Boston Globe: "Trump administration suspends five offshore wind projects, including Vineyard Wind, escalating attack on renewables"

"Trump administration suspends five offshore wind projects, including Vineyard Wind, escalating attack on renewables"

The Boston Globe -> (share link) https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/12/22/science/trump-stops-vineyard-wind/?s_campaign=sharetool_copypaste_view

"Trump Halts 5 Wind Farms Off the East Coast"

NY Times coverage -> (gift link) https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/22/climate/trump-offshore-wind-farms.html?unlocked_article_code=1.-08.sUXl.MgnLfY60NDng&smid=url-share

Mass Govern Healey responds:

The complete Governor Healey press release can be found ->

https://www.mass.gov/news/governor-healey-responds-to-trump-administration-stop-work-order-for-vineyard-wind

Shared from -> https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Ehb8BZSXP/

Offshore wind power progress via the New Bedford Light

Offshore wind power progress via the New Bedford Light

As Vineyard Wind has ramped up construction this summer, the project is now sending power from 17 turbines to the Massachusetts grid, up from four in May, according to a quarterly investors report released on Wednesday.

It amounts to about 220 megawatts of the 800-megawatt project, or 27% power production, with enough energy to power more than 100,000 Massachusetts homes. Iberdrola, the parent company of Avangrid, one of the project’s developers, also said in its new report that the project expects to reach 30% power by the end of July — and “full COD,” meaning full commercial operation date, by the end of this year.

 

Read the full story: https://newbedfordlight.org/vineyard-wind-nears-30-power-production/

Congressman Auchincloss’ Statement on Brayton Point

Yesterday (1/17/25), Prysmian Group announced it will end the development of its proposed $300 million cable manufacturing plant at Brayton Point. Congressman Jake Auchincloss (MA-04) issued the following statement:

"Prysmian's decision to walk away from its planned submarine cables factory at Brayton Point is disappointing and discouraging. The factory, on the site of a decommissioned coal-fired power plant, would have created hundreds of good jobs producing the submarine cables that plug offshore wind turbines into the electrical grid. 

Congressman Auchincloss’ Statement on Brayton Point

"Alongside dozens of stakeholders, including state & local officials and union representatives, I have worked hard to make Brayton Point an exemplar of the clean-energy economy. Donald Trump has unraveled that promise of good jobs by threatening a moratorium on offshore wind, generating so much uncertainty that companies pull back investment. Despite this setback, I remain committed to Brayton Point's redevelopment in partnership with the town of Somerset."

Register to understand the Green Municipal Aggregation report at a webinar - Dec 7 or Dec 14

The team at Energize Franklin would like to make you aware of a free, online webinar offered by The Green Energy Consumer's Alliance on December 7 from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM. 

As you may be aware, Franklin residents already enjoy the cost-saving benefits of Green Municipal Aggregation, while purchasing electricity which is generated from 100% renewable sources.

When: Thursday, December 7, 2023, 7:30 PM

Join the Green Energy Consumer's Alliance for a review of their fourth annual Green Municipal Aggregation report. They'll review the data from winter 2022/2023, where customers receiving electricity from municipal aggregations saved money compared to those receiving electricity from National Grid, Eversource, Unitil, or Rhode Island Energy.

This webinar is also being offered December 14, 2023 at noon.

 

Register for this free webinar at https://www.greenenergyconsumers.org/event/greenmunicipalaggregationandcommunity

You can find the report online -> https://260434.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/260434/GMA%20Report%202023%20-%20Final.pdf

Register to understand the Green Municipal Aggregation report at a webinar - Dec 7 or Dec 14

CommonWealth Magazine: "Somerset offshore wind plant clears major hurdle"

In our recent Making Sense of Climate discussion, Ted and I discussed this Somerset Zoning Board decision. While the news seems positive with the reversal of their earlier vote, according to the article, some of the residents will continue to challenge this ruling. 

"A PROPOSED TRANSMISSION cable manufacturing plant in Somerset to serve the US offshore wind industry cleared a major hurdle on Thursday when the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously to revise one of the conditions that had become a sticking point with the company.

The board in mid-September voted unanimously to require Prysmian to only use vessels capable of running on electricity when in port picking up cable. The shore-to-ship electricity condition was designed to prevent vessels from pulling into Brayton Point, the site of the proposed factory, and running their dirty diesel engines during the lengthy loading process, which can require the ship to operate 24 hours a day for 10 to 14 days."

