New York nuclear plants trip offline

NUCLEAR: A fire caused New York’s two largest nuclear plants to trip offline on Monday, with power output falling 2.1 GW and gas and hydropower rising to fill the gap. (WSYR)

ALSO: Pennsylvania’s governor encourages PJM Interconnection to fast-track interconnection reviews for ready-to-build generation projects as a Constellation Energy executive says doing so would restart a 835-MW unit at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant faster. (Utility Dive)

GRID:

• Rhode Island’s energy siting board votes to continue considering an application by SouthCoast Wind to install power lines between its 1.2 GW offshore wind project and Somerset, Massachusetts, via a Rhode Island town and two waterways. (Rhode Island Current)
• PJM Interconnection says it won’t include reliability must-run power plants in its capacity auctions as six state ratepayer advocates wanted, but it will propose a way to fast-track some projects. (Utility Dive)

SOLAR:

• A developer plans a 5.4 MW ground-mounted community solar project that will include sheep grazing for New York’s Broome County. (news release)
• A Maryland county board will discuss their opposition to a Sykesville farmland solar project at a public hearing tomorrow. (Baltimore Sun)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• In New Jersey, business and environmental entities alike oppose legislation advanced by a legislative committee to accelerate investment in commercial direct current fast chargers, with some noting it doesn’t address all problems yet is ​“short-circuiting a process” by state utility regulators. (RTO Insider, subscription)
• The neighboring towns of Lebanon, New Hampshire and White River Junction, Vermont, work to install multiple new electric vehicle chargers near their downtowns, aiming to increase economic activity. (Valley News)

FOSSIL FUELS:

• In Pennsylvania, some public health researchers say that a company’s claim that joint air monitoring with the state shows no public health risks from its fracking is hard to believe. (WITF)
• Although fracking has returned to the national political stage, residents of Dimock, Pennsylvania, struggling with health problems related to pollution say they haven’t been allowed to forget. (WITF)

TRANSPORTATION: Maryland energy officials issue a request for information to help design an electric vehicle supply equipment equity program in 2025 to help disadvantaged communities reduce their transportation emissions. (Daily Record)

POLITICS:

• In the lead-up to a key election in the Pennsylvania senate, both the Democratic and Republican candidates appear to be avoiding mention of their energy and climate policies to try to secure broader appeal. (Public Source)
• Environmental advocates implore New York’s governor to sign legislation this year that would force polluters to pay for climate damage; federal legislation to do so was recently introduced. (City Limits)

BUILDINGS: A Pennsylvania utility works to convert its formerly industrial land for other uses, most recently turning part of a former power station into a wetland. (WTAE)

AFFORDABILITY: As the Northeast faces some of the highest power prices in the country, some regional utility regulators say there needs to be more emphasis on shaving peak loads and helping low- to moderate-income ratepayers. (RTO Insider, subscription)