New England grid needs up to $26B in upgrades

GRID: The New England grid operator’s newest transmission study finds the region has to spend up to $26 billion over the next 26 years to bulk up its transmission network — a large sum but roughly comparable to spending in recent decades. (CommonWealth Beacon)

ALSO: Two Connecticut municipalities sue to stop a state-approved transmission line expansion, calling the plan an ​“aesthetic eyesore and an unjust blight.” (Only In Bridgeport)

SOLAR:

• New England’s grid operator estimates solar production dropped 4 GW during Monday’s total eclipse. (Concord Monitor/​Granite Geek)
• A Connecticut solar developer describes how a focus on operations and maintenance during the construction phase has helped keep one of the state’s larger solar arrays on track to hit its milestones. (Solar Power World)
• In Pennsylvania’s Lebanon County, an egg farm and an auto repair shop receive U.S. Department of Agriculture grants to install solar panels on their properties. (Leb Town)

COAL: Federal energy analysts believe April coal exports will be slashed by about a third because of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and subsequent Port of Baltimore closure. (The Hill)

BUILDINGS:

• Washington, D.C.’s city council advances a plan to electrify 30,000 low-income homes by 2040, but the mayor proposes to direct the funds elsewhere amid a broader budget problem. (RTO Insider, subscription)
• A Pennsylvania agency kicks off a residential loan program to help homeowners access affordable financing for energy efficiency projects. (news release)
• The Delaware Energy Efficiency Advisory Council hears updates from a utility and a consultancy on the progress being made toward bringing a gas efficiency program to life and updating building codes. (DPM)

NUCLEAR:

• A new report from the U.S Government Accountability Office says federal nuclear regulators should be more mindful of climate change’s impact on nuclear plants, including New Hampshire’s Seabrook station. (SeaCoast Online)
• A federal report suggests potential transportation routes for removing 125 casks of nuclear waste being stored at the Indian Point station in New York, including a barge trip down the Hudson River. (LoHud)

STORAGE: Pennsylvania’s utility commission issues new battery storage guidelines for utilities that allow them to use non-wires distribution reliability projects and possibly own them on a case-by-case basis. (Utility Dive)

UTILITIES:

• Two New England senators join activists calling on the country’s largest gas sector association to stop using ratepayer’s bills to pay for climate disinformation campaigns. (E&E News, The Guardian)
• Maryland utility customers will briefly see higher bills as the state fixes how utilities recover costs for its energy efficiency program, which until now has caused customers to pay ballooning interest. (Fox 45)

CLEAN ENERGY: A town in Massachusetts’ Berkshires region is undertaking weatherization measures, installing electric vehicle chargers and installing solar arrays to achieve net-zero by 2050. (Berkshire Eagle)

TRANSIT: Rhode Island’s public transit agency says piloting no fares on its most popular bus route increased ridership by nearly 100,000 riders but cost it $2.7 million, calling the cost unsustainable. (Rhode Island Current)

EQUITY:

• Acadia National Park receives a $950,000 federal grant to blend western science and Wabanaki indigenous knowledge and develop climate mitigation projectss. (Portland Press Herald)
• A New York City public housing complex hasn’t had gas for cooking since January, when post-hurricane reconstruction efforts damaged the line, requiring residents to rely on take-out for months. (City Limits)
• A New York City workforce development program hopes to connect Black and Brown communities with climate education and jobs to reduce income inequality. (NextCity)