UTILITIES: Connecticut regulators begin three day of hearings to examine utility response to outages from Tropical Storm Isaias that lasted more than a week in some areas. (Hartford Courant)

ALSO: Avangrid, with a large presence in New York and New England a clean energy focus, acquires a regulated utility in the Southwest. (Greentech Media)

TRANSPORTATION: New Jersey Transit officials present a roadmap for the construction of a back-up power system over the next two years that could still include natural gas power. (NJ.com)

OFFSHORE WIND: Vineyard Wind begins research of potential routes for a cable to connect its 80 MW offshore wind development with Massachusetts. (reNEWS)

CLEAN ENERGY:
• More than 20 New Hampshire communities ask state regulators to develop rules that would allow them to band together in community power purchasing programs. (NHPR)
• A New Hampshire city seeks feedback on its energy plan for completion by year’s end with a goal of decarbonizing its sources in a decade. (Keene Sentinel)

TRANSMISSION: New York regulators approve the first transmission project under new rules intended to improve access to clean energy resources. (T&D World)

CLIMATE: A federal regulator tells a virtual conference sponsored by Renewable Energy Vermont that the U.S. needs to end disputes over the causes of climate change in order to more thoroughly confront the crisis. (Rutland Herald)

HEATING:
• Work-from-home and other Maine residents will benefit from heating oil prices that could reach a 16-year low. (Portland Press Herald)
• Proponents say combined heat and power offer great potential as an efficient source for heat and electricity but are challenged by relatively high costs for smaller systems. (RTO Insider, subscription required)

COMMENTARY:
• An editorial board says New Jersey doubling its commitment to community solar is one of the most effective policies to expand renewable energy. (Press of Atlantic City)
• An energy commentator says it is no surprise that New Hampshire is the only New England state not part of an effort to redesign the regional power grid to accommodate more clean energy sources. (Concord Monitor)

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.