Grid Operator for New England Votes to Delay Region’s Clean Energy Transition

Boston, MA – The grid operator for New England, ISO-NE, has decided to delay fixing a rule that makes it harder for renewable energy projects to replace unneeded fossil fuel power plants on the grid. Last week, the grid operator, along with the region’s largest utility companies, voted to delay making the urgent reform to the Minimum Offer Price Rule (MOPR) by two more years in a move that will keep open aging fossil fuel plants that continue polluting communities across the region and unnecessarily charging customers on their bills.  

"This ISO-NE decision is the wrong direction for New England,” said Samantha Dynowski, State Director of Sierra Club Connecticut. “It continues to protect fossil fuels from fairly competing with renewable energy and delays a clean energy transition that would create new jobs and investment in local communities. Our region’s big utility companies have chosen to protect their profits even if it means polluting frontline communities and slowing down an energy transition that would improve so many lives. New England Governors must act to fix this disappointing decision.”