Fox Island has reached 21.30% of its peak demand.

CMP has reached 53% of its peak demand

Versant has reached 102% of its peak demand for the Bangor Hydro District

Versant has reached 154% of its peak demand for the Maine Public District

by: Eli Sherman, Sarah Guernelli, …

Critics argue the federal decision props up costly fossil fuels power plants, does little to ensure grid reliability and undercuts state clean energy goals.

https://insideclimatenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/My_Pic-64x64.jpeg 64w,…

Tensions between Republican lawmakers and solar energy developers came into the public eye when a House committee debated a bill that expanded the funding mechanisms for the state’s Species Protection Account on Thursday. 

While most agreed that the intentions of HB378 were noble, as it would broaden…

The rocket growth of solar sited in Maine means a charge of an additional $100 per participating account would mean an additional $0 charge on non-participating accounts.

14% participate

86% non-participate

You want to use up space…

ISO-NE, the keeper of a competitive electricity market, rightfully decided "front of the meter" solar should enter the day ahead market with bids for their output, just like all other resources.

So, what is the real, market value of solar,

First, consider it only brings generation to market during off peak hours, nevertheless, natural gas-fired generation generally sets the wholesale price during off peak and on peak hours.

In order to be…

Two graphs

First graph tracks the daily load or the number of megawatts of generation required throughout the day

Second graph tracks the price to supply electricity for this load in the first graph

It is unusual for the price to be higher for the morning peak than the evening peak, as the morning peak load is smaller than the evening peak load. This oddity has been happening more and more frequently and is especially pronounced during the recent…

The cold weather we are experiencing is causing wholesale electric prices to soar due to choking off natural gas supplies to generation plants. 33 out of the last 35 days have seen prices over $100 and during some hours, over $200 per megawatt (10 cents to 20 cents per kilowatt).

Constellation Energy, the nation’s largest nuclear power plant operator, has agreed to buy another electricity producer, Calpine, for $16.4 billion, a deal that shows how fast-rising demand for power, partly a result of the data centers being built for artificial intelligence, is having far-reaching effects on the economy

Included in this sale are 3 natural gas-fired plants in New…

NOTICE HOW THE WHOLESALE MARKET COSTS GO UP AND DOWN AS THESE COSTS ARE VERY CLOSELY DEPENDENT ON WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE AVAIIBILITLY OF NATURAL GAS. MAN HAS NO CONTROL OF THE WEATHER; HOWEVER, MAN DOES HAVE CONTROL OF NATURAL GAS SUPPLIES AND FLOWS TO GENERATION PLANTS.

ALSO NOTICE HOW THE SEPARATION BETWEEN WHOLESALE COSTS AND RETAIL RATES HAVE INCREASED OVER TIME WITH THE ADDITION OF GROWING INTERMITTENT WIND AND SOLAR SUBSIDIES ADDED TO…

On-Site Fuel Storage: Billions Better than Batteries

Coal offers on-site fuel storage for a fraction of the cost of battery storage. According to EIA data, the average coal plant has more than 60 days of fuel on-site, which means the average coal plant has 1,440 hours of storage on-site. This is an enormous amount of energy storage when we consider that many grid-scale batteries have …

February 12, 2025   ISO-NE 

Market monitor: Fall energy costs rose despite lower demand

FEBRUARY 5, 2025

FROM:                       CHRIS WRIGHT

                                   SECRETARY OF ENERGY

SUBJECT:                  Unleashing the Golden Era of American Energy Dominance

As Secretary of Energy, it is an immense privilege to serve alongside each of you at such a consequential moment in American history. Energy is the essential ingredient that enables everything we do. A highly energized society can bring health, wealth, and opportunity for all. At…

What a dilemma.

The Maine PUC wants us to go "time of use" so we will change of behavior. 

These cold mornings are causing the daily peak price of electricity to occur at 7:00 am as heat setting are turned back up as we awaken.

Now, you have to get to work, so getting up later to avoid the peak price is not an option, so you must get up earlier, but you, nevertheless, are going to turn up the thermostat because it is cold. 

Now the peak load happens earlier and…