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/energy/somerset-offshore-wind-plant-clears-major-hurdle/ 

Making Sense of Climate episode where this issue was discussed

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/10/in-this-making-sense-of-climate-episode.html

CommonWealth Magazine: "Somerset offshore wind plant clears major hurdle"

CommonWealth Magazine: "Healey administration backs Somerset project"

"WITH A CRITICAL vote nearing in a divided town, the Healey administration urged officials in Somerset to keep moving forward with a factory at Brayton Point that could become a major supplier to the US offshore wind industry.

At a press conference on Monday, Gov. Maura Healey was asked if she has a message for Somerset this week. She referred the questioner to Rebecca Tepper, her secretary of energy and environmental affairs, but added: “Clean energy is something this administration has been very invested in and making that work for all involved is something we’re invested in.”

Tepper issued a statement of support for the project Monday night. “The proposed Prysmian manufacturing facility is a chance for tremendous economic development that will supply wind projects along the entire East Coast,” she said. “A former dirty coal power plant can be transformed into a cutting-edge cable manufacturing facility, bringing good-paying jobs, tax revenue, and economic growth to Somerset and the South Coast region.”

Continue reading the article online at CommonWealth Magazine ->

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/the-download/healey-administration-backs-somerset-project-2/ 

This happens to be one of the topics Ted McIntyre and I cover in our latest "Making Sense of Climate" episode -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/10/in-this-making-sense-of-climate-episode.html

A rendering of the Prysmian subsea cable manufacturing facility proposed for Brayton Point in Somerset

St Rep Jeff Roy joins Ted & I in this Making Sense of Climate episode talking about Ireland, wind power, & more (audio)

FM #1067 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1067 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Ted McIntyre, Franklin resident and climate activist via the Zoom conference bridge Tuesday, September 19, 2023.  

In this episode we are joined by our MA State Representative Jeffrey Roy,. Jeff provides insights from 

• his trip to Ireland 

• his visit to the offshore wind turbine construction underway

• his efforts with legislation underway 

Along the way we find out about the Northern Ireland Parliament not having met in 3 years and the origin of Robert's Rules of Order in New Bedford.

Links to the articles we talk of are collected below.   

This discussion continues our journey understanding the MA roadmap toward net zero and while it helps me “make sense of climate”, we hope it helps with your understanding as well. 

If you have climate questions or Franklin specific climate questions, send them in and we’ll try to answer them in a future session.  

The conversation runs about 55 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Ted and Jeff as we help ‘make sense of climate.’ Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1067-making-sense-of-climate-32-09-19-23

--------------

  

Links to articles referenced:

Drone footage of turbine leaving New Bedford harbor  https://youtu.be/4locoph2dMg 

CommonWealth Magazine article on wind power quoting Jeff https://commonwealthmagazine.org/energy/governors-including-healey-raise-concerns-about-offshore-wind-pricing/ 

New Bedford - Robert’s Rules of Order -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/12/new-bedford-leads-in-value-of-fish.html 

Solar power technical potential map from State of MA  https://www.mass.gov/info-details/technical-potential-of-solar-study#report-and-storymap- 

** See the page that collects all the “Making Sense of Climate” episodes -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/02/making-sense-of-climate-collection.html 

--------------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit www.franklin.news/ or  www.Franklinmatters.org/ 

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Drone footage of turbine leaving New Bedford harbor

Making Sense of Climate #28: Catching up on climate news, touting action as antidote to despair (audio)

FM #1022 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1022 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Ted McIntyre, Franklin resident and climate activist via the Zoom conference bridge Thursday, July 13, 2023.  

In this episode we cover multiple topics as we caught up on what has happened since our prior recording. Links to the articles we talk of are located below.  

Briefly

• Climate challenges are here, when will it be recognized that change is required?

• Solar, agrivoltaics, home wind turbines, nuclear

• ISO New England & grid intersections 

• Energize Franklin, action is the antidote to despair

This discussion continues our journey understanding the MA roadmap toward net zero and while it helps me “make sense of climate”, we hope it helps with your understanding as well. 

If you have climate questions or Franklin specific climate questions, send them in and we’ll try to answer them in a future session.  

The conversation runs about 42 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Ted McIntyre as he helps me ‘make sense of climate’

Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1022-making-sense-of-climate-28-07-13-23

--------------

  

Links to articles referenced:

Temperature records ->  https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/05/tuesday-was-worlds-hottest-day-on-record-breaking-mondays-record

Solar power roof maps -> https://www.wbur.org/news/2023/07/06/solar-power-rooftop-map-technical-potential-climate-goals 

Electrical grid interconnections (ISO New England to ISO New York, etc.)

https://www.wbur.org/news/2023/07/05/electrical-transmission-power-lines-massachusetts-new-england-clean-energy-doe 

Shift in thinking about nuclear -> https://commonwealthmagazine.org/energy/shift-in-thinking-on-nuclear-power/ 

