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Sen. Ed Markey criticizes Massachusetts power grid over clean energy delay request

Massachusetts U.S. Senator Ed Markey during a press conference outside of power grid operator ISO New England's Holyoke headquarters.
Adam Frenier
/
NEPM
Massachusetts U.S. Senator Ed Markey during a press conference outside of power grid operator ISO New England's Holyoke headquarters.

Massachusetts U.S. Senator Ed Markey is criticizing a move, which could slow more clean energy from entering the region's power grid.

ISO New England operates the grid and is asking federal regulators to allow a delay in eliminating a pricing rule. It is aimed at keeping subsidized green energy from blocking other sources, often generated by fossil fuels, on the energy market. The rule was due to expire next year, but the grid operator wants to put that off until 2025.

Standing outside the gates to ISO's headquarters in Holyoke on Thursday, Markey, a clean-energy advocate, knocked the corporation for a lack of transparency, referring to decisions made behind the fenced-off building.

"The secret decisions always come out the same," Markey said. "They come out in favor of the oil and gas industry. They come out against the consumer. They come out against the environment.”

Markey continued to slam the grid operator.

"It shouldn't even be called ISO New England, Independent Service Operator for New England, it should be called Dependent Service Operator on the oil and gas industry because that's what ISO New England is," he said.

Markey also said he sent a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission — the regulator which will make the decision on whether to grant the delay — urging the board not to do so. Markey’s Massachusetts Senate colleague Elizabeth Warren and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders also signed on to the letter.

In a statement, ISO said the delay would continue the region's clean energy transition while also protecting the reliability of the power system.

“We appreciate Senator Markey’s interest in the region’s transition to the future grid, and look forward to continuing our conversations with him, his office, and the rest of New England’s delegation,” the statement said. “Getting to the clean, reliable power system that we all want will require broad collaboration among state and federal officials, ISO New England, and the energy industry. There’s much work to be done, and we all need to work together to accomplish it.”

Adam joined NEPM as a freelance reporter and fill-in operations assistant during the summer of 2011. For more than 15 years, Adam has had a number stops throughout his broadcast career, including as a news reporter and anchor, sports host and play-by-play announcer as well as a producer and technician.
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