Regional transmission organization
Appears in 6 stories · Last updated Nov 2, 2026
Market operator that flagged competition concerns
Vistra finished buying Cogentrix Energy on October 30, adding ten natural gas plants and 5,496 megawatts to a fleet that now reaches nearly 50,000 megawatts. The deal was announced in January at a net price of about $4.0 billion.
Updated Nov 1
Grid operator for New England
Monthly wind generation on New England's grid averaged 68% higher in the first nine months of 2026 than in the same months of 2025, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. September produced 668.9 gigawatt-hours, more than double September 2025 and the year's highest monthly total.
Updated Oct 31
Newly designated Asset Condition Reviewer
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved ISO New England's plan to review utility-planned transmission replacement projects. The order, issued October 16, 2026, takes effect January 1, 2027. The review is advisory: ISO New England reports its conclusions to its Planning Advisory Committee but does not decide whether a project proceeds or rule on whether its costs are prudent.
Updated Oct 24
As of May 2026: Managing grid transition with 18,000 MW of battery storage in interconnection queue
Maine had no utility-scale battery storage until Plus Power's 175-megawatt Cross Town facility in Gorham began operations on February 11, 2026. It can power 19,000 homes for two hours and store surplus wind power from northern Maine for dispatch to Boston during peak demand — the largest on the New England grid at the time.
Updated May 29
As of May 2026: Grid operator receiving NECEC power
New England has paid some of the highest electricity prices in the country for decades, hostage to constrained natural gas pipelines that spike costs every winter. On January 16, 2026, a $1.6 billion transmission line began delivering 1,200 megawatts of Canadian hydropower to the region—enough to meet 20% of Massachusetts' electricity needs and save ratepayers an estimated $50 million annually.
Updated May 26
As of May 2026: Grid operator integrating NECEC power
For 40 years, transmission bottlenecks and opposition blocked Hydro-Québec from selling more power to New England. On January 16, 2026, a 145-mile power line through Maine began delivering 1,200 megawatts of Canadian hydroelectricity to Massachusetts—20% of the state's needs and the largest clean energy transmission addition to the region in decades. The line went dark when a winter storm hit 10 days later.
Updated May 21
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