Healey unveils plan to expand Mass. energy generation, storage

With oil and gasoline prices rising due to the conflict with Iran, and after months of state efforts to address energy affordability, the Healey administration is announcing plans to bring more energy into Massachusetts and control costs.Gov. Maura Healey, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper and other members of the administration gathered Monday at Lynch Elementary School to announce an “all-of-the-above approach” to acquiring and generating energy for the Bay State. According to the governor, who is running for reelection on a platform based on affordability, her new Executive Order directs state agencies to work toward securing 10 new gigawatts of energy and 5 gigawatts of new energy storage by 2035. “While the President is taking American-built energy sources off the table, in Massachusetts, we are saying yes to more supply from more sources of energy. We are saying yes to American jobs and American energy independence. And we are saying yes to lowering energy bills for all,” Healey said in a statement provided by her office.The election is less than eight months away and energy costs are clearly becoming a key issue. Brian Shortsleeve, a Republican candidate for governor, argued Monday that Healy created the very energy affordability problem that she now aims to address.”This is a problem of Healey’s own making. We would not be in the position we’re in here in Massachsuetts if Maura Healey hadn’t killed two natural gas pipelines,” Shortsleeve said. The governor’s office said her 10-gigawatt goal is enough to power roughly 2 million households and includes 4 gigawatts of solar power and aims to achieve 3.5 gigawatts through “load management strategies such as energy efficiency, virtual power plants, and electric vehicle charging management.”According to her office, immediate steps directed by the governor include:”Ramp up efforts to build more solar projects before President Trump ends federal support”Expand opportunities for wind, nuclear power, and fusion energy”Explore natural gas and other fuel storage and delivery strategies to ensure reliability, avoid unnecessary spending and charges, and reduce reliance on imported liquefied natural gas”Lower the cost of geothermal for heating and cooling”Allow for flexible interconnection to make better use of the energy grid we already have and get more energy connected faster and cheaper.”Electricity consumption is projected to rise by nearly 15% through 2035 and 50% by 2045, according to ISO New England.