Top stories 2018: As state favors Millstone, Dominion cools off closure threats
Waterford — After years of Dominion Energy's hints that high costs and competition from historically cheap natural gas prices threatened Millstone Power Station's future, state regulators this year agreed to let the plant compete in a higher-priced market among solar, wind and hydropower producers.
This month, regulators additionally found the plant "at risk of early retirement" partly based on confidential financial data turned over by Dominion. The designation lets regulators consider the plant's substantial economic, environmental and grid benefits in the state's zero-carbon auction.
The state's moves to keep Millstone operational faced criticism from Dominion competitors, utilities and environmental groups who argued the plant should remain profitable for more than a decade. But regulators' decisions followed pressure from lawmakers concerned about the potential loss of 1,000-plus jobs. Regulators also said without Millstone delivering its 2,100 megawatts of electricity, the New England grid faced unreliability, and greenhouse gas emissions from replacement sources would undercut state environmental goals.
Regulators expect to select winning bidders in the zero-carbon auction by early 2019.
Stories that may interest you

Remember When: Cathedral of St. Patrick evolved as congregation grew and Catholics thrived
I remember when I visited St. Patrick Church for a Mass in 1953.
Lee's Kitchen: Ready to grill with this peach BBQ chicken recipe
I spent a lot of time in the past couple of weeks driving. I wasn’t going long distances; rather I had errands so I did a couple, got home for lunch, and finished the rest an hour or two later.

Downtown New London building to house Conn College students
The downtown is poised to welcome an influx of college students this summer as Connecticut College, expecting a record number of incoming students, extends its housing options to a State Street building.
Navy finds USS Connecticut underwater grounding "preventable"
The U.S. Navy on Monday released the results of its command investigation that found the USS Connecticut's grounding on an underwater seamount on Oct. 2, 2021, was "preventable" and could have led to the loss of the submarine.
READER COMMENTS