GRID: A new report says power demand will fall substantially in Northeast grid operations and elsewhere well into 2021 as the economy slips into recession from the coronavirus pandemic. (Greentech Media)
NUCLEAR: Exelon confirms five coronavirus cases among the more than 1,000 workers conducting a refueling outage at the Limerick nuclear plant in Pennsylvania. (The Mercury)
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CLIMATE: Two Maine cities near completion of their joint Climate Action Plan but need more public input that will be solicited virtually this week during the stay-at-home order. (Portland Press Herald)
EMISSIONS: An analysis shows about 650 MW of oil- and gas-fired peaking capacity in New York City will retire rather than be upgraded to comply with new emissions regulations. (Platts)
EFFICIENCY:
• A Vermont city will create a “green stimulus package” to boost the economy during the coronavirus outbreak to encourage climate-friendly actions by using unspent energy efficiency funds. (VT Digger)
• A New York county launches an efficiency program that offers cash rewards for participation in demand response programs and monitors use to identify ways to cut consumption. (Energy + Environment Leader)
OIL & GAS: A Pennsylvania contractor pleads no contest to charges of discharging 63,000 gallons of treated wastewater from a natural gas well pad. (PennLive)
WIND: A developer offers grants to Maine community and sustainability organizations where it expects to constrict projects over the next few years. (WABI)
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SOLAR: A Rhode Island town seeks to remove a planning board chair who says he would “override” board decisions that could be made setting decommissioning bonds placed by solar developers. (Westerly Sun)
COMMENTARY:
• An environmental technology advocate says reduced emissions caused by the economic slowdown from COVID-19 shows what is possible if collective action can be focused on reducing pollution after the outbreak passes. (Portland Press Herald)
• An editorial board says Exelon was wrong to start a refueling outage at a Pennsylvania nuclear plant when the coronavirus outbreak had already begun. (The Reporter)