Agrivoltaics -> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrivoltaics 

Home wind turbines -> https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/07/11/home-wind-turbine-renewable-energy/ 

Power cell efficiency ->

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/06/revolutionary-solar-power-cell-innovations-break-key-energy-threshold 

Turbine efficiency -> https://www.vernier.com/experiment/rev-12_turbine-efficiency/ 

** See the page that collects all the “Making Sense of Climate” episodes -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/02/making-sense-of-climate-collection.html 

--------------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Making Sense of Climate #28: Catching up on climate news, touting action as antidote to despair (audio)

Climate Change Roundup: connecting to the grid; CA farmers need help; climate migration has begun

Wind and Solar Energy Projects Risk Overwhelming America’s Antiquated Electrical Grids    - The New York Times  (subscription maybe required)  https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/23/climate/renewable-energy-us-electrical-grid.html

‘Help us fight’: California farmers ask for more aid after deadly storms | California | The Guardian   (subscription maybe required)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/23/california-farm-workers-disaster-relief

The American climate migration has already begun | Jake Bittle | The Guardian   (subscription maybe required) 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/feb/23/us-climate-crisis-housing-migration-natural-disasters 

'The effects will be different in every place, but almost everywhere safe shelter will get scarcer and more expensive, loosening people’s grip on the stability that comes with a permanent home.’ Photograph: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images

CommonWealth Magazine: "Mass.-financed power line from Quebec clears another NextEra hurdle"

"THE COMPANY seeking to build a Massachusetts-financed transmission line carrying hydro-electricity from Quebec to Maine cleared another hurdle on its comeback trail when federal regulators dismissed objections raised by the nuclear power plant Seabrook Station.

In a 52-page ruling, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ruled on Wednesday that Seabrook must upgrade a circuit breaker at the nuclear power plant to accommodate hydro-electricity expected to come into the region from Canada.

FERC also ruled that Seabook’s owner, NextEra, can only charge Avangrid, the company building the power line, for the cost of replacing the circuit breaker and not for “opportunity costs” of $560,000 a day or legal fees.

Avangrid and NextEra are big competitors in the New England energy market and have been battling each other for years on a variety of fronts."

Continue reading the article online ->

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/energy/mass-financed-power-line-from-quebec-clears-another-nextera-hurdle/

 

This has been a thread in our ongoing series Making Sense of Climate ->

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/02/making-sense-of-climate-collection.html

Seabrook Station

Making Sense of Climate: Ted & I start 2023 with a discussion on the recent news (audio)

FM #916 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 916 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Ted McIntyre, Franklin resident and climate activist via the Zoom conference bridge Tuesday, January 10, 2023.  

In this episode we covered the following topics: 

Happy new year, catch up on happenings since we last talked

• Healey, inauguration, Climate lead executive order

• Rep Roy video from Museum of Science (wind turbine blade testing), Rep Roy & Senator Barrett on Codcast (wind troubles)

• Fusion/ fission/ nuclear generated electrical power

This discussion continues our journey understanding the MA roadmap toward net zero and while it helps me “make sense of climate”, we hope it helps with your understanding as well. 

If you have climate questions or Franklin specific climate questions, send them in and we’ll try to answer them in a future session.  

The conversation runs about 48 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Ted.

Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-916-making-sense-of-climate-21-01-10-23

--------------

  

Links to articles referenced:

Climate lead via Executive Order from Governor Healey

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/state-government/healey-signs-executive-order-on-climate/ 

Rep Roy video on wind turbine blade testing visit

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/01/museum-of-science-visit-mass-clean.html  

CodCast episode with Rep Roy and Senator Barrett

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/01/the-codcast-lawmakers-walk-tightrope-on.html 

ISO New England grid capacity around Christmas 2022

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/2023/01/07/iso-new-england-electricity-power-plant-fines-december-failure-oil-natural-gas-christmas-storm/69785296007/

Wind farm in Maine, MA to take advantage of

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/01/03/business/offshore-wind-falters-mass-makes-its-move-boost-giant-wind-farm-maine/ 

Fun article: driving for donuts to test electric vehicle charging stations availability

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/01/10/science/we-drove-around-new-england-looking-ev-chargers-best-doughnuts-it-was-easier-than-we-expected/

Fusion announcement 

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/12/22/science/after-years-doubts-hopes-grow-that-nuclear-fusion-is-finally-real-could-help-address-climate-change/ 

See the page that collects the “Making Sense of Climate” episodes -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/02/making-sense-of-climate-collection.html 

--------------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Wind turbines atop Saddleback Mountain in Maine. ROBERT F. BUKATY/ASSOCIATED PRESS