TRANSMISSION: A Maine judge sends petitions for an anti-transmission line referendum back to the Secretary of State for further validation after two residents say their signatures were forged. (Bangor Daily News)

SOLAR:
• Advocates in New York and other states argue that solar developers provide essential services and should be exempt from restrictions on worker movements during the coronavirus pandemic. (Greentech Media)
• New York’s recently completed solicitation for large-scale renewable energy projects selected more solar capacity than what exists in 34 states. (PV Magazine)
• Teams from New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island are selected to participate in the Department of Energy’s Solar Innovation Network. (news release)

CLIMATE: A federal court in Massachusetts pauses the state’s climate lawsuit against an Exxon terminal until federal environmental regulators act on a related permit application. (Bloomberg) 

OIL AND GAS:
• Plummeting prices are further devastating small oil and gas companies in Pennsylvania. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• New York regulators examine natural gas usage and infrastructure as they seek to understand future needs and adjust planning criteria. (Daily Energy Insider)

UTILITIES:
• Delmarva Power says it will work with previously disconnected customers in Delaware and Maryland to restore service to them during the coronavirus pandemic. (FirstStateUpdate)
• In a settlement with the EPA, Eversource Energy will pay a $129,428 fine for violating federal rules on PCB disposal. (news release)

STORAGE: Nearly two-thirds of energy storage companies are seeing delays caused by coronavirus that imperil their businesses, according to an industry trade group. (E&E News, subscription required)

GRID: Pennsylvania regulators say the state’s utilities have already activated emergency plans including for pandemics as they cope with the coronavirus outbreak and that system are operating reliably. (Morning Call)

COMMENTARY:
• A think tank identifies four low-cost policies it says could jump-start offshore wind in the U.S. (Forbes)
• A sustainable business council in New Jersey says the state’s Energy Master Plan moves the state to affordable and cleaner resources despite scare tactics used by natural gas advocates protecting the status quo. (NorthJersey.com)
 

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.