This update features policy, regulatory, legislative, and regional developments in Connecticut and New England. The policy updates are compiled by the CPES New Energy Professionals Team. If you are interested in learning more about the New Energy Professionals, the Policy Committee, or if you have ideas for future policy updates, we would welcome your input and feedback. Please send comments to Kathryn Dube, CPES Executive Director, via email: kdube@ctpower.org.
In this Update:
- ISO New England Publishes 2018 Regional Electricity Outlook
- ISO 2018 State and Regional Profiles
- Massachusetts will replace Northern Pass project if it doesn’t nab NH permit
- Energy and Technology Committee Bills of Interest
- Recent PURA Dockets
REGIONAL AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS
ISO NEW ENGLAND PUBLISHES 2018 REGIONAL ELECTRICITY OUTLOOK
ISO New England has published its 2018 Regional Electricity Outlook (REO), an annual report looking at the trends and challenges affecting New England’s power system, as well as the innovative solutions the ISO is pursuing to ensure reliable electricity for the region’s homes and businesses—today and into the future. The 2018 REO, as well as webpages that highlight and expand on information and statistics in the report, are available on ISO’s website.
ISO 2018 STATE AND REGIONAL PROFILES
ISO New England has updated its state and regional profiles, providing the latest information on supply and demand resources tied into the New England electric grid and state policies transforming the resource mix. The profiles are available on the ISO’s Key Grid and Market Stats webpage.
MASSACHUSETTS WILL REPLACE NORTHERN PASS PROJECT IF IT DOESN’T NAB NH PERMIT
Northern Pass was selected to help Massachusetts meet its clean energy goals, but the project was rejected by New Hampshire regulators, potentially hurting its construction timeline, which played a key role in the project’s selection. Massachusetts will select Central Maine Power’s New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) transmission line to replace the Northern Pass project if it doesn’t secure a permit by New Hampshire by March 27, according to a press release from parent company Avangrid. Read the article here.
CONNECTICUT
2018 CONNECTICUT LEGISLATIVE SESSION
The 2018 Regular Session of the Connecticut General Assembly convened on February 7, 2018. The following bills before the Energy and Technology Committee may be of interest:
- SB 9: AN ACT CONCERNING CONNECTICUT’S ENERGY FUTURE, to implement the Governor’s budget recommendations.
- HB 5127: AN ACT CONCERNING TAX CREDITS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY, to create tax credits for renewable energy.
Additional information about the Energy and Technology Committee here
PURA DOCKETS
On February 16, 2018, PURA established the following docket:
Docket No. 10-06-18RE01: Application of Spark Energy, L.P. For An Electric Supplier License – Investigation Into Compliance With §16-245d(a)(2)
On February 8, 2018, PURA established the following docket:
Docket No. 18-02-05: Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA) Petition for PURA to Investigate the Business Practices of the Electric Supplier Mint Energy, LLC