Energy News Roundup: January 14-January 20

This week in regional energy news …

• NGL Energy Partners LP announced on Monday an agreement to purchase North American Propane’s assets in New England and the Mid-Atlantic.  NAP has over 50,000 customers.
• Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper pushes for more Canadian control and say over the Keystone DL pipeline.
• On Wednesday, New Hampshire’s Senate delayed its vote on a bill that would create problems for the Northern Pass transmission project’s efforts to acquire land by eminent domain.
• First Wind’s petition to expand its Oakfield wind farm to 50 turbines from 34 won the unanimous approval of the Maine DEP.

Energy News Roundup: December 17-December 23

This week in regional energy news …

• A land sale in Eastport, Maine, will support Ocean Renewable Power Co.’s efforts to promote tidal turbines in the Downeast region of Maine.  Perry Marine & Construction will build a facility at the site, where workers will assemble and deploy ORPC’s turbines.
• Boralex recently closed the sale of its biomass power production facilities to Latham, NY-based ReEnergy Holdings. 
• The U.S. Department of Energy is considering using East Coast granite formations as nuclear waste depositories.  The proposal to bury nuclear waste in Nevada’s Yucca Mountain has been scrapped for now.
• Calgary-based TransCanada has agreed to purchase nine solar projects with a combined capacity of 86 MW.  The $470 million deal will add to the company’s portfolio of pipelines and wind projects.
• Natural gas production is increasing amid great uncertainty over the balance of supply and demand.
• Governor LePage gives the Maine State Housing Authority and Efficiency Maine Trust two business days to submit a plan for providing heating assistance to needy Mainers.
• Central Maine Power will clean up a toxic waste site in Augusta.  The site, where Augusta Gas Works formerly operated, is contaminated with coal tar.
• Self-Gen, based on Scarborough, Maine, has proposed building a natural gas pipeline to Rockland from an existing line in Windsor.  Meanwhile, the Maine Energy Marketers Association has criticized the state Legislature for bills favoring natural gas over other fuels.

Energy News Roundup: December 3-December 9

This week in regional energy news …

• Statoil, a Norwegian energy company, is seeking federal approval for an offshore floating wind farm off of the Maine coast.  The four-turbine pilot project, which would be located south of Boothbay Harbor, could be operating by 2016 and generating 12 MW of electricity, if the application (PDF) is approved.
• The Concord Monitor has created a section of its Web site devoted to full coverage of the Northern Pass Project, which would bring 1200 MW of hydroelectricity from Canada to New England.  Recently, the State Senate Judiciary committee voted for new protections for property owners facing eminent domain taking but rejected legislation that would have attempted to prohibit projects like the Northern Pass from using eminent domain powers.
• Cate Street Capital, the new owner of the Millinocket and East Millinocket, Maine, mills, recently also purchased the exclusive North American rights to biocoal technology.  Biocoal is a wood-derived fuel that would replace coal-burning at electric plants.
• A proposed new propane import terminal in Searsport, Maine, has incited local opposition.
• According to ISO New England’s winter electricity demand outlook, the region should have ample electric production to meet demand, even in the event of any extreme winter weather.
• An ethanol plant in Prince Edward Island that would produce the technology to create ethanol from sugar beets retains the support of the provincial government even though the Alantec plant will be selling the technology rather than the ethanol product itself.
• An exploratory panel has recommended that Maine’s Land Use Regulatory Commission give Maine’s 16 counties more power over land use decisions.  Among the 12 committee members present (out of 13), the vote was unanimous.  Other recommendations include letting the governor nominate only three LURC commissioners, rather than seven, and letting counties take on minor permitting issues that are now handled by LURC.

Energy News Roundup: November 27-December 2

This week in regional energy news …

• Madison Electric Works announces that it is looking into installing a natural gas generator to serve its customers.
• The North American Electric Reliability Corporation has issued a report demonstrating that New England and other areas in the country have a significant need for more generation resources in order to meet demand.
• Canada’s CBC reports on the effect of falling natural gas prices on hydraulic fracturing developments.
• The Vermont Electric Power Company, or VELCO, has no plans at this time to pursue construction of transmission lines through Vermont to transmit hydro-power from Quebec to New England.
• Maine Gov. Paul LePage looks to make a deal with Canadian energy providers to help lower electricity rates in Maine.
• Beginning on the first of the year, ISO New England’s multiple region cost allocation method will be modified.  Read the details on the Newswire.

Energy News Roundup: November 5-November 11

This week in regional energy news …

• Waterville’s police chief, Joseph Massey, has proposed new legislation that would combat thefts of copper.  Maine utilities have expressed support for the effort.  A similar bill was introduced in Nova Scotia’s legislature Thursday.
• New Brunswick’s Department of Natural Resources has alleged that Windsor Energy violated Canada’s Oil and Natural Gas Act.  The complaint, accusing Windsor of directing geophysical exploration within a town without the town’s permission, was filed with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
• Montreal-based Boralex Inc. has entered into an agreement to sell five biomass plants, including four in Maine, to New York-based ReEnergy Holdings.  The four Maine plants are located in Ashland, Fort Fairfield, Livemore Falls, and Stratton.  Together, the five plants have a capacity of 186 megawatts and are being sold for $93 million.
• Moose River Lumber Co. of Madison, Maine, is using a steam-producing biomass boiler to replace hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil per year.  According to the sawmill, the steam turbine helps the company save $400,000 per year in energy costs.
• Changes to the New England and New York power grids, administered by New York ISO and ISO New England, are intended to cut costs.  Those changes include permitting more power to transfer between the boundaries of the regional grids.

Energy News Roundup: March 5-March 11

This week in regional energy news …

• Maine-based Ocean Renewable Power Co.’s prototype underwater power system approaches commercial viability after passing tests showing that the generator causes no harm to marine life.  The unit may be connected to the grid by the end of 2011.
• At the annual Maine Fishermen’s Forum, fishing industry officials announce that they ought to be closely involved in offshore wind proposals.
• More than 150 people attended a public hearing on New Hampshire’s Northern Pass project, which would carry energy from Hydro-Quebec to southern New England through 140 miles of transmission lines in New Hampshire.
• Despite a great deal of controversy on the subject, SWN Resources Canada decides to proceed with a hydro-fracking project in New Brunswick.  Hydro-fracking is an intensive method of extracting natural gas from shale rock.
• New Vineyard, Maine, residents ready for a vote on local ordinances regarding wind projects.
• And a report issued by Maine economist Charlie Colgan indicates that Maine has benefited from hundreds of millions of dollars—nearly $223 million—in local spending as a result of the development of Maine’s major wind projects, showing a clear boost to Maine’s economy.  The report also showed that wind projects have created an average of 240 jobs per year in Maine since 2003.  Meanwhile, an Environment Maine report urges Mainers to go solar.

Energy News Roundup: January 15-January 21

This week in regional energy news …

• Central Maine Power Co. responds to some customers’ requests to opt out of installation of “smart meters” on their property.
• With an eye toward economic diversification, Brewer and Old town, Maine, are exploring ways to reduce electricity costs for tenants in new business parks.
• Western Massachusetts Electric Co. has announced it will build a 4.2-megawatt solar facility atop a landfill in Springfield, Mass.
• The wood pellet industry looks for growth opportunities in Atlantic Canada.
• CMP will hold a jobs fair on Tuesday as it looks for professionals to build its Maine Power Reliability Project transmission upgrade.