Feds providing $390M for New England grid capacity, resiliency

GRID: Roughly $390 million in federal funds will be used to shore up resiliency and capacity on New England’s grid, lower wholesale energy prices and help interconnect offshore wind in Connecticut and Massachusetts — with another $500 million expected from state and private entities. (Boston Herald)

ALSO: New York’s grid operator begins using a new interconnection process to help get clean energy projects hooked up to the grid faster, which includes an online portal for developers and utilities to file and read about pending proposals. (news release)

BATTERIES: New York’s grid operator wants to use two-hour, utility-scale batteries in lieu of fossil fuel power plants as a key benchmark in its energy markets, a plan not preferred by either plant owners or a battery developer trade group. (E&E News, subscription)

CLEAN ENERGY:

• New York schedules a summit for early September focused on next-generation energy technologies as it strives to build enough renewable energy projects to meet its climate goals. (Albany Times-Union, subscription)
• The Delaware Renewable Energy Taskforce plans to solicit another round of feedback next month for their latest five-year state energy plan, focused on meeting the state’s zero-emissions by 2050 goal for the sector. (DPM)

WIND: Vineyard Wind’s broken turbine blade has caused concern in Massachusetts, but it’s also leading to worries in Maine, where officials say emergency policies also don’t address mechanical failures. (Portland Press Herald)

EXTREME WEATHER:

• Vermont seeks a federal disaster declaration following major flooding across eight counties last month. (VT Digger)
• During an extremely hot month, New Jersey kicks off a digital heat awareness campaign to help residents understand the threat. (Yale Climate Connections)

BUILDINGS: A Connecticut energy consultancy and the state green bank team up to improve the energy efficiency of commercial buildings and help building owners take advantage of C-PACE financing. (Hartford Business Journal)

AFFORDABILITY: Some Eversource Energy customers in Connecticut are fuming over increased bill costs, with the utility laying blame on the charges for state-required and approved programs and policies. (CT Insider)

TRANSIT:

• A pilot commuter bus route between the Maine cities of Auburn, Lewiston and Portland is still in its early days but some passengers say service has been unpredictable. (Sun Journal)
• The transit agency of Bangor, Maine, is using a $45,000 state grant to install new bike racks on buses that can support heavy e-bikes. (Bangor Daily News)

COMMENTARY: A Maine editorial board writes that ratepayers should pay for Gulf of Maine wind projects, regardless of final costs, because of the high economic and environmental price of spurning clean energy projects. (Kennebec Journal)