GAS: Residents living near the site of a proposed 639 MW natural gas-fired power plant in western Pennsylvania say their communities already are environmentally overburdened and shouldn’t host the facility. (Trib Live)
ALSO: The University of Vermont evacuates several campus buildings in Burlington after a construction excavator hit a gas line, causing a leak. (WCAX)
SOLAR:
• A study by New England’s grid operator finds that cold weather sunlight is helping rooftop solar displace and retire a gas-fired plant, the Mystic Generating Station. (E&E News)
• A Massachusetts municipal utility will offtake the power from two solar arrays being developed at the nuclear power plant in Seabrook, New Hampshire. (Daily Times Chronicle)
• As state lawmakers consider curtailing incentives for the solar sector, a 1 MW western Maine community solar farm that benefited from the policy begins operations. (Bangor Daily News)
• Although neighboring residents are fighting the project, a developer receives all its pre-construction permits for a nearly 6 MW community solar facility near Syracuse, New York. (news release)
WIND:
• Federal ocean energy officials kick off their environmental review of the Beacon Wind facility, a 2.43 GW offshore wind farm proposed for the waters off Nantucket, Massachusetts. (news release)
• After decades of work to restore New York’s bald eagle population, a state agency finds dozens of eagles may die during the operation of two large wind farms, but the facility can proceed if eagle rehabilitation program contributions are made. (LoHud, subscription)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• New York City firefighters shut down a lithium-ion e-bike battery store due to unsafe conditions, with some batteries catching fire as they were removed from the site. (Gothamist, New York Times)
• A new law in New Hampshire will form a committee to study how to make sure that people who rent are able to charge electric vehicles at home — and make sure landlords understand the options. (New Hampshire Bulletin)
GRID: ISO New England, New York Independent System Operator and PJM Interconnection show support for the Northeast states seeking federal help to collaborate on interregional transmission planning. (news release)
BIOMASS: Some Massachusetts climate advocates argue during a legislative committee hearing that wood burning shouldn’t be eligible for clean heat credits or state subsidies. (WWLP)
HYDROELECTRIC: A Massachusetts municipal utility hires a consultancy to help it study habitat connectivity for the shortnose sturgeon at the 33 MW Holyoke Dam. (news release)
AFFORDABILITY:
• As a Philadelphia-area utility works on its proposal to enter into a four-year power purchase agreement, climate activists say they want a deal with more affordable, cleaner power. (WHYY)
• The consumer advocate of Washington, D.C., announces that Pepco will be required to return $800,000 to customers over unlawfully installed meters. (news release)
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