TRANSMISSION: New Jersey regulators sue the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in federal court to challenge a ruling that leaves New Jersey residents paying for a multi-state transmission line. (NJ Spotlight)

GRID: New York’s grid operator says the coronavirus pandemic and the state’s stay-at-home order create a “historically unprecedented” shift in energy consumption. (E&E News, subscription required) 

UTILITIES:
• Massachusetts regulators ban all utility shutoffs during the state of emergency caused by the coronavirus pandemic. (Eagle-Tribune)
• In response to a dispute over solar tariffs, Delaware regulators rule that utilities should automatically move business customers to the lowest possible rate class rather than wait for a request. (Delaware State News)
• New York regulators delay National Grid’s previously approved $111 million rate increases for electric and natural gas service until July 1 due to the coronavirus outbreak. (Bloomberg)
• Avangrid pledges $2 million to help support vulnerable communities during the coronavirus outbreak. (Portland Press Herald)

OIL AND GAS: Pennsylvania regulators grant all of Energy Transfer’s waiver requests to resume some construction of the Mariner East pipeline, while developers of several small projects also seek waivers. (StateImpact Pennsylvania, Platts)

SOLAR:
• A western New York farmer forms a pro-solar group to educate the public about renewable energy as he seeks to do business with a developer of a 350 MW project in his region. (Union-Sun & Journal)
• A growing movement advocates for the building of solar arrays on land simultaneously used for sheep grazing. (Yes!)

TECHNOLOGY: A group of Massachusetts high school students win a $10,000 scholarship for designing a bioreactor that can extract energy from algae. (Andover Townsman)

COMMENTARY:
• The Citizens’ Climate Lobby says reviving a 10-year-old bipartisan proposal to tax carbon and return the proceeds to the public is an effective way to reduce carbon pollution. (Concord Monitor)
• An editorial board says federal regulators must step in to stop PJM from procuring too much electric capacity and overcharging New Jersey and its other 12 members. (Press of Atlantic City)

Bill is a freelance journalist based outside Albany, New York. As a former New England correspondent for RTO Insider, he has written about energy for newspapers, magazines and other publications for more than 20 years. He has an extensive career in trade publications and newspapers, mostly focused on the utility sector, covering such issues as restructuring, renewable energy and consumer affairs. Bill covers Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire and also compiles the Northeast Energy News daily email digest.