Acadia Center

40% drop in emissions, $11.4 billion generated for clean energy and weatherization for low-income households. That's what RGGI has accomplished for its member states since it launched. Today we celebrate the return of Virginia to the coalition, with Senior Policy and Data Analyst Paola Moncada Tamayo breaking down how the state stands to gain from rejoining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Dig into the details at the Acadia Center blog: https://lnkd.in/dcVTUXqh

Acadia Center applauds the Healey Administration for this pause on accepting data center sales tax exemption applications until stronger protections are in place for Massachusetts residents, businesses and communities. https://lnkd.in/g262wV47

Acadia Center was glad to stand beside legislators and advocates in RI to call for an override of the veto of the Building Benchmarking & Reporting Act. Tracking the energy usage of large buildings is a common sense way to reduce energy waste and drive efficiency. (Photo credit: Evan Tao, Green Energy Consumers Alliance)

It's not a question of IF but HOW New England will expand clean energy, grid infrastructure and other technologies to meet decarbonization goals in the coming years—especially with energy affordability now a top concern across the region.   Acadia Center and Clean Air Task Force have identified a huge opportunity to effectively meet both goals—decarbonization and affordability—through public financing of transmission optimization.   👉 Transmission investment can lower system costs because it allows cheaper, cleaner generation to interconnect more quickly, while reducing reliance on natural gas—the key driver of regional electricity supply prices.   👉 Public financing has the potential to deliver billion-dollar savings to New England ratepayers as the region invests in the build-out and modernization of its power grid.   Don't miss our latest joint report: A Smarter Way to Pay: Public Financing for Affordable Transmission Development and catch the webinar replay here: https://lnkd.in/eaEjyM2E  

Connecticut residents and businesses already face some of the highest electricity rates in the country. They deserve complete transparency and confidence that regulators are acting with integrity during the ratemaking process. Intervenors and other stakeholders spent months providing evidence and testimony in the United Illuminating rate case, leading to a draft decision granting United Illuminating a $28.6 million rate hike. Weeks later, PURA issued a final decision granting a $66 million rate hike—more than double what was found reasonable under the draft decision and $2 million more than UI itself said was sufficient in its own filings. The final decision substantially mirrored positions UI put forward in response to PURA's draft decision, in which it requested $63.7M. While the findings of this investigation are troubling, PURA has tools at its disposal to contain costs and introduce more accountability to the ratemaking process. These include Performance-Based Ratemaking (PBR), a regulatory framework that ties financial incentives for utilities to measurable performance outcomes rather than simply allowing recovery of costs for capital investments. PURA issued a comprehensive draft PBR framework in summer 2025 that would have substantially contained utility costs, but a final decision in that docket was delayed. Acadia Center was encouraged to see PURA recently announce that they would issue a final decision in those dockets by October 2026. We hope that the final decisions in those dockets—and other ongoing proceedings—uphold state policy priorities and provide meaningful relief for ratepayers. https://lnkd.in/ehZk76an

Acadia Center thanks Commissioner Katie Scharf Dykes for 15 years of dedicated service advancing energy and climate policy in Connecticut. Under her leadership, the state secured clean and reliable energy from projects like Revolution Wind, implemented building and transportation decarbonization initiatives, and acted as a leader on regional grid issues such as transmission costs and public policy needs. We are grateful for Commissioner Dykes's commitment to a clean, affordable, and resilient energy future, and look forward to seeing this critical work continue at DEEP. Acadia Center wishes her good fortune in her next endeavors. https://lnkd.in/eMJa5HGQ

I completely agree with Acadia Center on this one, “There’s really not evidence that reversing 30 years of power sector restructuring is going to lower costs.” This bill is a really bad idea. I’m heartened to see so many raise concerns and the questions necessary. https://lnkd.in/gRckA289

New analysis from CATF + Acadia Center finds that public financing mechanisms could significantly reduce the cost of building and upgrading transmission infrastructure in New England by up to 43% – delivering more than $9 billion in savings over 40 years. Last week, CATF's Nicole Pavia, Acadia Center's Jamie Dickerson, Power Advisory's Peter Shattuck, and Yale Law School Professor Joshua Macey discussed the findings of this analysis – presenting legal considerations for implementation and exploring varied and flexible pathways for New England to leverage public financing mechanisms and public-private partnerships. https://lnkd.in/eEQieGBn

Good article from Jon Lamson on the report that Power Advisory developed in conjunction with Joshua Macey for Acadia Center and Clean Air Task Force. Key findings: -Public financing could produce over $9 billion in savings on #transmission costs in New England -Public financing could be integrated into existing transmission procurement mechanisms (the Longer-Term Transmission Planning procurement or a Voluntary Agreement among states) -Using existing mechanisms preserves competition, and the innovative projects and cost discipline that procurements promote -Existing public financing entities could be tasked with supporting transmission, accounting the need for entirely new institutions Study Shows Potential Savings from Public Tx Financing in New England https://lnkd.in/etDyPuBY