobs. (CT Mirror)
• An all-electric bus fleet would improve air quality for all, but especially for low-to-moderate-income communities in which many of New York City’s bus depots and routes operate, according to the head of the city’s transit authority. (amNY)
• A Maine legislator co-sponsoring the bill that would form a public power utility in the state says such an entity would lead to a stronger grid, fewer outages and lower electricity rates. (Portland Press-Herald)