New Jersey repeals nuclear ban

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NUCLEAR

• New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill repeals the state’s nearly 50-year-old moratorium on building new nuclear power plants, calling it an outdated law that no longer makes sense. (Canary Media)

• New Hampshire indicates interest in collaborating with the federal government on the development of nuclear facilities within the state. (New Hampshire Bulletin)

DATA CENTERS

• Maine lawmakers pass a bill that would block development of data centers larger than 20 MW until November 2027, a measure that would be the first statewide ban of its kind if it becomes law. (Maine Morning Star)

• A data center developer gives up on plans to build a large facility in northern Maine, citing the region’s inadequate electric infrastructure and the possible statewide ban. (Bangor Daily News)

SOLAR

• Massachusetts’ highest court weighs the question of whether a heavily forested town should have the authority to reject a proposed solar farm over concerns about cutting trees to accommodate the development. (CommonWealth Beacon)

• In Connecticut, Eversource backs out of three contracts to buy solar power on behalf of customers, saying the prices were over-market at a time when the state should be trying to make electricity more affordable. (CT Mirror)

• Some Vermont businesses are finding ways to use the land under and around solar arrays to graze sheep, raise bees, and grow crops. (Vermont Public)

AFFORDABILITY

• The two chambers of Maryland’s state legislature announce an agreement on the terms of a wide-ranging energy bill that aims to save residents at least $150 per year on their electricity costs. (Maryland Matters)

• New York Democrats promote measures to scrutinize the earnings of private utility companies and their executives’ compensation packages. (Bloomberg Law News)

OFFSHORE WIND

• Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D) sends a letter to TotalEnergies outlining legal concerns over the company’s deal to give up its offshore wind leases off New York and North Carolina in exchange for nearly $1 billion from the federal government. (E&E News)

STORAGE

• New York exceeded its goal of developing 1.5 GW of battery storage capacity by the end of 2025, according to a new state report. (RTO Insider)

GRID

• Market monitors for the New England and mid-Atlantic grids argue that power company Vistra’s planned acquisition of Cogentrix Public Utilities would undermine competition in the regions. (RTO Insider)

TRANSMISSION

• Pennsylvania utility regulators and the state consumer advocate office raise concerns about a plan for a 222-mile high-voltage transmission line that would cut through the state. (ABC27)

NEW FROM CANARY

• AES pulls out of San Diego area battery project after local opposition — Julian Spector

• Fervo Energy inks big turbine deal to build more next-gen geothermal — Maria Gallucci

• In a first, renewables beat natural gas on US grid last month — Dan McCarthy

• The US offshore wind industry finally gets a break — Jake Bittle